Issuer
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award
badges@dofe.org
Criteria
A Gold DofE programme is the most challenging Award level offered. It is open to young people in the school year they turn 16 and usually takes at least 18 months to complete.
Gold requires participants to set and achieve personal goals in five categories: volunteering to support their community, improving their physical and mental wellbeing, developing a skill, completing an expedition with a team of their peers and taking part in a residential activity.
The Residential section is an activity away from home for five days and four nights. With the majority of participants unknown to each other, it is designed to develop skills and build relationships in a new and unfamiliar environment.
Participants commit to at least an hour a week for each activity, demonstrating dedication and persistence over time to complete their goals.
For the Expedition section, participants plan, train for and complete a four-day, three-night team challenge with their peers. Teams work independently to achieve a clear goal, learning to assess and manage risk while working effectively as a group.
Participants take ownership of their programme, leading their own development by choosing the activities they wish to pursue and setting their own goals.
