D of E - What is It ?

People do the Award for lots of different reasons but the most important reason to get involved is because you will enjoy it. Let's face it: there's no point in doing the Award if you don't have some fun along the way.

The flexible Programme and the wide range of options means you can try something different without having to do anything you don't want to do.

Everyone gets different things out of the Award but there are some common benefits which we've listed here...

In taking part, you'll develop:

• Self-belief
• Self confidence
• A sense of identity
• Independence of thought and action
• A sense of responsibility
• An awareness of their potential
• New talents and abilities
• An understanding of strengths and weaknesses
• The ability to plan and use time
• The ability to learn from and give to others in the community
• New relationships
• Skills including problem solving, presentation and communication
• The ability to lead and work as part of a Team  

So why bother with The DofE?

No doubt about it: an Award looks pretty damn fine on your CV.

Bosses often notice when a person applying for a job has an Award. It sounds corny, but all those skills and qualities associated with the Award - teamwork, drive, dedication, perseverance, problem-solving abilities and communication skills - are just what employers are looking for.

So it's no wonder how many people say that the Award helped their career, and it's no surprise more and more businesses are encouraging their workers to take up the Award.

FRIENDS

Friends are a bit like Jaffa Cakes; you can never have too many. So even if you already know more people than Chris Evans, you're going to meet a whole lot more if you do The Award. You're practically guaranteed to make new friends of all ages. And lets face it, that's cheaper than making those Premium Rate calls.

 ADVENTURE

You're half way up a mountain. It's raining. You're hungry. And somebody forgot to bring the can opener. Doh!

Adventure? It's probably not what you'd call it at the time, but getting through these sorts of dilemmas makes for great stories in the future.

It's often the Expeditions Sections of the Award that people enjoy most. Whether you're hitting the highlands on foot or taking a major waterway on by canoe, there's always going to be a sense of adventure involved.

Some people even use the Award as an opportunity to take in more exotic excursions - Indonesia, Uganda, Pakistan, Namibia, Bolivia... There has even been a camel expedition through the wilds of Morocco. You don't have to be a rugged out-doors-type person to do the Award, but don't be surprised if you develop a taste for Adventure.

AN AWARD

Yep, you get an Award.

Okay, so we're stating the obvious here, but what does getting an Award actually mean? Well, for a start it is seen by educational institutions, employers and governments all over the world as a pretty impressive achievement.

And if you complete your Gold, you will get to rub shoulders with Royalty itself. Presentations take place in the Royal Palaces and you receive your Award in the presence of The Duke of Edinburgh himself. Flash, huh?

NEW SKILLS AND INTERESTS

Cacti growing or egg decorating? Fly fishing or map making? The Duke of Edinburgh's Award is the perfect platform for learning new skills or discovering new interests. There are Award Programmes in place for over 200 activities and if you find your chosen interest isn't one of them, don't fear: a new Programme can be created especially for you and your passion.

Many people use the Award as an opportunity to take the plunge and try something they would never have thought of doing before. Some people even discover they've got talents they never knew they had.

After all, you've planned and organised everything, made the contacts with the right people, and finally met the requirements of the various Sections.

Sounds like reason to celebrate to me...

If you can do the Award, you can do anything... well, not quite, but the Award will show you how you can take on seemingly daunting challenges.

And whatever way you look at it, this belief in yourself is bound to be useful in other areas of your life.

FITNESS

Fitness may not be your main goal when doing the Award, but it?s a sure bet that once you?ve been on an expedition, you'll be in better shape than before you started.

Your Award doesn't have to be hugely active; no one is out to turn you into an Olympic athlete (though some Participants have actually become Olympic and Commonwealth athletes, like Dame Kelly Holmes!). But there will be some physical activity involved which can actually be quite good fun and, as they keep telling us, is apparently good for you. For further information contact Sue Campbell on 01472 323265 or click onto http://www.theaward.org/