Gold DofE offers a life-changing experience. A fun time with friends. An opportunity to discover new interests and talents. A tool to develop essential skills for life and work. A recognised mark of achievement; respected by employers. 

Through our Gold DofE programme you can have fun, make friends, and develop essential skills and attributes for work and life such as resilience, problem-solving, team-working, communication and drive, enhancing university and job applications.

There are five sections to complete at Gold level:

Physical – you need to choose any sport, dance or fitness activity – in short, anything that requires a sustained level of energy and physical activity.

Skills – you need to choose an activity that will allow you to prove you have broadened your understanding and increased your expertise in your chosen skill.

Volunteering – this is simple, it’s about choosing to give time to help people, the community or society, the environment or animals; your volunteering must not be done for a business but can be undertaken for a charity or not-for-profit organisation.

Expedition – you need to plan, train for and complete an unaccompanied, self-reliant expedition with an agreed aim. 

Residential – you need to undertake a shared activity, in a residential setting away from home and in an unfamiliar environment. You must join it individually and not with an existing group of friends or as part of a school or youth group trip.

Our provision includes:

• Weekly sessions for expedition training and to support the other sections
• An introductory camp and walk
• A navigation training expedition to the Peak District
• A practice expedition to the Yorkshire Dales
• An assessed expedition to the Lake District

We are one of the biggest providers of Gold DofE in the North-West, with approximately 50 young people achieving the award each year.