Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme

If you are already completing the scheme elsewhere and are interested in volunteering with Girlguiding for your service project please enquire via the JOIN US button on the top of the page.

Registrations now open for expedition training  in March 2025, with a view to complete the expeditions in spring and summer 2025.

Do you have girls aged 13-plus looking for new adventures?

The Essex NE Duke of Edinburgh Award team will be hosting an online information session for anyone interested in doing the Bronze Award in 2024.

Anyone in school Year 9 or above can join and the award challenges girls to push themselves, to experience new adventures and to learn new skills.

More information can be found here Do DofE – The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and a full explanation of what is involved, including costs will be given during the meeting.

The meeting takes place over Teams at 8pm on Wednesday 15th November.
Email dofe@girlguidingessexne.org.uk for more information – this address can be passed to parents too.

Unit leaders – If you have girls who are unsure, please email and we can arrange to come out to your unit, run some taster activities and show the girls what is involved. This could take place over the summer for younger girls who may be interested in future years.

More about the scheme

In year 9, you can start the award at Bronze level. In year 10 you can start the award at Silver level And if you are 16 – 24 years old you can start the Award at Gold level. You will need to complete 4 sections of the Award (5 at Gold level) and these are Service, Skills, Physical Recreation and an Expedition (and a Residential Project for Gold Award Participants).

Since the D of E and Girlguiding’s Queen’s Award are very similar, you can do both at the same time! For more information on the Guide’s Queen’s award, email our Queen’s Guide Adviser who will be happy to assist.

Ideas for Service – looking after a Rainbow unit, helping out at an old people’s home or going to live in a different country for a year and teaching the children English (without getting paid).
Ideas for Skill – Learn a new instrument, learn a new language or study photography (out of the school timetable) Ideas for Physical Recreation – Netball, canoeing or gain your abseiling qualification. Ideas for Expedition – a walk round the Essex country side, a hike up Snowdon or an expedition through India.
Ideas for Residential Project – A week organising Mersea Camp, a week organising several aspects of an International Jamboree, a week in a remote village of Africa preparing to build a playground (for Gold Awards Participants only).

These are just some of 100s of ideas for all the sections of the Award. If they look interesting to you and you want to find out more, drop me an email with your name, age and which unit you belong to or look after.

If you’re not sure about doing the whole Award, you don’t have to! If you are already looking after a Rainbow, Brownie or Guide group you are already doing a service and you can get a Certificate from the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award for all your hard work. Or, if you go on a jamboree or a weeks camp with new people (that you’ve only met through sorting the residential) you can get a Residential Certificate – both look great in your NRA (CV).

Once you complete your full Award, you will receive a badge and Certificate for all your hard work. If you complete the Award at Gold level, you will be invited to St James’ Palace where you will be presented with your certificate.

For more information please email  dofe@girlguidingessexne.org.uk
To register please click here for an application form.

Whilst payment is made to Anglia Region forms must be sent to the County Duke of Edinburgh Adviser at the email above or posted to County Office.