Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme

If you are already completing the scheme elsewhere and are interested in volunteering with Girlguiding for your service project please enquire via the JOIN US button on the top of the page.

Do you have girls aged 13-plus looking for new adventures?

Girlguiding Essex North East Duke of Edinburgh Award – 2024/5 

We are looking for girls to join us at Bronze level this year to take on this highly rewarding challenge.

What does it entail?

The girls are required to make a regular commitment in three areas – physical, skill and volunteering.

They can choose an activity for each section for a long list of options and they are required to complete three months each for two of the areas while taking one through to six months.

Options for skill include a language, sewing, cookery, computer coding, knotting, art, drama or singing. Physical could be cycling, dance, golf, football or some girls choose to do Couch to 5k. For many in Guiding, working with a younger section is the go-to for volunteering but some choose to work for a charity shop, a dog shelter etc.

Expedition

The expedition is the element most people are more aware of and the girls train in map skills, walking safety, cooking and camping before completing a training expedition over two days, and a qualfiying expedition again over two days. By the qualifying walk the girls will be covering between 12 and 15km a day, carrying backpacks with tents, stoves, food, clothes etc and become fully self sufficient.

They are supervised closely at the start but by the end we move to remote supervision and they are able to have autonomy as a group.

The expedition is hard work but hugely rewarding, the girls learn vital skills as well as improving their fitness.

Costs

The award registration cost is currently £30.50 (This rises on April 1). This is paid to Girlguiding Anglia.

We charge £75 for the expedition element – this includes one day training, and two expeditions.

Dates

Our expedition dates for 2025 are:

March 23 – Training day – Braintree area

May 17-18 – Training weekend – Great Leighs area

June 28-29 – Qualifying weekend – South West Chelmsford area

Participants MUST attend all three events for the duration, the training is fast-paced and if a section is missed we cannot allow them to progress for safety reasons.

For more information please email  dofe@girlguidingessexne.org.uk
To register please click here for an application form.

Whilst payment is made to Anglia Region forms must be sent to the County Duke of Edinburgh Adviser at the email above or posted to County Office.

Unit leaders – If you have girls who are unsure, please email and we can arrange to come out to your unit, run some taster activities and show the girls what is involved. This could take place over the summer for younger girls who may be interested in future years.

More about the scheme

In year 9, you can start the award at Bronze level. In year 10 you can start the award at Silver level And if you are 16 – 24 years old you can start the Award at Gold level. You will need to complete 4 sections of the Award (5 at Gold level) and these are Service, Skills, Physical Recreation and an Expedition (and a Residential Project for Gold Award Participants).

Since the D of E and Girlguiding’s Queen’s Award are very similar, you can do both at the same time! For more information on the Guide’s Queen’s award, email our Queen’s Guide Adviser who will be happy to assist.

Ideas for Service – looking after a Rainbow unit, helping out at an old people’s home or going to live in a different country for a year and teaching the children English (without getting paid).
Ideas for Skill – Learn a new instrument, learn a new language or study photography (out of the school timetable) Ideas for Physical Recreation – Netball, canoeing or gain your abseiling qualification. Ideas for Expedition – a walk round the Essex country side, a hike up Snowdon or an expedition through India.
Ideas for Residential Project – A week organising Mersea Camp, a week organising several aspects of an International Jamboree, a week in a remote village of Africa preparing to build a playground (for Gold Awards Participants only).

These are just some of 100s of ideas for all the sections of the Award. If they look interesting to you and you want to find out more, drop me an email with your name, age and which unit you belong to or look after.

If you’re not sure about doing the whole Award, you don’t have to! If you are already looking after a Rainbow, Brownie or Guide group you are already doing a service and you can get a Certificate from the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award for all your hard work. Or, if you go on a jamboree or a weeks camp with new people (that you’ve only met through sorting the residential) you can get a Residential Certificate – both look great in your NRA (CV).

Once you complete your full Award, you will receive a badge and Certificate for all your hard work. If you complete the Award at Gold level, you will be invited to St James’ Palace where you will be presented with your certificate.