BRONZE SILVER AND GOLD AWARDS Welcome to parents and girls The evening is designed to give you an overview of the Award, explain how it is run here, hear from 2 of our senior girls about their experiences and answer any questions that you may have. Most of you know me and I have taught most of you at some point - I became involved with helping out with DofE for nearly 20 years here and run the Award here for many of those. I am also a qualified mountain leader. For the last few years we have taken over 100 girls out every year on expedition at Bronze, Silver and Gold level and there is a wealth of support and experience for you here, from staff and the senior girls.

CIPD Survey 67% of UK companies surveyed believed entry-level candidates with voluntary experience have more employability skills 82% said volunteering develops team working skills, 80% said communication, time management and prioritisation, problem-solving, adaptability and leadership talent were also identified as key competencies with volunteering experience.

CIPD Survey 25% The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award 22% The Prince’s Trust 18% The Scout Association 17% Girlguiding

Open to all pupils who are 16 years of age BRONZE Open to all pupils who are 14 years of age (or approaching their 14th birthday) - Year 9 SILVER Open to all pupils who are 15 years of age (or approaching their 15th birthday) – Year 10 GOLD Open to all pupils who are 16 years of age You have until you are 25 years of age to complete your award! It is better to do it in Y9 as planned as it means that you can do Silver in Y10 and Gold in either Y11 or the sixth form which we fit around exams. Often we have some older girls joining the Y9s at Bronze and it’s important that the Y9s make them feel welcome and part of the group.

There are 4 sections to the Award: Volunteering Skills Physical Expedition Residential for Gold Gold: residential

Volunteering section: 3 months Physical section: 3 months BRONZE Volunteering section: 3 months Physical section: 3 months Skills section: 3 months Expedition section: 2 days/1 night You also have to do 3 more months in one of the Volunteering, Physical or Skills sections. Included in your packs are a list of all possible activities. Volunteering should enable you to give service to others, to develop your compassion for others and inspire you to make a difference with your community, whether to a group or charity or an individual. Cannot be paid, helping with a business or assisting a family member. Help locally if you can or something that your passionate about or that inspires you.

Volunteering section: 6 months 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 must undertake a further 6 months in either the Volunteering or the longer of the Physical or Skills sections. Through your skills section you will be able to develop your practical and social skills.

Volunteering section: 12 months GOLD 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. Through physical you will be hopefully leading an active and healthy lifestyle and improving your fitness.

Suggestions Volunteering Skill Physical Animal welfare (working at a rescue centre) Elderly people (visiting a residential home) Life saving (doing a course and being on duty over a 3 month period) Charity (helping in a charity shop) Coaching sports (at a youth centre or club) Cake decoration Choirs Dress making Debating and public speaking Playing a musical instrument Podcasting Badminton Dance Hockey Trampolining Yoga

Outdoor instructors from First 4 Adventure UK EXPEDITION Involves a training day & practice expedition, route planning evening and assessed expedition Outdoor instructors from First 4 Adventure UK The expedition develops initiative, a spirit or adventure and discovery. Girls learn to become self-reliant and to use their teamwork and leadership skills and their organisational and decision-making skills. We hope that they will learn and have respect for the outdoors and ultimately a love of being in the outdoors.

Qualifier 1st – 2nd September 2018 (term starts w/c 3rd Sept) BRONZE EXPEDITION Bronze Training 19th Jan 2018 Practice 3rd – 4th May 2018 Planning 14th May 2018 Qualifier 1st – 2nd September 2018 (term starts w/c 3rd Sept) 6th form helpers, led by Bea and Devina

Training 8th January 2018 Practice 19th – 22nd April 2018 SILVER EXPEDITION Training 8th January 2018 Practice 19th – 22nd April 2018 Planning 5th June 2018 Qualifier 12th – 15th July 2018 Self reliant. Remote supervision Standards – have to reach them to be able to go onto each next part. Either extra training or if you are not willing to do that defer.

Practice and Training 3rd Apr – 7th April 2018 GOLD EXPEDITION Planning 12th February 2018 Practice and Training 3rd Apr – 7th April 2018 Planning 5th June 2018 Qualifier 23rd – 27th July 2018 6th form helpers, led by Bea and Devina

Expedition: What kit do I need? What will be provided? Outdoor gear Personal items Food Sleeping bags What will be provided? Tents Bags Stoves Emergency Bags Whose group will I be in? You choose Kit: boots, sleeping bag, waterproofs. Go through kit list. Lost in Rutland Group: tent, storm shelter, rucksack, trangia, maps, compass…. Looked after by me, other staff, senior girls, outdoor instructors Lost: initially with senior helper and/or instructor. As you become better at navigating and learning skills required you’ll be on your own. Checkpointed, shadowed. Always nearby if help needed. Phone – emergency and card given with my number on Fail – DEFER. Show level of skills, fitness, group work. If ok then go onto assessment. If not given further opportunities to practice Groups decided in Jan/Feb time

What happens if I don’t complete? Expedition: Who will look after me? Your group Equipment Morale Food Oversight by the instructors What if I get lost? You may be off route but you should be able to work out where you are Will I have a phone? One emergency phone per group. Off at all times What happens if I don’t complete? You can do it again Kit: boots, sleeping bag, waterproofs. Go through kit list. Lost in Rutland Group: tent, storm shelter, rucksack, trangia, maps, compass…. Looked after by me, other staff, senior girls, outdoor instructors Lost: initially with senior helper and/or instructor. As you become better at navigating and learning skills required you’ll be on your own. Checkpointed, shadowed. Always nearby if help needed. Phone – emergency and card given with my number on Fail – DEFER. Show level of skills, fitness, group work. If ok then go onto assessment. If not given further opportunities to practice Groups decided in Jan/Feb time

WHAT NEXT? Take an enrolment form from reception Bring back the completed forms by Wednesday 1st November. We will send payment requests of £50.00 deposit by Parentmail Subsequent Payments in three stages Jan – March You will complete each section online (eDofE)

PLEASE COMPLETE FORM IN BLOCK CAPITALS GROUP / SCHOOL / UNIT   ENROLMENT DETAILS Are you already enrolled on eDofE? (please tick as appropriate) Yes □ No If yes, what is your ID number? Cost Please tick Age I wish to enter at BRONZE level £50.00 Yrs Months Min 13 yrs 6 months I wish to enter at SILVER I have completed Bronze level Min 14 yrs 6 months I wish to enter at SILVER DIRECT level I have not completed Bronze level Min 15 yrs I wish to enter at GOLD level I have completed Silver level Min 16 yrs I wish to enter at GOLD DIRECT level I have not completed Silver level PLEASE COMPLETE FORM IN BLOCK CAPITALS Title: Mr Miss Other Date of Birth: DAY MONTH MO NTH YEA R YEAR First Name: Surname: Address: Postcode: Email: Telephone: eDofE will email your username and password to the address shown above so please write legibly

Next Dates w/c Monday 7 November. Set up online accounts w/c Monday 5 December. Meeting with eDofE mentor. Next term: meetings to get ready for expeditions – dates of these will on DofE board and in each classroom February. Kit talk and buying opportunity

Questions? Hear from Zahraa and Mariam and Hannah Show award website