Duke of Edinburgh Award

[Freckle]

DS1 (14) has brought home a letter from school suggesting that he apply to do the Bronze Award. He seemed quite keen but I think the vagueness of the information supplied is putting him off as it doesn't really convey exactly what is involved (although he did nearly faint at the thought of doing a 24km walk!). I've had a look at the DofE website, but thought that others might be able to add a personal perspective if they have either done it themselves or have a child who has done it.

Any information gratefully received.

wILL HE ACTUALLY DO IT WITH THE SCHOOL THEN?

There's a "skill" involved too. Which can be a sport but not exclusively. I did curtain making which was very when I was 15 but pretty useful now!

DS2 has done Bronze and is now working towards Gold (and doing a World Challenge expedition in South Africa as well). The Walk/camping was over a weekend, so your DS wouldn't be doing all the walk in one go (I think). The skill can be sport - DS2 is a keen tennis player and the service can include anything of a community service nature - again DS2 did his by helping at tennis classes for younger children. It does look good on job applications/personal statements and gives the DCs a bit of confidence in their own decision making. It is relatively cheap - although you will find yourself forking out for boots and other walking gear (schools sometimes have tents/cooking equipment).

I've been chatting to DS1 about it and his main concern seems to revolve around the physical recreation element, as he's not a very sporty child. What sort of things can this involve?

I did horse riding for mine.

DD is doing the bronze. So far they did a practice expedition and then the assessment done on a Saturday/Sunday. It was very gruelling especially in the rain but they all did it.

She still has to complete the other elements but hasn't sorted anything out yet. Some voluntary work and also a new skill/sport I think.

Stands them in good stead for ucas forms etc.

She also isn't very sporty but has done a few other outdoor ed activities in the past. It would be a shame not to considering where we live.

ds did bronze, silver and gold. They should practice and work their way up to doing the walk - not walk the full distance straight away
he did archery for his physical, which he loved and carried on afterwards.

dd1 has still to complete her gold, but she changed physical for each level - ten pin bowling, karate and working out at the gym - so lots of different choices

Not me personally but my two younger sisters both got DofE gold in the 80's.
You don't have to be really sporty/tough to do it, we went to a convent school where there was hardly any pe but a lot of the girls got d of e awards.

freckle I've been meaning to start a thread like this for ages.

DS1 (almost 14) did the practise hike last Sunday.

He's doing it through school too.

DS1 did his bronze in Y10 & so has DS2, this year. (DS1 missed silver in Y12 because the meetings clashed with something else he did;
he started gold & did quite a lot of it but never finished it apparently. He's 20 now & has a uni place for Sept 09 so prob never will)

They both helped in a charity shop (Cancer Research) for the voluntary thing.

They both did junior football for sport.

DS1 helped out with Youth Theatre for skill...have just asked DS2 what his skill is & he looked utterly blank! (They have a meeting at school every Wed, dread to think what actually happens at it )

The expedition was organised via school, DS1 had wonderful weather for his but poor DS2 practically got trench foot last month - anyway he has completed it.

My dd goes on her silver expedition this weekend.

I would tell your son to go for it,you don't need to be super athletic to do it but the walks are proper hiking with heavy backpacks.DD always comes back exhausted,doesn't help that she's had truly awful weather every time...fingers crossed for this weekend.

Freckle, does DS1's school offer any regular sport clubs he would like to do, like maybe badminton, or table tennis? (Less physically demanding than most)

I don't think DS2 walked anything like 24 km either...

If he does do it, get him a decent pair of leather walking boots, break them in & keep them dubbined

Thanks, cat - I will mention it to him

I think the only bit he actually completed was the expedition but he did quite a bit of the other parts - he could probably sort the rest out at uni, couldn't he? It would be a shame to waste what he's done so far.

I think his little book is here somewhere, I'll see if I can find it.

I'm as unsporty as you can get, and DofE gave me the encouragement to keep doing some exercise - you have to keep doing your activity for a set length of time (I think 6 months for bronze, 18 for gold?), and the only criterion is to show some improvement in that time!

The expeditions were my favourite bit - again, more about planning than being fit: we heard and saw lots of very fit types overdoing it and getting sunburn or blisters while my group of girly wusses plodded on and had excellent 3-course meals...
For Gold five of us refused to go with the school and went with a group organised by the council instead, so we did a week of practice days, day off, then the real expedition, and it was great getting to know more people. Shame about the weather in Snowdonia...

Thanks for all of this, ladies. I have persuaded him to apply and we'll take it from there. I'm sure we can find some physical activity that he will enjoy. I presume chess won't count?!

I did mine when at school and physical recreation was a challenge for me too - I ended up doing Volleyball with an organised group at school for bronze, croquet for silver (during free periods at school with about 5 others) and table tennis for gold!

All in all was fun and did go down very well when applying for wkend / holiday jobs and university.