Bronze DofE £250 through school

Our school doesn't give them time off if they can help it. Bronze all done at weekend including two training days. Silver they gave them a Friday or Monday off for either the practise or qualifying everything else must be done on weekends or during holidays. DSs Gold didn't get him any time off at all.

I don't think I said that you didn't know what the requirement for sections were Wax - not sure what that's about.

I just wasn't sure how you came to six days of weekend time that was all. For my DS at Bronze it was 2 days, as the practice was done using flexi days during the school week & DD it was 3 days, as she did one of the practice days on a school Friday and the rest was weekend time.

I appreciate that each school will do it differently, but it doesn't have to add up to 6 days - was all I was trying to say.

I've just signed my year 9 daughter up. It cost £50 to include registeration, booklets and a compass, transport etc. Another £50 will be required when they do their expedition, kit is loaned out for free, any lost kit has to be replaced by parent. The school also employe a part-time co-ordinator on 25 hours a week. This also included presentation/award evening with refreshments, school is a state Grammar. I thought I'd was a bargain!

The same is still the same it's just that it's paid individuals that run it instead of volunteers. It's a shame that this might exclude people but unless people volunteer to do it for free (and school allows this in your case OP then the reality is that there is a greater cost involved.

whether people thought it changed the whole idea behind the scheme

The idea that someone else should give up their spare time to facilitate your child's personal development and career prospects at minimal cost to you? Yes, it does change that. Is it a problem? No.

And also Margo. I've already said I have one ds who's just finished gold and another just finished silver. I'm well aware of what the requirements are for each section thanks.

Margo. That's 4 weekend days so far and then there is training to be done usually another 2 individual weekend days. So 6 days to pay for staff for each group.

What is mostly at weekends Wax? Most of the stuff the children do in their own time, it is only the actual expeditions that often have to happen at weekends and that accounts for 4 days max. Practice can be one or two days & the actual qualifying expedition is 2 days max at Bronze.

I used to be a Explorer Scout leader and I was one of the ones who suggested joining up for the awards. I don't think it's cheeky - it's not like the kids can turn up for certain occasions only and get the award - if you're not an active and involved member then you won't be able to pass them as so many activities will tie into them.

I'm still volunteering for a different part of the scouting movement and I don't mind why parents send their children, it's what the kids get out of it that's the main thing.

It's also mostly at weekends which might cost more for staff.

I would suggest that you get in touch either with the D of E direct to find out if there are any award schemes being run near you or as I said before get in touch. With your local authority to see if their YPS run an open award.

I’m not surprised it costs that much for a company to provide the training. It sounds like the previous low prices were subsided by staff giving up their own time at no cost and some LEAs covering part of the cost.

Scouts/Guides will again be no staff costs plus the accreditation will be covered by the county/national organisation and that will be paid for by the annual payments that all members of the organisations make.

If anyone thinks they can set up a company and employ people to offer DoE at less than £250 a head it looks like there would be a big market for it. Employing suitably qualified staff, doing necessary checks, getting appropriate DoE registration, including staff costs like national insurance, pensions, paying business rates, advertising, accounting costs etc and actually making a profit for your business and £250 would probably feel like the price you wanted/needed to charge.

Gosh, my ds has just signed up for the bronze and we paid £22 - I'm wondering now if we will be asked for more to cover the expedition or something.

Can you sign up direct with D of E?

I think there are centres around the country that organise expeditions because if a child misses their school weekend for any reason they can join another school/centre to complete it.

I still think its overpriced, but remember that money covers fees, transport but most of all staff wages. There will be leaders to pay for to supervise the training plus the practice and final expeditions as well as paperwork etc. So at least 6 days of staff wages that is normally given for free.

The school will be using a company for expeditions for this cost so paying for their staff. I run DofE in a school but have 30 volunteers to staff expeditions so ours cost £70 for bronze expeditions. Volunteers are parents, teachers and former students. I am very lucky to have this set up. Our whole Gold Award costs under £200.

As an alternative to schools and scouts have a look to see if your Young People's Service run it.
Or try a Youth Zone?

That is really expensive.
It cost £19 to register the child up to and including silver award.

I'm assuming the campsite fees are included for the practise and the qualifying exped.
The only other cost the organisation could possibly have is for the transport when they are doing the map reading skills and camping.
As there has to be a minimum of 4 in the qualifying camp that is £1000 which is a lot especially if you are providing your own food.
Unless they do the camp in the next two weeks the earliest opportunity they will get to camp is next Easter.

To add an alternate point of view as this thread has been very 'uni centric', but only 50% go to university.

DD1 did bronze DofE. It was really worthwhile for her.
For someone who hadn't does sports teams or music it provided a structure to widen her experiences.
It got her into an physical activity she had wanted to do more of but she (and we) now had the kick to put the time into organising.
It got her volunteering for something that she is now making a career of (and possibly wouldn't have got the job without the experience).
It made her realise that she can push herself physically if she puts her mind to it.
So the award itself might not be needed but the structure and the push it gave her were very worthwhile.

£250 is ridiculous though.

My eldest did this at school last year. It cost £245, plus we had to provide all kit except for the tents and the cooking stoves. He enjoyed the expeditions but decided not to carry on with it, so it was a bit of a waste really. My husband did DofE gold and got a lot out of it, which was why we were happy for our eldest to try it in the first place. Will still be happy for the younger children to try it when they get to the same age though.

Having just attended the presentations for the gold groups at DSs school I can assure you it isn't a walk in the park. All 4 groups had severe weather to contend with. One expedition had to be abandoned in the middle if the night due to severe storms. DSs group had huge waves and broken kayak wheels to contend with meaning they had to carry fully laden kayaks for hours at a time to get to camping areas. I think it's a massive achievement for 16 and 17 year olds.

What Titchy says above ^

Don't do it thinking it is good for your uni applications.

Do it if you want to do the activities and volunteering involved to enrich you personally.

Unless relevant to your degree eg. hospital or care hom work to medicine, or in a primary school for teaching the Uni will not care!!