how important is DofE?

[DorothyL]

To give context -dd in year 10, quite academic, on course to get very good results at gcse. Plays two instruments and part of an orchestra inside and outside of school.

She could do DofE in the next 12 months but is quite reluctant - how much should I push her to do it?

[DorothyL]

Well she's thought about it and wants to give it a go, mainly to make new experiences. But she only wants to do Bronze for now in case it's not for her.

[Peaceandl0ve]

Pleased to hear that. If she tries it and hates it, and does not progress that is still better than not giving it a go.

Good luck.... And forget about uni/job applications, that really is a bit of a red herring. She has years before that has even to be considered, sieze the day!

[sendsummer]

Dorothy I am sure that one of the positives of a school having a D of E programme is that it makes a DC like your DD at least consider doing a wider range of activities than within their comfort zone.

[BoboChic]

I very much agree about the macro benefits of DofE, sendsummer.

[Groovee]

My dd stuck out bronze level but she hated every minute. She's not continued on to silver, but she does peer educating for Girl Guiding as well as being a young leader. If she doesn't want to do it, then I wouldn't push it.

[EricNorthmanSucks]

It's hard to argue that requiring a teen to do something physical once a week, learn a skill regularly and do some voluntary work isn't a Good Thing.

The expeditions are not the main part. A couple of days hiking and camping ( with alternatives for disabled students).

[hufflebottom]

If she's musical she can use test as her skill and make that her 6 month long one (if she's doing grades then her music teacher can put a report in about her improvement) then the physical and volunteering can be 3 months. It works out at about an hr a week she will need to put in.

However don't push her to do it. If she decides later on she wants yo do it did can go straight for silver or gold depending on her age. But it would be more hard work. I know quite a few that decided late to do it.

[hufflebottom]

Also doesn't have to be hiking. They can cycle the expedition, do it on horse back or canoe. Just the walking is more popular as it's easier to organise

[BoboChic]

My nephew did his Gold expedition in the South of France with his mates during the summer holidays. There was a nice hotel with a swimming pool either side...

[Clavinova]

According to The Times yesterday Aldi seem to think that this type of thing is important for their graduate trainees. Along with a 2:1 degree they're looking for graduates who have been involved in extra curricular activities that show leadership and team work skills. Whilst Aldi isn't Waitrose you wouldn't sniff at their excellent graduate package. DofE is probably beneficial if you don't do any other team or group related extra curricular activities - and many teens/young adults don't.

[EricNorthmanSucks]

bobo you can only imagine how those hotel rooms stank after the expedition!!!!!

The kit, the tents, the unwashed sweaty bodies .

[BoboChic]

I'm sure it was perfectly frightful, Eric. All boys, too. But they did quite a good job negotiating the hotel/South of France thing out of their parents, who would not have been inclined to fund such a holiday without the DofE bit!

[maybebabybee]

I work in university admissions and we don't consider it of barely, if any, importance.

[bojorojo]

Both my DDs did it but but barely found it worthwhile as they already did loads of extra curricular that demonstrated leadership and team working. D of E Bronze was done by nearly everyone at school (girls' boarding) and they didn't want to be the only ones not doing it. They both quite enjoyed the volunteering and one has done a significant amount of volunteering since graduating and this has been of the highest value to her CV. It was vital, in fact. Therefore it is great to do D of E but do not expect it to open doors in life. It really doesn't. If you have D of E but are lacking in other aspects , D of E won't make up for it.

Playing a musical instrument or dancing to a high level shows sustained commitment (many years usually) as does turning out, and training, for a sports team week after week. Being in choirs, organising events and competitions at school, junior enterprise, taking part in school plays, rising up through Scouts or mentoring younger pupils is all worthwhile and shows dedication, teamwork and leadership. If pupils don't do anything like this, then D of E bridges the gap.

I would love to know the backgrounds of the majority of children that do it though. Is it offered at the worst performing schools with the most deprived children? Is it fully inclusive and do all communities get to participate equally? I genuinely do not know the answer to this, but I suspect not. Therefore it is a self selecting activity and may not be readily available to those who have most to gain from it.

[maybebabybee]

bojo I went to a very under performing comprehensive in a deprived area of East London and we were offered it. So were many of my friends who went to similar schools. It may be different now (this was a good 10 years ago), but I think they do try to be inclusive although of course more middle class children may have better funds and be encouraged to do it more.

[BertrandRussell]

"
I would love to know the backgrounds of the majority of children that do it though. Is it offered at the worst performing schools with the most deprived children? Is it fully inclusive and do all communities get to participate equally?"

I can answer that . No. I live in a wholly selective area and none of the "secondary modern" schools offer DofE.

