Urban DofE: does such a thing exist?

[paulinepolos]

Hello
I am looking for an alternative Gold Duke of Edinburgh`s Award Expedition for my just turned 18yo daughter. She has mental health difficulties and a history of depression, to which I have found the standard Expeditions unsuitable. We live in Liverpool and I initially suggested to our Private DofE coordinator to do the Leeds and Liverpool Canal as her Expedition. And before you go on about wild country or mountains, as of 2023 the DofE says it allows Urban Expeditions (look at 20 Conditions).

It needs to have/provide the following things:

.be in an urban or semi-urban environment and not in "wilderness" or mountains
.have absolute MINIMUM team size of 4 people
.female only or request to have female only
.to ask an allocated time for me to see my daughter at night
.to ask to bring own food and not those shitty ration pack boil in the bag meals (such as bring own spaghetti and sauce)

Can anyone help or advise me on this?

Okay, have you seen the state of the tow paths? Would you be confident that she would be able to navigate to a safe camping spot, and then back to the tow path in the morning?

#ipityyou
Yes. Its supposed to be challenging isnt it hahahahaha
We live in liverpool she goes up these canals

She’s walked all 120+ miles? The canals in city centres are very different to the ones in the middle of nowhere.

Either she has the mental age of a 14 year old, or she doesn’t.

D of E is evidence of a young person's persistence, problem-solving capacities, willingness to test themselves and ability to work in a team. Your daughter doesn't have these qualities, so she's unsuited to it.

That. A gold award after an expedition where her mum has visited her every evening, would be valueless, even if it was allowed, which is highly unlikely.

Does it have to be DofE could you do this together? I’m trying to think what you’re seeking to achieve? It’s just with the bronze d of e it took a lot of planning from the kids and the adults ….

There is no navigation or map reading involved in walking a fixed path. So missed core skills that are being tested. It’s not just a test of whether she can walk for miles. It’s testing a whole load of other skills as well. If she doesn’t have those, she can’t pass the requirements.

This is the third post @paulinepolos has made about her daughter, lack of GCSEs and unwillingness to take part in the basic elements of the DOE.

She has had almost exactly the same responses in each thread. She has not only cast around for solutions, she has trawled a nets worth of advice. Most of which is that an adapted DOE that she is proposing wouldnt be allowed and that even if by some fluke it was, it wont compensate for the daughters lack of GCSEs.

Is that allowed? What do I know.
I wouldn't be too happy having young women camping there or in random parks.

Yes I know, I was on her first thread. I just don’t think snark really helps.

This is actually a great input.

Yabu your "form" of D Of E doesn't exist. That would change the entire point. It's ok to accept it's not for your child

It would still need to be actually compliant though, and it doesn’t sound like that’s OPs intention. Which is also not fair to the other girls she ropes into it.

I posted this on your other thread but still

is it challenging for gold? is it demanding for gold? that is the issue. is it used for bronze or silver? where are they camping/staying over as they also have to do that. - the fact you say she knows those canals suggests its not challenging or demanding for her

reality is you seem to think gold dofe is a substitute for the fact your daughter has no GCSEs and doesn't want to resit them

also the 20 conditions no longer exist and were only around because of covid. yes it has to be inclusive but it also has to be challenging and demanding for the level.

the fact she couldn't complete bronze suggests gold is not for her, did she do silver? or did she not complete that one as well?

she also has to do a residential section that you (as with the expedition) can not be involved in. hell the residential can be taken abroad.

yes they have to be inclusive and make adaptions but if she drinks without you around then I'm sorry no DofE leader is going to want to risk taking her with them.

also three threads? accept the reality that this isn't for her

If she isn’t quite ready for D of E maybe the Junior Duke award would be suitable? I don’t know loads about it but I think the focus is on developing independence. Could be worth a look.

Those things are illegal in England. You need to be camped at legal campsites.

I think the biggest problem with the canal is that Gold DofE expeditions involve you having to navigate.

with the best will in the world, there’s minimal navigation if you’re just walking along a tow path.

if not go to nearest town and camp in a park there.

STOP it! 🤣🤣🤣

End of day?
She wouldn't be allowed to lead a trip.

I’ve just read your other post, so you’ve pulled her from in the centre and she won’t even get the DofE because she couldn’t have a go without her phone and with this group of girls? And now you’re looking for one that runs in the autumn/winter with very specific requirements that no one seems to meet? I don’t know what the long term plan is here, or the likelihood of you finding what you’re looking for, for something that isn’t going to replace a grade 4 gcse. Get her a tutor and resit the exams.

Well, no. But looking into it would answer all her questions. Not the answers she wants, but still.

Yes. I agree.

Are you doing a DofE in posting multiple threads OP? If so, award yourself a Gold.

What do you mean ‘end of day’?

I have 4 children none of them have ever done any of the DOE.

Forget this DoE obsession now and seek help for your daughter in relation to her mental health and her propensity to drink. What kind of drinking is this? Is it to excess? Is she getting into trouble when she drinks? Who is she drinking with?

You will get loads of helpful advice with the above on this site if you start asking the right questions.