What is The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award?
The Duke Of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) is the world’s leading youth achievement award. Hundreds of thousands of young people, aged 14 to 26, take part each year, achieving a DofE Award and obtaining transferable skills, boosting their CV and having a great time along the way.
You can take part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme at three progressive levels, leading to a Bronze , Silver or Gold DofE Award. The main differences between the levels are the age you can start, the time they take to complete and how challenging they are.
There are four sections to all Duke of Edinburgh Award levels – volunteering, physical, skill and the DofE expedition, as well as a fifth, residential activity, at Gold Award level. Many young people enjoy the DofE expedition, in which you get an opportunity to stay away from home in a group and experience the outdoors.
Discover Your Essential DofE Packing List for Your Next Expedition here.
What Are The Benefits of The Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme?
Other than gaining a respectable Award on your CV when doing your DofE, there are many benefits when taking part in the scheme. DofE volunteering will give you the chance to make a difference in your area. You can volunteer by helping others in your local community, looking after the environment, or a cause that inspires you. Your volunteering activity must not be done for a business, but can be undertaken for a charity or not-for-profit organisation. The physical section will keep you fit and healthy and you can improve at almost any dance, sport or fitness activity that you enjoy, from football to street dancing. The skill section of your Duke of Edinburgh Award gives you the chance to focus on something you are already practicing, or learn something new.
Bronze DofE Award
A Bronze Award – the first level of DofE Award – can be started from 14 years of age. Bronze level participants must undertake three months of volunteering, three months participating in a physical activity; three months practicing a skill, plus an additional three months in one of the three sections, as well as a qualifying DofE expedition, lasting for two days and one night.
Silver DofE Award
To complete your Silver DofE Award, you have to complete six months of volunteering. For your physical and skills sections, you can choose to work at one section for six months and the other for three months. The qualifying expedition is longer, at three days and two nights. There is the opportunity to start your DofE Award at Silver level, but you must complete an extra six months volunteering, completing the physical activity or skills section.
Gold DofE Award
The final and most challenging level of the scheme is the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award, which can be started from 16 years old. This requires you to complete twelve months of volunteering. For your physical and skills activities, you can then choose to complete one section for twelve months and the other section for six months.
DofE Partner
As a partner of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award team, Craghoppers provide young people with approved DofE clothing for their tasking expeditions. From walking trousers to insulating layers, you can find the clothing your require for your upcoming Duke of Edinburgh Award expedition at Craghoppers.
