About the awards
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.
It’s delivered by a number of licensed providers across the UK: Scouts being one of the biggest.
By taking part, young people build on a huge range of practical and character skills – like resilience, problem-solving, team-working and drive – and come out the other side with a stronger sense of self. It’s something really brilliant to put on their CV, or talk about in their university and job applications.
Young people build their own custom DofE programme: choosing from a range of skills-based challenges, physical activities, volunteering opportunities and expeditions to suit their interests and goals.
As part of their Gold Award, they also take part in a residential activity.
Scouts can complete their DofE while they’re in Explorers or Network, linking their achievements to the Chief Scout’s Platinum, Diamond and King’s Scout Awards. As well as the Young Leaders’ Scheme.
At Scouts, DofE is a part of our Explorer and Network programme. You can start the Bronze and Silver awards in the school year you turn 14 and 15 respectively. Gold has a minimum age of 16. All activities must be completed by a young person’s 25th birthday.
Bronze award
It will usually take you at least 6 months to complete your Bronze programme.
- Volunteering section: 3 months
- Physical section: 3 months
- Skills section: 3 months
- Expedition section: 2 days/1 night
You also have to spend an extra 3 months on one of the Volunteering, Physical or Skills sections – it’s your choice which one
Silver award
It will take you at least 6 months for Silver if you’ve already achieved your Bronze, or 12 months if you’ve jumped straight into Silver.
- Volunteering section: 6 months
- Physical and Skills sections: One section for 6 months and the other section for 3 months
- Expedition section: 3 days/2 nights
If you didn’t do Bronze, you’ll need to undertake a further 6 months in either the Volunteering or the longer of the Physical or Skills sections.
Gold award
For Gold, you’ll need to do your programme for at least 12 months if you’ve achieved your Silver Award, or 18 months if you’ve started at Gold level without doing your Silver – even if you’ve done Bronze. The big difference at Gold is you’ll also do a Residential section – staying away from home for five days and four nights doing a shared activity with people you don’t know.
- Volunteering section: 12 months
- Physical and Skills sections: One section for 12 months and the other section for 6 months
- Expedition section: 4 days/3 nights
- Residential section: Undertake a shared activity in a residential setting away from home for 5 days and 4 nights
If you didn’t do Silver, you must undertake a further 6 months in either the Volunteering or the longer of the Physical or Skills sections. We don’t run Gold expeditions but there’s plenty of organisations who’ll help you out. Before heading off on your residential section, you’ll need to get approval from us to ensure it’s suitable.
