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Wherever you are on your DofE journey and whichever award you wish to aim for, Leeds Templars can help you achieve your goal.
At Leeds Templars we:
- Give you support and guidance every step of the way,
- Work with our Scouts Young Leaders scheme to provide a structured and approved pathway for Volunteering
- Team up with others across the County to bring together other young people, trainers, supervisors and assessors to help you complete your expeditions
Completing your DofE award with Leeds Templars is only part of the journey. Show you truly excel, using your DofE award as the foundation for completing your Young Leaders, Chief Scout and King Scout Awards.
What is DofE?
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) is an awards programme which gives young people the chance to make friends, have fun and build confidence in an empowering, exciting and non-competitive learning environment. Scouts UK is one of the biggest licenced providers and Leeds Templars has its own District DofE programme.
It consists of 3 tiers of awards: Bronze, Silver and Gold – each requiring slightly more than the previous.
Why should I do DofE?
DofE is a personalised, enjoyable and balanced programme that is achievable by all, It focuses on your achievements, and your commitment to it allows you to personally develop your own skills.
It gives you the chance to do something completely new, improve on things your already doing and make new friends along the way. It takes you out of your comfort zone and into a place where you’ll push yourself and have amazing new experiences.
What does it involve?
Young people build their own DofE programme choosing from a range of activities they may already do, or you may learn a new skill. See below for more info on each section and the award timescales.
All three tiers of award will include 4 sections designed to challenge your and develop your own skills:
- Volunteer – Give something back by volunteering your time at least 1 hour a week – this is usually done as part of our Scouts Young Leaders Scheme
- Skills – Choose an activity that allows your to prove you have broadened your understanding and increased your expertise
- Physical – Choose any sport that that requires a sustained energy level and prove you have had some personal improvement
- Expedition – Plan, train for and complete an unaccompanied, continuous journey expedition with an agreed aim. This must be done with your own physical effort (not always on foot) and without motorised assistance.
The Gold Award also includes:
- Residential – Undertake a shared activity in a residential setting away from home for at least 5 days and 4 nights consecutively. This must be done individually, not with a group of friends,
This is ideal for broadening your own interests, experiences and making new friends along the way.
You will get help from DofE Young Leaders and Assessor along the way to help you decide what you’d like to do and how best to complete each section.
How does it link to Scouts?
Young people can complete their DofE awards while they’re in Explorers and Network. This means that the achievements you get doing DofE work towards your Chief Scout’s Platinum, Diamond and King’s Scout Awards.
You can also complete your DofE Volunteering section with a Scout Group within Leeds Templars as part of the Young Leaders’ Scheme – you find out more about Leeds Templars Young Leaders here >.
Within both the DofE and Young Leaders awards, young people are expected to complete one hour per week of volunteering (or equivalent) meaning that Young Leaders often complete the volunteering requirements without even realising it!
Leaflet
Check out everything you need to know to get started with DofE and how it links into Scouts.
DofE Young Leaders
A DofE Young Leader (not to be confused with Scouts Young Leaders) is a DofE participant who takes on extra responsibilities to support other people doing DofE.
This could be supporting peers with their programme choices, help with training for expeditions or helping leaders run a DofE expedition.
If you are interested, contact your DofE Assessor.
Additional Needs
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is achievable by any young person who chooses to take up its challenge, regardless of ability, background or location.
Scouts is about actively involving everyone and making any adjustments so that can happen. If you want to find out more, ask your DofE leader.
Award Timescales
Bronze
It will usually take at least 6 months to complete your DofE Bronze.
| Volunteering | 3 months |
| Physical | 3 months |
| Skills | 3 months |
| Expedition | 2 days 1 night |
You must be 13.5 or older to start and at least 14 to do your expedition
Silver
It will usually take at least 6 months to complete your DofE Silver if you have already completed Bronze or 12 months if you’ve jumped straight in at Silver.
| Volunteering | 6 months |
| Physical and Skills Sections | One section for 6 months and the other for 3 months |
| Expedition | 3 days 2 nights |
If you didn’t do Bronze, you must undertake an additional 6 months in either the Volunteering Section or the longer of the Physical/Skills sections.
You must be 15 or older to do Silver
Gold
It will usually take at least 12 months to complete your DofE Gold if you have already completed Silver (even if you’ve done Bronze) or 18 months if you’ve jumped straight in at Gold.
| Volunteering | 12 months |
| Physical and Skills Sections | One section for 12 months and the other for 6 months |
| Expedition | 4 days 3 nights |
| Residential | 5 days and 4 nights as part of a shared activity in a setting away from home |
If you didn’t do Silver, you must undertake a further 6 months in either the Volunteering or the longer of the Physical/Skills sections.
You must be 16 or older to do Gold
Keeping track
When you sign up for DofE, you will be given a Username and Password for eDofE by your leader. There, you can track your progress, record your intended aims and upload evidence of your achievements.
On eDofE, you will find your membership number – you will need this so that whoever is supervising you while completing each section can sign that you’ve completed your aims.
If you are need any help getting started, check out the official guide or ask your DofE leader.
Prepare for your expeditions
Once you’ve added your home address to your eDofE account, you will be sent your Welcome Pack which includes lots of helpful information and your personalised DofE card.
The DofE Card gives you a discount in five fantastic retailers in-store and online, GO Outdoors, Blacks, Millets, Ultimate Outdoors and Tiso – this is the same discount you get for being part of Scouts!
Frequently asked questions
How old do I have to be to do DofE?
Bronze – 13.5 or older to start but 14+ for the expedition
Silver -15 or older
Gold – 16 or older
All activities must be completed before your 25th birthday
Do I have to be a member of Scouts to do DofE at Leeds Templars?
DofE is part of our Explorers and Network programme and Young People must be a member of either of these to do their DofE awards with us.
Do I have to do my Bronze Award before I can start Silver?
Not at all! You can start at any level so long as you meet the age limits but most people tend to start at Bronze and work up.
If you haven’t done the award prior, you must undertake an additional 6 months Volunteering or the longer part of Skills or Physical section.
