DofE Expedition Advice
We spoke with Cadet UO Harnaam Singh who recently completed his Gold DofE where he revealed the activities, tasks and challenges he undertook for each of the five sections of the DofE Gold Award.
Expedition Advice
- Don’t pack too much food – opt for freeze dried meals and calorie-dense snacks like nuts, flapjacks and protein bars for energy.
- Ration-pack forks are ideal on expeditions, as they’re strong, light and long enough to reach into the corners of meal pouches without you having to get your hands covered in food.
- Water bladders are more comfortable to carry and easier to use than bottles of water.
- Don’t assume you need walking poles – I prefer to walk without them. Try them for yourself in a practice expedition and if they don’t work for you don’t use them.
- Practise walking with your packed bag before the expedition to help you find the most comfortable position and weight distribution.
- It can be helpful to keep a small towel clipped to your rucksack, so you can rinse and wipe your face occasionally. It’s amazing how much better it makes you feel!
- Wearing shorts (or trousers that unzip at the knee) with base-layer leggings beneath is a lighter and more comfortable combo than full-length trousers.
- Dry wet socks by carrying them on the outside of your bag. If you can’t do that, put them in the bottom of your sleeping bag overnight – as the bag warms up, the socks will dry.
- Always pack too many pairs of socks and plenty of foot powder because happy feet are key to a happy spirit on expeditions.
Completing the Five DofE Sections
ਵਲੰਟੀਅਰਿੰਗ
Participants must dedicate at least an hour a week over 12 months to help others, such as teaching, instructing or supporting their Army Cadets unit, or helping out at a local community event, club or group of their choice.
Harnaam says: ‘I’d instructed at my detachment for years, so, for this part of the award, I looked back on past instructional courses and further developed my techniques to better support the junior cadets. At one stage, I was teaching six lessons per week and assisting in areas like drill, fieldcraft, first aid and navigation.’
Discover more ideas on where to volunteer ਅਤੇ why it is beneficial to volunteer and give back.
ਸਰੀਰਕ
Participants must dedicate at least an hour a week over six to 12 months to take part in a sport or activity of their choice that will improve their physical health, such as running, swimming, netball, football, climbing or canoeing. ‘I opted to focus on one of my favourite sports, cricket, which I played at school and at my local club. I was playing seniors cricket, so I got to play all over the county with people who were older than me, some of whom have played for over 20 years, so it was a fantastic experience.’
Keeping yourself motivated can be difficult but read our article on how to motivate yourself to exercise to complete this section.
ਹੁਨਰ
Participants develop skills in a chosen pursuit over the course of six to 12 months. These can include hobbies such as crafts, cooking, playing a musical instrument, or activities in the Army Cadets, such as ceremonial drill, learning first aid, or developing fieldcraft and leadership skills.
‘I developed my cyber knowledge for the Skills section of my award and then completed the CyberFirst Advanced course for the Residential section. Cybersecurity is fascinating and it was great to spend a few days with a brilliant group of people.’
ਮੁਹਿੰਮ
Participants undertake a self-sufficient expedition as part of a team, over four days and three nights. This might be on one of the many expeditions available within the Army Cadets.
‘My qualifying expedition was in Ballykinler in Northern Ireland. A low point was crossing a bog at the foot of Slieve Donard mountain – we had to take a cautious approach for about two hours – which tested our spirit and teamwork. High points were the vast mountainous landscapes, glorious sunshine and pure mountain streams.’
ਰਿਹਾਇਸ਼ੀ
Participants take part in a residential activity of their choice that focuses on building relationships and achieving a group aim over five consecutive days. This could be on a course at Cadet Centre for Adventurous Training (CCAT) or other specialist camps.
‘The five-day CyberFirst Advanced course counted towards my Skills and Residential sections. I knew the Advanced course would be tougher than Defenders, but I was completely out of my depth – I’m happier outside doing fieldcraft! I reached out for help and was encouraged to continue. I’m glad I pushed my boundaries and stuck with it.’
ਬਾਰੇ ਹੋਰ ਜਾਣੋ DofE gold award and what is involved to gain this prestigious award. Did you know as an Army Cadet you can complete the ਡਿਊਕ ਆਫ਼ ਐਡਿਨਬਰਗ ਅਵਾਰਡ with lots of our activities and opportunities crossing over with what you need to do to achieve the award.