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Secondary education

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Original poster

DofE award - what do you know?

31 replies

ivykaty44 · 12/09/2008 13:52

I am trying to find out about the cost of doing a DofE award. I have been told it will be £250 to go through and achieve the bronze award and £400 to go through and get the silver. Is this correct, it seems a lot of money for a charity based scheme.

OP posts:
brimfull · 12/09/2008 13:57

dd has done both

we paid quite a bit for her backpack-around £80 I think

good quality raingear can add up

I suppose we have spent about £150 minimal for her stuff but it lasted both bronze and silver.

Sleeping bag
mat to sleep on
waterproof trousers
boots
socks

I think we paid about £50 for the expeditions.

There are also things you can borrow from the school I think.

Not as £££ as £650!!

Original poster
ivykaty44 · 12/09/2008 13:58

Sorry - not for the clothing and boots etc. To actually do the trips etc

OP posts:
brimfull · 12/09/2008 13:59

dd's friend borrowed all her stuff from someone who had done it the previous yr, so you can do it cheaply.

you also get a discount card you can use in millets and cotswold

brimfull · 12/09/2008 14:00

oh sorry

no we paid 50quid,but we live in new forest so not far from where they did the expedition

Remotew · 12/09/2008 14:19

I paid £35 for DD to do the bronze this year. I am pleased to tell you, you have been told wrong there. Its excellent value IMO.

Romy7 · 12/09/2008 14:25

who on earth is charging that money for d of e?
no way - costs should be kept to an absolute minimum so that the scheme can be accessed by all...

unless as an additional part of a private education and they are quoting 'course' fees for training and expeds etc which would not be the 'standard' d of e experience?

it can be pretty much free except for registration costs, camping fees and however you get your kit together... if you use a friendly farmer's field it can be cut further!

cat64 · 12/09/2008 14:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster
ivykaty44 · 12/09/2008 15:12

Thanks for your replies - I was under the impression that cost was supposed to minimum so that it was assesable by all, I am thinking that somewhere along the line things have gone wrong.

This is of great help, I have been asked to find out the "true cost" opposed to what is really now seeming like an inflated cost

So if abouteve can pay out £35 for her dc to do the dofe it is £215 profit on the bronze award..... naughty

OP posts:
snorkle · 12/09/2008 15:39

£35 is the cost of the log book.

You have to do a skill and a sport for 3months to a year (depending if bronze, silver or gold). This may well cost money - eg music lesson fees or whatever. You also have to do voluntary work, but this should be free(!) although I suppose you may incur transport costs to get there.

You have to do an expedition for an increasing number of nights (according to level). There will be kit needed for this and may be some costs to cover food and transport.

For gold there is a 5 night holiday trip which can be quite costly, but you choose what you do, so it can be done on a budget.

ShrinkingViolet · 12/09/2008 15:41

The Bronze registration book/pack is £14, same for Silver and Gold is £19. DD1s school asked us for (I think) £20 as they have some admin/supplies costs, plus it was £46 for both expeditions (practice and real), and around £5 per group for food. The school has tents, rucksacks and trangias to borrow, so the only additional costs were for boots and waterproofs.

Original poster
ivykaty44 · 12/09/2008 15:48

So for bronze
£14 for book/pack
£92 for both expeditions
£10 for food for both trips
£20 admin costs
total £132

then cost of boots and waterproofs

Still £118 less

anyone tell me about the silver as the cost raises to £400 for that one???

OP posts:
ShrinkingViolet · 12/09/2008 16:04

no, sorry, the £20 included the book, £46 was a single payemnt for both expeditions, and food was split between the group of 6.
No idea how your school is coming up with their costs tbh.
Silver is possibly more expensive because the exeditions are longer, but I wouldn't be expecting to pay more than around £70 for DD1 (haven't had any onfo about Silver this year so far).

Original poster
ivykaty44 · 12/09/2008 16:13

Thats great thanks - £104 lower again.

OP posts:
Lilymaid · 12/09/2008 16:26

Once you have bought or borrowed the equipment the costs are only for the log book, transport and share of food. If you can borrow waterproofs/rucksac etc do so - especially for the Bronze award as the DC may well have outgrown these by the time he/she does the Gold. If you have a DD do tell her that she can't take her hair straighteners with her - the teachers often have to remove loads of such heavy and useless junk from their students before the start of the trip!

