Gold DofE Award

Take part in a DofE Gold programme and experience a real sense of achievement, that not many people get to feel.

You just need to be aged between 14 and 24 and realise there’s more to life than sitting on a sofa watching life pass you by. Here at A to Z Expeditions we are happy to guide you through the whole process for your Gold Award.

In order to complete the Gold Expedition section, and gain your Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award you first need to complete a programme of training followed by sufficient practice expeditions to hone your skills. It is advised to complete your Bronze and Silver awards but not necessary.

We offer Gold Awards for Schools and Open levels:

Gold Canoeing
School Expeditions
Open Expeditions

Physical & Skills

One section for 12 months and the other section for 6 months

Age

16+ years old

Volunteering

12 months

Expedition

Plan, train for and undertake a 4 day, 3 night expedition.

Residential

Undertake a shared activity in a residential setting away from home for 5 days and 4 nights.

* Direct entrants must undertake a further 6 months in either the Volunteering or the longer of the Physical or Skills sections.

What do the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award say about their Gold award?

Participants walking down a steep mountain in the Brecon Beacons

Once you are 16 you can do your Gold DofE programme. No activities can be counted for this before your 16th birthday.

If you did a previous level, you can choose the same activity for Gold, but you need to show development in it. It’s best to try something new!

You’ll spend 12 months on your Volunteering section. For Physical and Skills you must spend 12 months on one and six months on the other – you decide which way round you do it.

Your expedition will be for four days and three nights (plus an acclimatisation day) and should take place in ‘wild country’.

The big difference at Gold is you’ll also do a Residential section – staying away from home for five days and four nights doing a shared activity with people you don’t know. It’s great fun and a real chance to do something different!

If you’ve jumped straight into your Gold DofE programme you’ll need to do a further six months either volunteering or whichever one of your physical or skills activities you spent the most time on.

For Gold, you’ll need to do your programme for at least 12 months if you’ve achieved your Silver Award, or 18 months if you’ve started at Gold level without doing your Silver – even if you’ve done Bronze.

Why choose A to Z Expeditions?

Safety comes first

A to Z Expeditions puts safety first. We work hard to ensure our expedition programmes provide an appropriate challenge for participants without compromising on safety.

DofE Specialists

We ONLY specialise in Duke of Edinburgh Award Expeditions, offering schools and open programmes at all three levels, Bronze, Silver and Gold.

Great Instructors

Our top outdoor instructors are proficient at giving participants the skills they need for DofE. They are backed up by our enthusiastic and knowledgeable head office team, who will answer all your questions.

Great Locations

Explore the great British countryside by foot, canoe or bike whilst training and completing an A to Z DofE expedition. You wont be disappointed, so don’t forget your camera!

Our Experience

We are very proud of our credentials, but they cannot stand alone. They have to be validated by the level of knowledge and expertise we offer, that only comes with experience.