DofE Sections
Physical Section
For your Physical Section you need to choose any sport, dance or fitness activity – in short, anything that requires a sustained level of energy and physical activity. A local sports team or a PE extracurricular activity after school are just a few examples.
Skills Section
For your Skills Section, you need to choose an activity that will allow you to broaden your understanding and increase your expertise in your chosen skill. This may entail learning to play a musical instrument or how to cook a number of traditional meals from scratch.
Volunteering Section
The Volunteering section is simple. It’s about choosing to give time to help people, the community or society, the environment or animals. Volunteering for a Duke of Edinburgh's Award must not be done for a business, but can be undertaken for a charity or not-for-profit organisation.
Expedition Section
The Expedition section entails participants planning, training for and completing an unaccompanied, self-reliant expedition with an agreed aim.
Participants undertake at least one practice expedition before a qualifying assessment expedition.
How long does my expedition need to be?
Condition 14 requires a participant to have the necessary physical fitness, first aid and expedition skills required to complete their expedition safely. First aid and expedition skills are undertaken as part of the Expedition Training at school.
Refresh your first aid and navigation skills. Don't forget to revise your OS Map symbols also!
Condition 17 requires a participant to understand and adhere to the Countryside Code.
Residential Section (Gold)
At Gold Level participants are required to undertake an additional Residential section. This involves spending five days and four nights taking part in a shared, worthwhile activity with people you’ve never met before. Examples include the National Citizen Service (NCS) or supporting a Scout residential camp.
Click here for a guide on choosing a Residential activity.
Click here for specific guidance on completing an Assessors Report for the Residential Section.