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Happy New Year from DofE Scotland
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Commonwealth Youth Exchange
Are you a DofE Scotland leader over the age of 18? Are you a current or a potential organiser of the Commonwealth Youth Exchange? Are you interested in going to a training weekend for free? then check out this page and apply as for a limited time they will be covering all costs and travel for DofE Leaders. See this form if you are interested.
DofE Post Gold Expedition Leader Week
Loved your DofE and want to continue to support Expeditions? Then the DofE in partnership with Glenmore Lodge has the perfect opportunity for you. Both organisations are committed to supporting pathways for Gold Award holders to continue their DofE journey and further their skills and experiences. The programme outlined below is aimed to give young leaders the hard skills and confidence to build on their existing Expedition experience.
Over a 7 day residential delegates will cover the following;
-Welcome and course orientation
-Walking Group Leaders Training or Trail Cycle leaders Award with expedition module
-DofE Supervisors course
-DofE Expedition Accredited Assessor course
-2 day BASP emergency first aid training
The residential course will take place at Glenmore Lodge, Aviemore, on the 8th—15th July 2012
To Book a place or to get more information then please see our
training page
The Next Big Wild Walk – 10th June to 30th July 2012
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Unit in Edinburgh has a unique opportunity for Gold and Silver Groups, and their leaders, to take part in the first continuous completion of the route which traces the Scottish Watershed. The purpose of the event is to raise awareness of and funding for Motor Neurone Disease charity, MND Scotland.
Motor Neurone Disease stops the nerve cells that control the body’s movement from sending messages to muscles. MND is often rapid and always fatal. There is no known cure, or effective treatment. There are currently 426 people living in Scotland with MND, and more than 130 people will be diagnosed this year. MND Scotland is the only charity providing care and support for people with MND and their carers, while also funding research into the disease.
This offers great expedition and volunteering opportunities and ultimately an experience which will be difficult to match. We aim to raise a combined total of £10,000, with Groups contributing a minimum of £500. Additional fundraising events will be arranged by the organising team, which offers further volunteering options for Groups. Further details of the route will be provided to interested Groups, however you can find out more about the Watershed itself at www.ribbonofwildness.co.uk.
If you are interested, please follow www.thenextbigwildwalk.co.uk for further details.
DofE Scotland - Train the Trainers Course
We are running a two day Train the Trainers Course aimed at prospective tutors to deliver the:
· Expedition Supervisors Training Course (ESTC)
· Expedition Assessors Accreditation Course (EAAS).
This Residential course is to be delivered at:
The Lochgoilhead Centre (The Scottish Scout Association)
Lochgoilhead, Argyll, PA24 8AQ
On the 21st and 22nd February 2012.
The fee for this course is £125 inclusive of all learning materials, meals, refreshments and accommodation on the 21st . Accommodation can also be booked for the evening of the 20th if required.
Booking forms can be obtained from:
Neil Baird
T: 01301 703 217
F: 01301 703 566
Information on course content can be obtained from Course Director Helen Keenan, Development Officer on 0131 343 0920 or at
helen.keenan@dofe.org
Please note that once you have successfully completed this course, all future courses must be registered with the DofE Regional Office and at least the first course delivered shall be subject to verification. (More information on the conditions of delivering training will be covered on the course).
Residential Opportunities
Dofe Scotland is running another Residential in 2012 after the success of the last one. It will be taking place between the 1st and the 5th of April 2012. If you are interested them please see the attached document
Check out the local opportunities tab on the left for some other new residential opportunities in Scotland
Figures climb at DofE Scotland
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in Scotland is delighted to announce, in Youth Work Week, that participation in DofE programmes has reached its highest ever point!
Last year 16,640 young people started a Bronze, Silver or Gold DofE programme, an 11% increase from 2009-2010. Perhaps more exciting was the increase in full Awards being achieved, which reached over 6,000 for the first time ever (an increase of 15% on the previous year). Since 2008, the DofE Charity has seen a 43% increase in participation.
There has been a significant increase in the number of young people with Additional Support Needs and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. They now make up around 22% of all participants.
Crucially there has been an increase in the number of Leaders supporting young people through their programme of personal development. This is now up to 3,454 an increase of 15%.
