{"id":461,"date":"2018-03-08T07:22:31","date_gmt":"2018-03-08T07:22:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/ed\/boclairlearningblog\/?p=461"},"modified":"2018-03-08T07:30:44","modified_gmt":"2018-03-08T07:30:44","slug":"dofe-levels-and-timescales-explained","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/ed\/boclairlearningblog\/2018\/03\/08\/dofe-levels-and-timescales-explained\/","title":{"rendered":"DofE Levels and timescales explained"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"art-tit\">There are three levels of programme you can do which, when you\u2019ve successfully completed them, lead to a Bronze, Silver or Gold Duke of Edinburgh\u2019s Award. The main differences between them are the minimum length of time it takes to complete them, how challenging it is and the minimum age you can start.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article\">\n<p>Depending on your age, you are free to start at any level but most people prefer to try for Bronze and work upwards. There are age restrictions for each one so it makes sense to build yourself up rather than dive in at the deep end.<\/p>\n<p>The information below shows you minimum timescales for each level and section. We\u2019ve put the length of time in months \u2013\u00a0<strong>you need to show regular activity and commitment during this time averaging at least an hour a week<\/strong>. You can\u2019t achieve an Award in a short burst of enthusiasm over one weekend!<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dofe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/bronze-timescale.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dofe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/bronze-timescale.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"325\" height=\"213\" align=\"right\" \/><\/a>Bronze<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>You can do a Bronze DofE programme once you\u2019re 14 (or nearly 14, which sometimes happens when you and your friends decide to start your adventure together. However, your Leader must get permission from their Licensed Organisation first \u2013 see p27 of The Handbook for DofE Leaders.)<\/li>\n<li>A Bronze DofE programme has 4 sections, Volunteering, Physical, Skills and Expedition. You must do a minimum of 3 months activity for each of the Volunteering, Physical and Skills sections, and plan, train for and do a 2 day (1 night) Expedition.<\/li>\n<li>You also have to spend an extra three months on one of the Volunteering, Physical or Skills sections. It\u2019s your choice which one and, though you can change your mind later, you should decide which section you want to do for longer at the beginning. Knowing how long you\u2019re going to do it for will help you to choose your activity and set your goals for each section.<\/li>\n<li>It will usually take you at least 6 months to complete your Bronze programme.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dofe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/bronze-timescale.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dofe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/silver-timescale.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"325\" height=\"213\" align=\"right\" \/><\/a>Silver<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The next step up from Bronze\u2026 you need to be at least 15 to start doing your Silver DofE programme. If you\u2019ve achieved your Bronze Award, your Licensed Organisation may allow you to start your Silver a month or two before your 15th birthday.<\/li>\n<li>A Silver DofE programme has 4 sections, Volunteering, Physical, Skills and Expedition. You need to do at least 6 months Volunteering and a minimum of 6 months on either Physical or Skills and 3 months on the other. It\u2019s up to you which one you do for longer.<\/li>\n<li>If you did Bronze, you can choose the same activity for Silver, but you need to show development in it. It\u2019s best to try something new!<\/li>\n<li>The Expedition section involves planning, training for and doing a 3 day (2 night) expedition.<\/li>\n<li>If you start your Silver without doing Bronze first you\u2019ll have to do an extra 6 months volunteering or doing whichever of the Physical or Skills sections you have spent more time on. Though you can change your mind later, you should decide which section you want to do for longer at the beginning. Knowing how long you\u2019re going to do it for will help you to choose your activity and set your goals for each section.<\/li>\n<li>It will take you at least 6 months for Silver if you\u2019ve already achieved your Bronze, or 12 months if you\u2019ve jumped straight into Silver.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dofe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/gold-timescale.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dofe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/gold-timescale.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"324\" height=\"242\" align=\"right\" \/><\/a>Gold<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Once you are 16 you can do your Gold DofE programme. No activities can be counted for this before your 16th birthday.<\/li>\n<li>If you did a previous level, you can choose the same activity for Gold, but you need to show development in it. It\u2019s best to try something new!<\/li>\n<li>You\u2019ll spend 12 months on your Volunteering section. For Physical and Skills you must spend 12 months on one and six months on the other \u2013 you decide which way round you do it.<\/li>\n<li>Your expedition will be for four days and three nights (plus an acclimatisation day) and should take place in \u2018wild country\u2019.<\/li>\n<li>The big difference at Gold is you\u2019ll also do a Residential section \u2013 staying away from home for five days and four nights doing a shared activity with people you don\u2019t know. It\u2019s great fun and a real chance to do something different!<\/li>\n<li>If you\u2019ve jumped straight into your Gold DofE programme you\u2019ll need to do a further six months either volunteering or whichever one of your physical or skills activities you spent the most time on.<\/li>\n<li>For Gold, you\u2019ll need to do your programme for at least 12 months if you\u2019ve achieved your Silver Award, or 18 months if you\u2019ve started at Gold level without doing your Silver \u2013 even if you\u2019ve done Bronze<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Length of time of DofE expeditions<\/strong><\/p>\n<table border=\"0\" width=\"100%\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"2\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Level<\/td>\n<td>Duration<\/td>\n<td>Minimum hours of planned activity each day<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>BRONZE<\/td>\n<td>2 days and 1 night<\/td>\n<td>At least 6 hours during the daytime (at least 3 of which must be spent journeying)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>SILVER<\/td>\n<td>3 days and 2 nights<\/td>\n<td>At least 7 hours during the daytime (at least 3\u00bd of which must be spent journeying)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>GOLD<\/td>\n<td>4 days and 3 nights<\/td>\n<td>At least 8 hours during the daytime (at least 4 of which must be spent journeying)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Notes: Time associated with overnight accommodation and catering is additional to the minimum daytime hours of planned activity. You have to undertake at least one practice expedition as part of your training. This may be more closely supervised than your final assessed expedition, which is remotely supervised to develop independence and a sense of personal responsibility.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There are three levels of programme you can do which, when you\u2019ve successfully completed them, lead to a Bronze, Silver or Gold Duke of Edinburgh\u2019s Award. The main differences between them are the minimum length of time it takes to complete them, how challenging it is and the minimum age you can start. Depending on &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/ed\/boclairlearningblog\/2018\/03\/08\/dofe-levels-and-timescales-explained\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">DofE Levels and timescales explained<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5455,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18,20,13,19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-461","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-dofe-bronze","category-dofe-gold","category-dofe-in-action","category-dofe-silver"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/ed\/boclairlearningblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/461","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/ed\/boclairlearningblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/ed\/boclairlearningblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/ed\/boclairlearningblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5455"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/ed\/boclairlearningblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=461"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/ed\/boclairlearningblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/461\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":462,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/ed\/boclairlearningblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/461\/revisions\/462"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/ed\/boclairlearningblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=461"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/ed\/boclairlearningblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=461"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/ed\/boclairlearningblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=461"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}