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.