Author Topic: Compulsory DofE award  (Read 8492 times)

Compulsory DofE award
« on: 26 September, 2017, 08:16:07 pm »
What are the thoughts on Gold DofE award participation being made mandatory for the whole school year 12 (1st year A-level)?  I know the value of the scheme, but enforced enrollment with personal fundraising for the £300+ if necessary, seems too strong.  Was DofE at this or any level ever supposed to 'mandatory'?
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Kim

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Re: Compulsory DofE award
« Reply #1 on: 26 September, 2017, 08:18:43 pm »
Probably makes the admin easier.

I never did it, for the usual reason of it not being made clear what it was or why we'd want to do it, and by the time I found out by osmosis it was too late.  Same way I never learned to play a musical instrument[1].  It being mandatory would at least avoid that problem, but so would actually explaining things to the kids, rather than assuming they know what you know.

Agree about the financial implications, unless some sort of bursary or something is available.


[1] "Those who want to learn the recorder meet in room foo at breaktime" != "Those without pushy parents who don't want to miss out on the basis of formal musical education meet in room foo at breaktime."

Tim Hall

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Re: Compulsory DofE award
« Reply #2 on: 26 September, 2017, 08:37:58 pm »
Surely making it mandatory goes against the ethos of the award.  From the DofE website, number three of ten guiding principles:

Quote
Voluntary: Whilst DofE programmes may be offered within school, college, work time, custody or extra-curricular activity, young people choose to do a programme and commit some of their free time to undertake their activities.

Linky:https://www.dofe.org/our-vision-mission-and-guiding-principles/
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Cudzoziemiec

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Re: Compulsory DofE award
« Reply #3 on: 26 September, 2017, 08:40:43 pm »
Surely making it mandatory goes against the ethos of the award.  From the DofE website, number three of ten guiding principles:

Quote
Voluntary: Whilst DofE programmes may be offered within school, college, work time, custody or extra-curricular activity, young people choose to do a programme and commit some of their free time to undertake their activities.

Linky:https://www.dofe.org/our-vision-mission-and-guiding-principles/
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Oscar's dad

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Re: Compulsory DofE award
« Reply #4 on: 26 September, 2017, 09:39:47 pm »
I can see lots of parents thinking this is a grand idea and lots of teenagers thinking the opposite. The other evening I tried to convince The Grumpy Teenager that bringing back National Service was a good idea. My ideas weren't well received even when I said National Service need not involved joining the armed services. I imagine compulsory DofE would be equally well received.

Re: Compulsory DofE award
« Reply #5 on: 26 September, 2017, 10:22:57 pm »
Having got my gold award I would say it shouldn't be mandatory, as it needs quite a lot of motivation at times to keep up with the sections ie service & skill section, generally commiting to at least an hour a week. The fundraising seems high to me unless their expedtions are to overseas destinations. IIRC my award cost very little maybe £20-£30 for each of the practice & actual expedition, & £70 for my residential but we did go to France for a week, other in my award group did low costs activities such as helping on residential trips for disabled young people.

I would say on the dropout rate of the group at my 6th form college the school will be quids in at £300 per young person. (12 started 2 completed) think the national completion rate is something like 35%
 

Vince

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Re: Compulsory DofE award
« Reply #6 on: 26 September, 2017, 10:45:45 pm »
The fund raising will be to cover both expedition and residential section, and £300 would be about right for those two.
Personally I don't think making the D of E gold mandatory is a good idea at all.
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Re: Compulsory DofE award
« Reply #7 on: 26 September, 2017, 11:06:43 pm »
I agree that trying to make it mandatory is a bad idea and probably counter-productive: I suspect that the DofE organisation would probably take a dim view, as it seems to me that any school attempting to enforce this has completely missed the point about the value of voluntary participation.

Re: Compulsory DofE award
« Reply #8 on: 27 September, 2017, 02:33:03 am »
I suggest a little word with DofE officials would quickly and quietly sort that one out.  I was a very early recipient of the Gold Award and I don't think it should be mandatory - but then, I don't think school should be mandatory, either, (it isn't, but not a lot of people know that).

Peter

Re: Compulsory DofE award
« Reply #9 on: 27 September, 2017, 01:35:11 pm »
None of my kids did Gold, they only went as far as Silver. From recollection, Gold takes considerable time and energy. Making it compulsory would be ridiculous. Not everyone has that time available.
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telstarbox

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Re: Compulsory DofE award
« Reply #10 on: 27 September, 2017, 02:34:34 pm »
And sixth formers may well need to spend their spare time on a Saturday job depending on family finances.
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Eccentrica Gallumbits

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Re: Compulsory DofE award
« Reply #11 on: 27 September, 2017, 05:29:16 pm »
If it's mandatory, it should be part of the school curriculum and free, like the rest of the curriculum.
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Cudzoziemiec

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Re: Compulsory DofE award
« Reply #12 on: 27 September, 2017, 07:55:15 pm »
Hmm yes but then various other compulsory school things are not free either, like uniforms, sports kit, some text books. And internet access for homework of course.
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Re: Compulsory DofE award
« Reply #13 on: 27 September, 2017, 08:49:36 pm »
I got booted off the DofE Award after my level of insolence was considered unacceptable. Didn't even get past the first informal gathering  :P

Waste of time anyway - I'm perfectly capable of pitching a tent....
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Oscar's dad

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Re: Compulsory DofE award
« Reply #14 on: 28 September, 2017, 08:06:40 am »
I got booted off the DofE Award after my level of insolence was considered unacceptable. Didn't even get past the first informal gathering  :P

Waste of time anyway - I'm perfectly capable of pitching a tent....

That's bonkers, after all the DofE himself is well known for being a bit gobby.

Eccentrica Gallumbits

  • Rock 'n' roll and brew, rock 'n' roll and brew...
Re: Compulsory DofE award
« Reply #15 on: 09 October, 2017, 12:41:28 pm »
I got booted off the DofE Award after my level of insolence was considered unacceptable. Didn't even get past the first informal gathering  :P

Waste of time anyway - I'm perfectly capable of pitching a tent....
Is there anything you did as a child/teen that you didn't get booted off?
My feminist marxist dialectic brings all the boys to the yard.


Oscar's dad

  • aka Septimus Fitzwilliam Beauregard Partridge
Re: Compulsory DofE award
« Reply #16 on: 09 October, 2017, 02:05:00 pm »
I got booted off the DofE Award after my level of insolence was considered unacceptable. Didn't even get past the first informal gathering  :P

Waste of time anyway - I'm perfectly capable of pitching a tent....
Is there anything you did as a child/teen that you didn't get booted off?

I'd be disappointed if there was  ;D

Re: Compulsory DofE award
« Reply #17 on: 09 October, 2017, 05:00:21 pm »
I got booted off the DofE Award after my level of insolence was considered unacceptable. Didn't even get past the first informal gathering  :P

Waste of time anyway - I'm perfectly capable of pitching a tent....
Is there anything you did as a child/teen that you didn't get booted off?

No  :P
Those wonderful norks are never far from my thoughts, oh yeah!

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Compulsory DofE award
« Reply #18 on: 12 October, 2017, 09:42:56 am »
My school didn't do DofE.  I might have had a mild aversion if they did, being fervently anti-royalist at that age.  But I would have loved it, and taken part if possible.

Seems to me that a lot more schools are involved now than then.  But it has to be voluntary.  It's asking for trouble otherwise.
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