The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE Award) is the world’s leading youth achievement award for those aged 14 – 24 year olds. With three levels (Bronze, Silver and Gold) the award enables young people to try new things, be inspired, help others and meet new people along the way while building confidence and independence.
The awards have different sections which need to be completed: Physical, Volunteering, Skill and Expedition and an extra section for the Gold Award is the Residential.
So, you’re thinking about your Gold Residential….now what?! We’ve put 8 top tips together to help you!
- Where you go and what you do is important – a Gold Residential is a great excuse to get out there and do something really exciting, something different that you’ve never done before – and maybe never thought you would be able to do; something that will challenge you, and something you will remember for the rest of your life!
- Don’t limit yourself to the UK, there are plenty of opportunities overseas and an international perspective can give additional benefits. What’s more, this will look great on your CV and a fantastic experience you can talk about in job or university interviews putting you above other applicants.
- Base your choice on your interests: eg. helping others in need, or creating new facilities and activities, or learning new skills for yourself.
- Wash away those exam cobwebs or workplace blues! It really is the best thing after all that intense brain work!
- It’s not just about where you go and what you do – it’s about who you do it with!
- This is a chance to meet up with all sorts of people from all sorts of places – young people like you, who are looking for friends, fun and adventure! Many lifelong friends have been made on a residential. They will be a bit nervous, just like you. They will be wondering if they have made the right choice. They will probably feel a little homesick at first, missing family and friends. But very soon, they will have made a great new friend – You!
- Don’t despair over costs: the DofE Gold Award is well known and respected, you will get support from others to help you achieve your goals – you can raise some extra cash by doing a sponsored event, or applying for bursaries.
- Commercial providers can often be expensive – look at registered charities, who will be organising real, worthwhile experiences that you can feel glad to be involved with. As mentioned above, bursaries are sometimes available through some charities to also help you.
Your DofE Gold Residential will be a blast! Now is your chance to make it happen… Whatever it is, you can be sure it will be a positive and memorable experience!
Did you know? Challenge Wales | Wales’ Tall Ship is just one of those great opportunities waiting for you to grasp. Challenge Wales is an Approved Activity Provider for the DofE and what’s more provides bursary funding to help young people jump aboard making it even easier to do something fun and exciting for your Gold Residential whether in the UK or overseas.
Look out beyond your horizons and sail away to adventure
for your DofE Gold!
Any of Challenge Wales’ voyages of 5 days or more qualify for Gold Residential , including the Tall Ships Races that Challenge Wales takes part in overseas AND all these voyages have bursary funding available making it even easier to jump onboard. You just need to apply by contacting Challenge Wales! Don’t miss out! No sailing experience is required to take part in Challenge Wales’ activities.
