To be frustrated by DofE requirements

[Frenchcremefraiche]

My daughter has just turned 15 and is trying to complete (well, START tbh!) her Bronze DofE.

On paper it's fine: learn something and do some volunteering.

In reality it's really, really hard! All suggestions appreciated!

There are so many exclusions to the skill requirement. She doesnt get home from school until 6 which limits evenings. Not that there are many lessons/groups after school anyway. Then there are so few activities that count as a skill on the weekend. Anything vaguely "sporty" doesnt count as a skill even if it's something she's never done before and is going to classes to learn it (eg ice skating). She's been doing online guitar lessons but because she started those before DofE, they dont count. There is a minimum hours requirement and Ive found a few in person classes but they arent long enough. It needs to be something in person because it needs to be signed off so teaching herself or doing something at home wont count.

Then volunteering, because of her age, very few places can help. Any informal groups that are willing to take her want a parent present because they cant take responsibility for her / arent DBS checked etc which I get but obviously she doesnt want me hanging about. It has to be a regular thing so she cant organise eg an afternoon litter pick. Plus she needs someone to sign it off anyway. She looked at helping at a local beaver/scout group but one said no and the other has her ex boyfriend helping so she said no. In her naive 15year old way she wont help at brownies because they are "sexist".

Any suggestions on what she can do? She's on the verge of having to quit because she cant meet the requirements.

OP, you need to properly check the website and don’t rely on someone else’s say so.

Also, perhaps look into a real life guitar instructor.

Can she help out at school? When I was at school I helped out in a maths lesson for the lower years or if this is not possible due to her own timetable, maybe helping during tutor time

Does her really want to do it? Doesn’t sound as if it’s for her. It’s she’s just doing it for uni applications I wouldn’t bother. It isn’t worth anything anymore in that regard. Just get her to continue with her interests.

The fact that you are here, posting on her behalf, to then share ideas with her, defeats the whole point of the awards.

DoE is about creativity, initiatives, courage. Looking for something worthy of the award is what it is all about, not making it a tick box exercise just to put it on one's CV.

She doesn't sound committed to it and as such, it doesn't sound the right thing for her to do.

My son does organised litter cleans with a group. They only go out once a month though (beach cleans) so we do it every weekend as well for an hour.

We are waiting to see if that gets signed off though as it was largely supervised by me.

He's done the skill (chess club) and has done the expedition which he hated beyond measure. He's thinking of not even contiuining it even though we are doing the litter picking and he really enjoys that.

So true, my DD is a grade 8 level pianist now, completely self-taught. Started off using an online app, then moved to copying fingerings etc on youtube videos, then easy sheet music and so on (took about 5 years, and not what she did for her DofE). This is self-development at a higher level than someone being taught, so obviously it should be allowed!

Has she been through the DofE website? From a 5 minute look, it looks like she can volunteer for a wildlife charity tracking birds in her area. She probably needs to get her volunteering through DofE with a charity that has a DofE programme. Bernardo’s shops do this it seems - where’s your nearest one? I think up to an hour commute on bus/bike each way for a Saturday volunteer role would be reasonable.

I think the skill your daughter needs to learn is critical thinking and tracking to source information as you (and presumably she) are quite robustly defending an incorrect position…

My DS found it really hard to find volunteering roles. Parkrun is one to look at or litter picking. Surfers against sewage is good because you can log all the clean ups you do. You can either join an existing one or do your own one.

When my kids did their Bronze, they were positively encouraged to incorporate whatever activities they already did into the D of E requirements, eg they both learned instruments and played in a youth orchestra so that became their skill.

Re volunteering, again the school helped by providing opportunities within the institution, so ds (and lots others in his year) did 2 shifts a week cleaning the school after class, and dd was allowed to help in the art department, cleaning brushes, mounting work, that sort of thing. Just another suggestion your dd might look into?

How is she at swimming? If not a good swimmer then attending swim classes will count as improvement as you can work towards certificates or maybe think about Rookie Life Saving Courses. Lots of Swim/Leisure centres offer these courses.

I think DOE really need to have a rethink tbh. Dd managed it cos she already volunteered at Rainbows, but lots of her friends just gave up. We have 3 charity shops who obvs give the opportunity to their friends kids.

It’s 20 years since I did it, but when I did, stuff at home absolutely counted, we just needed to get a non-family member to sign it off.

So my friend did knitting. She told her registration tutor in September that’s what she would be doing, and brought in a scarf to show her at Easter. Teacher then signed the record book.

My ‘service’ was helping the special needs kids (we had a centre at my school) every Monday at lunchtime, and in 6th form I spent a free lesson each week supporting a dyslexic year 7 kid in one of his English lessons.

Ask the school what they can help with!

Online courses like Duolingo count, a simple Google will show you countess other DofE students who've done that.

Your daughter doesn't want to do it by the sounds of it.

In her naive 15year old way she wont help at brownies because they are "sexist".
You need to teach her that having safe, single-sex space is not being sexist!

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I personally know a few professional musicians who are entirely self taught so there's no issue with that aspect but it's probably harder to evidence your starting point and progress if you're completely self taught. Unless she has a music teacher at school who can verify her starting point and progress made at the end.

Although, I suspect the school saying no is a barrier the OP and her daughter are putting in place rather than a new DofE requirement no one else has ever heard of.

Developing an existing skill is absolutely permitted by DofE.

Can she do some TA kind of work for lower years at school? Our school has year 12s helping out in year 8-9 classes which I believe counts towards this should they need it.

Because you need someone to sign it off as progress.

Ubee online volunteering is still listed on the DofE website: https://www.dofe.org/opportunity-finder/approved-activity-provider

Guitar can definitely still count but she will need an activity log to show practise and any ensembles as well as the lessons to get to one hour. Both my children used their existing instruments for DofE.

TBH I think I’d leave her to it and take a step back.

Brownies is not sexist (ditto rainbows), having single-sex spaces for young girls where they can challenge themselves and push themselves is a great thing.

If she’s describing charity shops as smelly then no wonder they don’t want her.

She sounds like she’s not currently in the correct mindset to start the DofE at the moment, I think a period of self reflection might be more useful.

My son did his during covid and his physical was cycling. He mapped his route and waved at the neighbour before and after he set off and took photos on the way. That was enough.

I disagree.

Not everyone is going to get it. It wouldn't be an achievement if everyone got it and it was easy.

You say she’s found out about Young Leaders. Is she going ahead with that, as she is already at Explorers? It’s not at all onerous, and will stand her in good stead if she doesn’t go ahead with DofE

Helping out is not TA work! TAs are running interventions and other roles that need experience and qualifications. The days of TAs washing paint pots are long gone.

Is the DoE organised through school? If it is, they should really be helping with these sorts of logistics shouldn't they?

Does she genuinely want to do it? Or is she doing it because you suggested it, or because friends are doing it?