DofE

DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD

Whilst the sad passing of HRH Prince Philip has brought a great feeling of loss to the country, it has thrust his Duke of Edinburgh’s award scheme back into the spotlight – 65 years after its creation. The DofE has become one of the Duke’s most remarkable achievements and is woven into the fabric of the UK. Its aim is to encourage young people to build the skills, confidence and resilience they need to make the most of life and make a difference to the world around them. After an unprecedented year of isolation and challenges, the Duke’s timeless vision for young people has never been more relevant or needed.

Because of this, I felt strongly that all efforts had to be made to ensure that the students were afforded the opportunity to complete their awards. The #DofEWithADifference scheme allowed for adjustments to the usual Skills, Physical and Volunteering sections, with more stay-at-home friendly activities as well as several temporary changes to the expedition requirements. This has meant that despite the restrictions that have been in place over the past 12 months, we have managed to complete many of the expeditions, which would otherwise not have happened. Our first trip of the year was the postponed Silver qualifying expedition way back in October, which enabled the Year 12 students to complete their award from the previous year. It turned out to be a well-earned certificate as Storm Alex loomed overhead, making for a wet and challenging navigation through the Surrey hills. The new restrictions which came into force from December to Easter put a hold on any expeditions, however, this time allowed for the participants to diligently make their way through their Volunteering, Physical and Skills sections. As ever, our students were quintessentially creative with their

activities. We saw everything from Strava runs, home cooking lessons and shopping for elderly neighbours. The array of activities not only demonstrated a desire to complete their awards but a sense of community and care for others which has become so typical of a St Dunstan’s pupil. With the easing of restrictions post Easter, we wasted no time in getting the students back into the great outdoors and the Garden of England did not disappoint, as over seventy Year 10 students got their first taste of the DofE by spending their Bronze expedition navigating their way through the Kent countryside in glorious sunshine. As we moved into the summer term, the challenges rose in line with the temperature, as participants from Year 11 explored the rolling hills of the Peak District, whilst the Gold syndicate negotiated the Welsh valleys in impressive fashion. Even throughout a period of great uncertainty, at St Dunstan’s College we are honoured to continue HRH’s work, to ensure that all young people can benefit from the better educational outcomes, employment prospects, community ties and better mental health that are associated with doing DofE.

Mr T Telford