The DofE would like to thank all its supporters including the Scottish Government, Youthlink Scotland, The Robertson Trust and Scottish Power for all their support in helping this inspiring Charity to work in partnership with over 67 Partners, including all Scottish local authorities.
Barry Fisher, Director of the DofE in Scotland states “I am delighted that many more young people are taking the opportunity to get involved in DofE activities right across Scotland. The DofE provides a structure for young people to learn more about themselves and the world in which they live. The skills that they learn throughout their programmes are keenly sought after by employers. We will be working hard over the coming years to ensure that this growth continues. To ensure this we will help in developing many more inspiring Leaders to support the demand coming from young people”.
Wanted! Help with the DofE Scotland Archive.
Over the last couple of years Charles Black has worked his way through mounds of paper and old files, gathering together documents to form the basis of a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Archive for Scotland. The material runs from 1950 onwards right up to date. Charles is now ready to set up a catalogue and DofE Scotland are looking for a volunteer with some basic IT skills to work with Charles to input the information.
It is likely that 1 day a fortnight over a few months would be sufficient to complete the cataloguing by 1st Feb 2012, our current deadline. However volunteers set their own hours and ways of working, so it’s over to you.
The archive material is held in Thain House, Edinburgh, EH4 2BP
Travel and subsistence expenses will be paid as arranged. For more information or to apply please contact Scotland@dofe.org
This could be a volunteering opportunity for a young person doing their DofE or for an adult volunteer who might be interested in the history of DofE. If you know of someone who might have a few hours to spare please pass this call for help on.
DofE Roadshow 2011
Over 40 Operating Authorities were represented by the 60 delegates attending the UK Roadshow which rolled into the Royal Society in Edinburgh on the 14th of September. CEO of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Peter Westgarth, presented look back over 3 years of achievements and a look into the future for the DofE. The highlight of the event was the presentation by DofE Ambassador, Aisling (pictured below right), who remined us all of the impact that DofE can have for young people.
Julia McComasky (pictured above left), HR Director for Scotrail, also spoke passionately about how young people doing the DofE through their apprentice programme is really making a difference their company as they demonstrate the values that they have learnt of compassion and dedication in the workplace.
Above left, Peter Westgarth looking back at the DofE's accomplishments over the last three years. Above Right, the Q&A session panel.
It was great to see so many people attend this event at the Royal Society in Edinburgh. DofE Managers were also provided with an opportunity, in the afternoon, to feed into the next stage of the development of eDofE.
Thanks to everyone that attended.
Learning Outdoors Fund (East)
Funding is available to education establishments located in the Central Scotland Green Network area. Funding should support activities that encourage child-led outdoor play taking place in natural spaces or in playgrounds where natural elements have been introduced to enrich play.
Managed by the Forrestry Commission and Schools and education organisations can apply.
http://www.fundingscotland.com/grants-info.asp?grantID=2670
DofE Scotland Golf Tournament 2011 at Cruden Bay
It was fantastic to see 15 teams from the North East of Scotland battle it out in remarkably good weather conditions at Cruden Bay for the inaugural DofE Scotland Golf Trophy.
The Premier Oil Team were worthy first winners of the quaich trophy with a magnificent score of 102. They have been invited to the DofE Raymond Griffiths Memorial competition at Carden Park Golf Club. Premier Oil were closely followed by the RBS team with a score of 100.
Congratulations to Andrew Smith of Rydens who hit an astonishing drive on the 18th to record the longest shot at this hole. Murray Bain, from J&E Shepherd, recorded the nearest shot to the pin on the 11th with David McEwing, from McGrigors, recording the closest shot on the 4th.
We are over the moon that the event has raised over £12,000 for the DofE in Scotland.
We couldn’t have done this without the support of all the teams and players taking part and being so generous buying raffle tickets & bidding for the auction items as this raised almost £3,000. Please see this document listing all the people and companies who donated their time, expertise and fabulous prizes which made the day such a success.
Discounted Courses for DofE Leaders - Glenmore Lodge Volunteer Programme
Due to the demand and enthusiasm of volunteers requesting funding for courses, Glenmore Lodge have increased their funding to £2500 this year to support DofE volunteers. The funding will be used to subsidise courses at Glenmore and can be used for any walking, cycling or paddling qualifications (training or assessement). To apply for this discount please email Mira@DofE.org with an endorsement from your DofE Manager and details of the course you want to attend.
More stories in our News Archive here...