¶ DofE Silver Award
¶ 🔍 Overview
The DofE Silver is the perfect step up from Bronze and an excellent challenge for those starting at this level.
📌 Who is it for? Anyone aged 15-24. If you're in England & Wales, you must be at least Year 10.
📌 How does it link to Scouts? It closely aligns with the Chief Scout Diamond Award, meaning you can complete both awards simultaneously using the same activities.
📌 Why should you do it? It sets you up for the Gold. It helps you develop resilience, teamwork, and confidence; plus, it looks great on university applications and job interviews!
¶ ☑️ Requirements
- Volunteering: 6 months
- Physical: 3/6 months
- Skills: 3/6 months
If you haven't completed your DofE Bronze, you must complete an additional 6 months in one of the Volunteering/Physical/Skills section
- Depending on your chosen time frame, you must do the same activity for at least 12 or 24 weeks. You must show ongoing commitment, with at least one hour per week. One of the Physical/Skills sections must be 6 months.
- Weeks can be missed (i.e. illness), but you cannot count this; you need to show commitment over time. This means a three-month section can take five months
- Get your activity approved by your DofE leader and select an assessor.
Note: Assessors cannot be family members and must have experience in the activity you're doing (i.e. Physical, football coach)
I did Young Leaders (Volunteering), Photography (Skills), and Running (Physical), which led me to achieve the Silver DofE.
Training:
- Attend mandatory training
- Plan your practice expedition route with your team.
- Plan a hot meal to cook as a team (mandatory)
- Complete a practice project.
Walking guidelines:
- Distance: 14-16km per day (total: 28-32km minimum)
Team Size:
- 4-7. Anything below three team members will be a failure for safety.
Note: This is required, as the expedition environment will be considerably difficult, and you must put your skills to use to develop them.
Preparation:
- Plan your route with your team.
- Plan a hot meal to cook as a team (mandatory)
- Complete a team project.
Walking guidelines:
- Distance: 14-16km per day (total: 42-46km minimum)
Team Size:
- 4-7. Anything below three team members will be a failure for safety.
You will use an Ordnance Survey map, a navigational compass, and a copy of your route to navigate. You will be supervised remotely, and there will be water breaks along your journey.
Tip: Don't choose the most straightforward route because you'll get it rejected most of the time. Keep a mental note of your last location on your expedition at regular intervals, just in case you get lost. You can go back to this point.
¶ ⌚ Example Timeline
This is a suggested timeline I made, based on my personal experience. Your progress may vary depending on when you start each section.
- 0-5 months: Join DofE/Start Activity
- 5-7 months: Achieve Physical Section
- 7-9 months: Achieve Volunteering Section
- 9-10 months: Achieve Expedition Section
- 10-11 months: Achieve Skills Section
- 11-12 months: Achieve DofE Silver
¶ 🧠 Lessons Learned
- Blisters hurt really bad. This can end your expedition early, so prevent them before they become a problem!
- Stretching will help reduce pain and lower the chance of injury.
- Cleaning up with cold water sucks; bring a scouring pad and some washing-up liquid.
- Take part in navigation together and double-check each other.
- Your feet may ache like crazy; massage them when you can on your breaks, and this can reduce the pain.
- Your rucksack will feel way heavier than you expect! Pack smart and adjust your straps properly to avoid back pain.
¶ 📚 Helpful Resources
- Why should you do the DofE?
- DofE for Newbies
- Dealing with Blisters on your DofE Expedition
- Packing your DofE Rucksack
- What to Eat on a DofE Expedition
- Doing your DofE experience on a budget