[MyVisionsComeFromSoup]

our comp is one of the biggest DofE centres in the south-east, and it is fully inclusive. Those receiving pupil premium get discounts on the fees, equipment can be borrowed from school, and (not that anyone has mentioned disabilities yet), but students with disabilities are supported through the expeditions with whatever support is required/authorised by the DofE scheme.

Although the school is in one of the wealthier areas in the SE, there are a lot of families who by no stretch of the imagination could be described as middle class.

But, it's comparatively easy for DC to complete DofE via school here because the school supports the scheme so heavily. If you didn't have that support (and funding, and the expectation that staff will give up time to take over 200 Y9s on a two day expedition twice in one term), then it would be a lot harder.

The amount of effort and time involved in getting through all three sections is immense though, and it's pretty harsh for five years of extra-curricular to be sniffily dismissed as "middle class" and therefore irrelevant. I was incredibly proud watching DD1 get her gold award, and will be the same with DD2 (hopefully next summer, everything's completed except the final expedition). And also when DD3 finishes bronze, she's had to move right out of her comfort zone, and stick at something that she's not just been ferried to each week by me.

[bojorojo]

Do you think that is replicated countrywide Bertrand? If so, then it would be a better idea to make sure the children who would benefit from it, actually get the chance. I wonder, too, if there is a lack of organisers in some areas. It takes quite a lot of time to set up and do the necessary route checks and risk assessments, so lots of people are not keen to do it on top of their normal jobs. I feel it is problems like this that stop it being offered to all young people.

[BigGreenOlives]

Councils often run DofE schemes, as do football clubs (see my earlier post above). My dd had to buy a pair of boots but borrowed the sleeping bag, backpack, fleeces, waterproof trousers, jacket. The group provided the tents & sleeping bags. Her boots were £45 from Millets & she's worn them on field trips as well as for DofE l.

[nattyknitter]

I was from a shitty estate in a shitty part of the North West in a crap school. My school didn't offer it, but there was a group run through the local council so me and a mate went along and did the full set. We were able to borrow all the camping kit and rucksacks etc from the local council outdoor ed section and we just had to get clothing and boots. I know a few people who did it in trainers because it was all they could afford. I don't think it can have been that expensive even including the expeditions because I paid for it myself out of my saturday job money. 20 years on I'm still mates with my gold group and there were 7 of us all from different schools.

I did recruitment for a seasonal holiday employer and they saw DofE Gold and things like Grade 5 or 8 music as a good thing. It showed commitment. Bronze we didn't look at as having any value. We weren't bothered about NCS. We would always grant an interview to anyone who ever came through Prince's Trust. That really is life changing for the kids it supports. They were usually very rough round the edges, but grafters as they appreciated any opportunity afforded to them. They really were the kids where a scheme like that meant the difference between the straight and narrow and prison.

Whether it is valuable to unis/employers or not, it has great personal value. Still, they have to want to do it.

[senua]

It certainly isn't only schools who run DofE. DD did her Bronze through Guides.
All of the schools in town (three comps and an independent) offer it.

[urbanfox1337]

Don't want to hijack this thread but it seems there is lots of experience here, so...

Does anyone have any knowledge of doing the award with a physical disability. My DS has just signed up for bronze but I really cant see him being able to complete the expedition, am quite worried thinking about it.

[MinesAPintOfTea]

They are allowed to make reasonable adjustments, so your DS wouldn't necessarily have to do the stated differences.

Who is he doing it with?

[senua]

It depends on the provider, I think. I know our school had someone doing Gold who was very fragile. The mum was very grateful because she knew some outfits wouldn't be so accommodating.
They won't go straight into the expedition-proper. They will have practices to build up so he will know, when the time comes, if he is capable.
If your provider thinks that he can do it then that's great. Go for it! The leaders keep a close eye on them at Bronze, buzzing around in minibuses, so they can easily swoop in and rescue if needs be. The DC will be allowed to take a mobile (security wrapped, to stop them using it casually but there in case of emergencies).

This is why DofE can be so useful: it pushes DC beyond their comfort zone and makes them realise what they are capable of.

[swingofthings]

I think it is become more and more common for youngsters to do the bronze one and I think that award has inevitably lost its reputation with employers/schools being more impressed with silver or gold awards (and rightly so in my views).

DD decided to do her bronze but not to go for silver. I am however absolutely delighted because the experience has taught her to enjoy walking. She went from a teenager who moaned the second the word 'walk' was mentioned, to one actually suggesting joining us on longer and more difficult walks. Wish DS did it too for the same reasons, but he is not interested at all!