“This Scheme is intended to help both the young and those people who take an interest in their welfare. It is designed as an introduction to leisure time activities, a challenge to the individual to personal achievement, and as a guide to those people and organisations who are concerned about the development of our future citizens”.
(HRH The Duke of Edinburgh)
For each of the Awards, Bronze, Silver and Gold, young people age 14-25 years have to complete the requirements of each of the four different sections of Service, Skills, Physical Recreation and Expeditions. The qualifying standards are defined in terms of progress, proficiency and sustained effort.
Volunteering
Aim
- To encourage service to others
- Participants choose one form of service and undertake training and/or give practical service to others.
Example
Community Service, First Aid, Police or Fire Service, Child Care, Care for Animals, Conservation.
Skills
Aim
- To encourage the discovery and development of personal interests and social and practical skills.
- Participants may choose one of over 200 activities and are required to show perseverance and progress.
Example
Arts and Crafts, Computing, Driving, Music, Social and Home Skills, Collections and Studies.
Physical
Aim
- To encourage participation in physical activities and improvement in performance.
- Participants are required to take part in some form of organised physical recreation and achieve individual progress.
Example
Athletics, Dancing, Orienteering, Swimming, Team Games, Yoga.
Expeditions
Aim
- To encourage a spirit of adventure and discovery
At Bronze Level, participants undertake an expedition lasting 2 days with an overnight camp. At Silver and Gold Levels, expeditions last 3 and 4 days respectively, in unfamiliar and challenging surroundings.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award at Rainford High Technology College continues to be a flourishing extra curricular activity involving students from Year 10 to Year 13.
Within the St Helens Authority, Rainford High Technology College is a large unit, regularly achieving a significant proportion of the Awards presented each year.
As the numbers involved in the Award grows, so does the pressure on the staff who volunteer their time to train the students in all sections of the Award. The introduction of the Adventurous Activities Licensing Authority has required both staff and parental helpers having to gain nationally recognised qualifications in Outdoor Education in order to administer the Expedition section.
All these achievements would not be possible without the support and guidance of many staff, parents and outside helpers, whose efforts are co-ordinated by Jonathan Halewood (Bronze Award) and Denise Hillier BEM (Silver Award).
