Duke of Edinburgh's Award
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award is a real adventure from beginning to end. It’s for all young people aged between 13 and a half to 24 years old.
You can do programmes at 3 levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold
You have to be aged 13 and a half (or in year 9 at school) to do the Bronze, 15 (or in year 10) or over for Silver and Gold for anyone over 16.
You achieve your Award by completing a personal programme of activities in 4 sections (5 if you're going for Gold):
- volunteering
- physical
- skills
- expedition and
- residential (for Gold only)
You will find yourself helping people or the community, getting fitter, developing skills, going on an expedition and taking part in a residential activity (Gold only).
The best part is - you get to choose what you want to do!
View a list of ideas for each of the programme activities (PDF 165KB)
How to enroll
As the number of young people enrolling in DofE has increased, we want to ensure that young people and parents receive quality information and advice. Young people must be present to sign up to the award.
To enrol please attend our sessions on Monday evenings at Wanstead Youth Centre from 6pm to 7pm.
Enrolment costs for 2019-2020
- Bronze Award enrolment: £32
- Silver Award Enrolment: £32
- Gold Award enrolment: £39
We accept cash and cheques but unfortunately have no card facilities. Cheques are made payable to London Borough of Redbridge.
Our enrolment costs cover:
- your welcome pack
- a Keeping Track booklet
- details of how to log in to eDofE
- details of ongoing support from Redbridge DofE staff, as well as information about and opportunities to enable you to complete your sections.
DofE expeditions
We only offer expeditions for the Bronze Award. If you want to do the expedition for Silver or Gold Award please check the DofE website.
Bronze Expeditions in Redbridge
Bronze expeditions are 2 days and 1 night, with at least 6 hours during the daytime planned activity (at least 3 of which must be spent on the expedition).
To complete the expedition section you must complete a training day, route planning evening, a practice expedition, an assessment expedition and then do a presentation.
You are required to complete at least 2 sections of your award before you can book an expedition. Expeditions are run by an Approved Activity Provider (AAP)
Dates for the expeditions and cost
The expedition dates and cost should be released by mid-January 2020
The cost of each expedition will be confirmed when expedition date will be released. The expedition cost includes £5 admin fee for every booking. You will need to pay £5 if you want to transfer your booking to another expedition date.
When you sign up for expeditions, payments must be made by cash, cheque payable to London Borough of Redbridge or online payment. We require payment in full.
The cost includes a contribution to the costs incurred by the Youth Service for providing the expeditions. This includes, but is not limited to administration, compliance with DofE requirements and the Borough’s Policies and Procedures.
Book a place on an expedition
- Select the expedition dates
- read your expedition paperwork and check you can attend the training, route planning and expedition sessions
- Email at dofe@redbridge.gov.uk your chosen expedition date to request expedition forms and complete them
- bring signed forms and payment in cash or cheque payable to London Borough of Redbridge, to Wanstead Youth Centre, on Monday from 5pm to 8pm
Failure to meet the payment and consent form deadline will mean you will not be able to attend that expedition.
Tuesday evening by appointment only. If you would like to book expedition on Tuesday, please contact by email at dofe@redbridge.gov.uk
to make an appointment.
Once you have booked your place on an expedition
Practice expedition training day and briefing for parents and young people
Young people taking part in the practice expedition must attend the full day of training, from 10.45am to 4pm on a Saturday. Parents of the young people must attend their part of the training day from 3.15pm to 4pm. Please bring your own lunch.
Young people must bring a hard copy of the expedition training guide (PDF 3MB) to all sessions, parents are also required to bring along a copy of the parent guide to expeditions (PDF 1.58MB) with them.
Practice and assessment expedition
One route planning session and equipment pickup
Usually starts from 5pm to 8pm on a Monday and is delivered by the expedition provider and supported by Youth Service DofE staff.
Laminated or a waterproof map covers for maps and route cards for each expedition are provided (the waterproof map cover must be returned).
Contact us
Wanstead Youth Centre
Elmcroft Avenue
Wanstead
London E11 2DB
- contact the DofE team on 020 8989 1724
- email: dofe@redbridge.gov.uk
The DofE office is open Monday and Tuesday 2 to 8pm, Wednesday and Thursday 9am to 3pm. Closed on Friday
Monday enrolment session 6pm to 7pm