NOTICE: The club has an urgent need for support with expedition planning and delivery, camp craft skills, trekking, map reading. If you love the great outdoors and would be interested in gaining a DofE qualification to lead this aspect of the programme please do get in touch with the club by email info@ecclesrfc.org.uk
What is the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award?
The DofE programme is the world’s leading achievement award for young people. Recognised and valued by employers and universities alike, it's an adventure from beginning to end and recognsies sustained persistence, commitment and dedicated personal development over a period of time.
The DofE Award is great companion to Rugby and working towards a DofE award together with your team mates will strengthen the camaraderie in your squad.
Your programme can be full of activities and projects that will get you buzzing, and along the way you’ll enjoy experiences, make friends and develop skills and talents that will stay with you for the rest of your life.
The Bronze and Silver Award programme have four progressive sections to complete.
- 1 Volunteering: undertaking service to individuals or the community.
- 2 Physical: improving in an area of sport, dance or fitness activities.
- 3 Skills: developing practical and social skills and personal interests.
- 4 Expedition: planning, training for and completion of an adventurous journey in the UK or abroad.
The Gold Award has an additional fifth section to complete:
- 5 Residential : staying and working away from home doing shared activities e.g. at a Youth Hostel.
How can I achieve a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award?
Activities take a minimum of one hour a week over a set period of time, so they can be fitted in around academic study, hobbies and social lives. Your Volunteering, Physical and Skills commitment can be achieved through rugby at the club. Development and regular progress must be shown and all activities must be completed by the participant’s 25th birthday.
Bronze Award: for those aged 14+ years
- Volunteering section: 3 months
- Physical section: 3 months
- Skills section: 3 months
- Expedition section: 2 days/1 night
- Plus an additional 3 months of Volunteering, Physical or Skills.
Silver Award: for those aged 15+ years
- Volunteering section: 6 months
- Physical and Skills sections: One section for 6 months and the other section for 3 months
- Expedition section: 3 days/2 nights
- If you didn't do Bronze, you must undertake a further 6 months of the Volunteering Physical or Skills.
Gold Award: for those aged 16+ years
- Volunteering section: 12 months
- Physical and Skills sections: One section for 12 months and the other section for 6 months
- Expedition section: 4 days/3 nights
- Residential section: 5 days / 4 nights working away from home
- If you didn't do Silver, you must undertake a further 6 months in either Volunteering, Physical or Skills.
To inspire you to the possibilites, watch this film made by the 2017 Eccles RFC DofE Gold Award group who undertook an expedition to France Somme 101: Footsteps of the Pals
What is the history of the Duke of Edinburgh Award at Eccles RFC?
Eccles RFC was the first rugby club in the country to start the DofE programme. The scheme was established in honour of Christopher Tickle who was posthumously awarded the DofE Gold Award by HRH Prince Phillip in 2010. Since 2011, 48 of the club’s young people have achieved the prestigious DofE Gold Award, 71 have achieved Silver and 160 have achieved Bronze awards – This remarkable success, well above the National pass average, is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our participants and our DofE volunteer leaders.
How can I support the Eccles RFC DofE Award?
Eccles RFC is a non-profit, volunteer-run community Rugby Club with a mission to support, inspire and deliver change in Salford.
The Duke of Edinburgh Award is a charity reliant on the generous support of businesses to meet it's commitment to help young people to provide a valuable contribution to local communities and develop skills highly regarded by employers.
For more details on how to become involved and make a difference by supporting the DofE award scheme at Eccles RFC, contact Mark Baines on baines.mark@virginmedia.com.
