Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award

[ohh]

Hello. I'm after a bit of advice. Daughter was excited about taking part with regards to it mainly being on in her CV. She is very hard working at school. Taking academic GCSEs. Paid up the registration fee. First weeks meeting seemed to go well. She was still pro doing it. Suddenly she now doesn't DD asked to walk neighbours dig for exercise. They agreed to it but would like me to be with her. Their dog knows me well! Told DD she said "can't they just sign to say I have done it?" !! I said that's not the point if the award. Then she asked for me to make dinner and neighbour to say she had done it as a new skill! Very miffed. Should I just stop it. Charge daughter the £35.?

[DelphiniumBlue]

Doesn't it need to be a regular thing for at least 3 months? And the cooking dinner thing, there would need to be a record of acquiring a skill.
But don't do it for her, it would be encouraging her to think that she doesn't need to make any effort and that essentially these certificates can be bought. It devalues the efforts of the participants who are treating it seriously.

[ohh]

Delphinium blue. I totally agree. I told her I wouldn't do it or allow her to blantanly lie. I suggested taking part in a Zumba class with me. Volunteering at cubs/
Scouts or brownies. Charity shops or old people's home. D'S was lije "I don't want to do any of that" should I pull her out or speak to teacher first that is organising it all.

[foundoutyet]

I know of someone who did cooking and just took pictures of it as proof.

[annandale]

I would say to her that either she does it properly and you will advise (not help) her, or she talks to the teacher herself and pulls out. Otherwise she owes you 35 quid.

[WeAllHaveWings]

We have a pupil at our school and they have baking as a skill, their mother selects the recipe, prints it, buys the ingredients, bakes it, does the washing up, every single week, and the pupil passes it off as theirs. All so they can put it on their CV. Really not doing their dc any favours in the long run.

[Rolypoly]

I'm one of the DoE leaders at my school. We would not accept someone's mum signing to say they had completed their skill. Going to zumba would be a good idea as the person leading the class would be able to sign off her exercise section. It sounds like she needs to clarify exactly what is expected of her. Pupils tend to focus on the expedition bit of the award but the volunteering, skill and activity bit are more demanding. She will need to decide how she is going to demonstrate these, organise it and commit to dedicating a number of weeks to it.

[BackforGood]

I can't believe that you are even asking.
I'm hopeful that the person running her scheme wouldn't accept it either. Walking a dog is not enough for the Physical bit of the DofE anyway, even if she were doing it.
As for you cooking a meal and neighbour signing to say she did it how she thinks this would be acceptable even if she did cook a meal herself.
ds did cooking for a new skill, but it was a term's worth of weekly sessions once a week after school, where the teacher witnessed them planning, and then cooking the meals, and improving their skills over the 3 months - not one meal

If she is going to drop out, then yes, of course she should tell the LEader. Maybe one of the dc who didn't get a place could take the place she is wasting.

[WhatHaveIFound]

My DD did DofE Bronze last year and a few of her classmates dropped out along the way because they didn't realise it was such a long term commitment. There's no way their teacher would have accepted any cheating on the rules.

My DD didn't even suggest that she put down the 10 week course she went on down as her new skill as she knew it was short of the 3 months required.

I think you need to tell your DD that she either does it within the guidelines or not al all. Whether you charge her the £35 is up to you but personally i would if she's messed you about.

[Groovee]

I wouldn’t sign off anything for her. I often get volunteers at Brownies. Only one has been useless and was only there because mum made her. The rest have been fab.

I’d speak to the organiser and sit down with Dd to see if she actually wishes to do it.

[ohh]

Thank you everyone. I think I might try to speak to the leader (I know the teacher) as I don't want her to drop out due to laziness and would want her to do it properly. No point otherwise. Defeating the object of the award. Initially she wanted to do it because she thought it would help her apply for university placement acceptance.

Thanks