DS2 has done the Bronze, Silver and is now doing the Gold and has also done a World Challenge Expedition, so we have got reasonable use out of most of the stuff we have bought (and DS1 has borrowed it to go to festivals).

Original poster
ivykaty44 · 12/09/2008 17:06

lilymaid - was the sliver any more expensive then than the bronze?

It isn't for my own dd's, lol at the straightners - no plug in a field.

OP posts:
Remotew · 12/09/2008 22:00

I haven't a clue where such a cost came from. We live near to where the overnight is so drove the kids there. Had most of the equipment anyway and less is better for carrying. I paid £35 as I said earlier. DD just has to sort out her service then the bronze is covered.

She will go on to Silver next summer. Hoping again its £35 ish.

Romy7 · 13/09/2008 13:18

ivykaty - who is charging this much? is it through school or a community group? either way, it needs to be brought to the attention of the county administration team as it is rendering the award inaccessible. the only possible excuse is if it is a private school choosing to do more expensive activities and options, but even then the kids should have a choice...

Original poster
ivykaty44 · 13/09/2008 19:21

It is a local youth club run by the county council. A friend of mine is very wound up about it as she couldn't afford for her dd to continue doing the award as she hadn't got the money spare.

Her dd had done the practice expedition and other stuff so it is a real shame. My friend this morning was saying it is really only an award that those with money can do and the youth team havn't even asked why her dd isn't continuing with the course.

my own dd choose not to do it as with her gcse's thought it would be to much for her. So I hadn't any experiance of this award to try to help my friend - suggest her dd trys to continue at another place or perhaps even contact the council, I am not ure what to advice.

it seems a shame as her dd is half way through and what a waste....

OP posts:
Romy7 · 13/09/2008 19:28

bang out of order. i can't believe they are getting away with it. i would contact the council and ask why low income families are being discriminated against in this appalling manner, and also contact the local D of E award office and ask where another group is running - i would also make sure they know how much the council are 'charging' for the privilege.
i used to run two groups - a school group and local 'open' group that any child could attend - long time ago and not sure how it works these days, but i am livid that people are making money out of this and even worse, preventing children from taking part. the actual costs incurred can be pretty small depending on the activities you choose to undertake - something for everyone, not just the affluent....

Romy7 · 13/09/2008 19:31

that said, she's got the record book and is quite capable of carrying on with the activities and keeping records herself whilst it is sorted out - no need to stop dead - it just means that maybe she will need to put a hold on the exped until a lower cost alternative comes up. she's got plenty of time

slayerette · 13/09/2008 19:36

I have quite a lot of experience in school-based DofE and the costs you quote are far too high unless the youth club are having to pay for qualified staff to do all the training and lead and assess the expeditions AND are having to provide the kit for all the kids AND are travelling a long way from where you live for the expeditions (minibus costs really mount up).

My DH runs the Bronze award at his school and reckons he charges roughly £30 per expedition (one training and the qualifier). School provides tents, rucksacks and trangias; students need own boots, sleeping bags and waterproofs. All training is provided free of charge by staff at the school.

If students choose carefully, the skill, service and physical section shouldn't cost very much at all.

slayerette · 13/09/2008 19:38

As Romy said, there will be a regional office for your area who you can contact. The DofE website has loads of useful information - should tell you all you need to know.

slayerette · 13/09/2008 19:39

here

Original poster
ivykaty44 · 13/09/2008 19:48

Thank you for the advise - So could her dd change groups and do it somewhere else?

I had looked at the link before thanks - I shall email the link to her and let her take it up with the council - I cant do anything because I am not directly involved and my dd doesn't attend the same youth club any more.

it has surprised me as the youth club in the past has laid on some really excellent activities such as learn to drive off road - £10 for 10 lessons!! Holiday in the summer holidays from Monday to friday for £25 at the councils own holiday house that they have in Wales.

So I was to here this was the cost and thought it was odd.

OP posts:
slayerette · 13/09/2008 19:52

Yes, she can change groups. As long as she has her record book she is allowed to transfer to another group or even another Operating Authority - everything she's done so far will count.