Duke of Edinburgh - Gold Award



The Gold Level of The Award is the 'top of the tree' in terms of the degree of commitment needed and in terms of recognition of that commitment.

 At Gold Level, such are the rigours of the rules that there are no concessions regarding when a participant can start, which must be on their 16th birthday at the earliest. With GCSE's this means that we only organise pupil's participation in the Award at Gold Level from the start of their Year 12, when all pupils will be at least 16 anyway.

 Nationally, everyone has until their 25th birthday to complete whatever level they are at. We have made the commitment to guide through the award until your 25th Birthday. Pupils participating in the Gold Level will have the contact e-mails of the group and the majority of its organisation will by done via this method of communication.

It is very important therefore that e-mails are closely checked and responses are swift.

Service
This is where the participants is required to do something which is of use to others, whether helping an individual or organisation directly, or by taking part in a course of training which will make the participant better equipped to help out should an occasion arise. 

Skill
This generally involves the participant taking part in a hobby of some sort where they develop a personal skill. This could be playing an instrument, making a collection, learning about animal welfare or becoming acquainted with computer programming for example. There are a wide range of such activities available. A rough guide to this section is that it is something which does not involve physical exercise. For example, playing snooker would be classified as a skill!

Physical Recreation
 This is something which involves aerobic exercise, such as football, hockey, dance, fitness training etc. Participants only have to take part and shown a degree of improvement, which means that they do not have to be 'super-sporty' or show a degree of excellence in their chosen activity.

Residential
This involves the participant going away for at least four nights with other young people who they do not necessarily know, and taking part in an organised activity.

Expedition
At Gold Level, the Expedition takes a large step forward in terms of what is required of you, both in terms of physical ability, level of skill needed, the level of commitment you are expected to fulfil and the level to which this is a genuinely independent journey and in terms of the extra Aim-work you will need to complete as an integral part of the whole journey.

Aim
You may think the aim for your expedition is to survive without getting too many blisters, falling out with your best mate, or getting lost in the woods. Read more... (You will need Adobe Reader to view files)

Creating a Good Route
 It is essential that all participants create a good route, in accordance with the specifications and instructions of the leaders. We have provided a checklist for further information and help. Read more... (You will need Adobe Reader to view files)

Kit Advice
The Gold expeditions as we keep emphasising are in a different league from Silver. On both the Practice and the Assessment you may well experience low temperatures, high winds, relatively high altitude, and persistent rain or snow - possibly all together, and in an environment of wild camping for several nights in a row. Your safety and comfort depend heavily on you using an acceptable quality of gear. Read more... (You will need Adobe Reader to view files)

Practice Journey
The main purpose of the practice expedition is to give you an opportunity to practice your new navigation skills, get used to wild camping in conditions similar to your assessment, test your equipment and try out your expedition purpose. Read more... (You will need Adobe Reader to view files)

Award Requirements
Please use the link below to download a copy of the requirements for the relevant award. Gold Award (You will need Adobe Reader to view files)

Ten Commandments
There are ten commandments that all participants must abide by, failure to do so will result in extreme punishments!