For those who want a new challenge this year, stick around and keep reading!
✰What is the Duke Of Edinburgh Award?✰ The Duke of Ed is an award program for those aged between 14-24 years old and it is internationally recognised!
The award is designed so that through each stage (Bronze, Silver and Gold), you learn new skills, do volunteering and a sport/physical activity. At the end of it, it is compulsory to do a team adventure (camp) to obtain your award.
The award is meant to give you a challenging experience such as responsibility and life skills for the future, while also making an amazing impact on the community and making new friends along the way. Not only does this reward provide experience, but it is also highly sought after by employees. (Check out the Duke of Ed Employers page to see how many companies are looking for people that have done this!)
Adding to this, certain universities in Australia recognise this and may give you priority access into early admission or other offers. To give a few examples, La Trobe Uni offers an early entrance scheme, UNSW offers bonus ATAR points, in SA, it can impact your SACE score, QCE friends can earn up to 4 credits, TAS people can earn points to their TCE and WA also can get the Duke of Ed to impact their WACE. (Sorry ACT/NT not too sure about you guys. There are also opportunities at international universities too
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✰Requirements to do the Duke of Ed✰Before commencing the award, you must meet the following criteria:
• Bronze: Must be at least 14 years old and complete a minimum of 6 months worth of time to volunteering, physical activity and skill.
• Silver: Must be at least 15 years old and complete a minimum of 6 months if previously has completed the Bronze. If not, then a minimum of 12 months.
• Gold: Must be at least 16 years old and complete a minimum of 12 months if previously has completed the Silver. If not, then a minimum of 18 months. Gold participants must also complete a Gold Residential Project.
✰Doing the award✰Now that I have caught your attention this is how you go about actually doing the award!
1. Find an Award Centre. This could be your school, university, community groups etc.
2. Register and choose the award level you want to do. There is a fee to do the program, however, if you go to a government school, you may be able to get funding which covers the program!
3. Pick your physical recreation/skill/volunteering services. Do keep in mind the physical recreation is meant to prepare you for the adventurous camp.
4. You now need to nominate an Activity Assessor. They need to be at least 18 and more skilled in the activity than the Participant is. They cannot be a family member and must have a WCC and willing to oversee your work.
5. Set some goals! SMART goals only!
6. Record all your progress on the Online Record Book.
7. Do your activities.
8. Do your Adventurous Journey as your final step. (Usually, your award centre will help organise this)
9. Get your assessors to complete their final assessment report (to say you have completed everything)
10. Congrats! You have finished the award!
✰Ok, I've done the first award. What now?✰Amazing work and congratulations! Keep going! Do the silver and gold award if you are up for a real challenge.
✰Mini-Recommendation✰If you are in Year 10/11 and have nothing to do, this would be the perfect time to get onto this award! (Yes, also looking at you too young people of AN). I did the Bronze Award in Year 10 and was one of the best experiences I've ever done. (Started Silver last year and still going!)
That's it for this guide! Hope you enjoyed it and if you have any questions feel free to ask them! If anyone has done the Duke of Ed and would like to write their own personal experiences of it, please do as it will help give more insight to the program.