Future Programmes: Gold Award Group Management
Zest for Adventure can completely administer and manage The Duke of Edinburgh's Award in a school, college or youth organisation. We are able to provide a Gold Award Group Management package tailored to meet your requirements. However, the following is our standard programme:
Promotional Assembly
Duration: 1/4 hour
Presentation: showing promotional DVD
Purpose: introducing the award scheme and gaining expressions of interest
Students' Information Meeting
Duration: 1/2 hour
Presentation: showing explanatory DVD
Purpose: explaining what is involved, explaining timetable and costs. Handing out programme of events, letter to parents and enrolment forms
Parents' Information Meeting
Duration: 1/2 hour
Presentation: showing explanatory DVD
Purpose: explaining what is involved, explaining timetable and costs, discussing the expeditions
Launch Meeting
Duration: 1 hour
Purpose: collecting enrolment forms and explaining how to get started with the award
Focus Meetings
Duration: 1 hour
Timing: 3 meetings per term
Purpose: each meeting to concentrate on a different section of the award: Volunteering, Skills and Physical
Time allowed in each meeting to discuss individual questions on anything to do with the award
Administration
We take care of all enrolment and administration for the award and assist with the various sections of the award by offering help and advice at the focus meetings. Participants are able to contact Zest for Adventure by email or by phone, as and when required, to discuss individual requirements.
Meetings typically held after school, college or work, on a set day of the week, so that participants are able to plan their timetable to avoid clashes with other commitments. Meetings are open ended: we stay until we have met with every participant who wants to see us.
Award Group Management Costs
Exact costs will depend on the details of the programme that you would like us to provide and on your location, but typical costs, based on a minimum of 14 participants per award group, are as follows:
• Total cost for Gold Award Group Management: £110.00 per participant.
In addition, for each participant, there will be enrolment fees payable to the local DofE operating authority.
Gold Expedition Section Provision
Zest for Adventure can offer a Gold Expedition Section Provision package tailored to meet your requirements. However, the following walking expedition is our standard programme.
The maximum permissible team size for the Expedition section is seven participants. Zest for Adventure provides one supervisor per two teams and, for qualifying expeditions, one assessor per expedition. The school, college or youth organistion is responsible for providing one accompanying leader per two teams. Each team will undertake three expeditions: one training, one practice and one qualifying. We organise all the documentation necessary to meet the requirements of your organisation and the local DofE operating authority.
Planning Meetings
Duration: 2 hours
Timing: 6 weeks in advance of each expedition (to allow time for plans to be approved)
Purpose: to produce expedition route cards for submission to your organisation's management and the local DofE operating authority
Preparation Meetings
Duration: 1 hour
Timing: the week before each expedition
Purpose: to finalise arrangements for the expedition
Training Expedition
Duration: 2 days
Format: skills training with overnight camp and then accompanied day walk
Location: first day in your grounds and second day in rural countryside local to you
Practice Expedition
Duration: 4 days plus 1 day for acclimatisation and travel
Format: shadowed expedition with overnight camps
Location: wild country such as the Lake District or Snowdonia
Qualifying Expedition
Duration: 4 days plus 1 day for acclimatisation and travel
Format: remotely supervised expedition with overnight camps
Location: wild country such as the Lake District or Snowdonia
Presentation Meeting
Duration: 1 hour
Timing: 2 weeks after the qualifying expedition
Purpose: for participants to deliver their presentations
Expedition Section Provision Costs
Exact costs will depend on the details of the programme that you would like us to provide and on your location, but typical costs, based on a minimum of 14 participants per expedition, are as follows:
• Total cost for Gold Expedition Section Provision: £240.00 per participant.
In addition to these prices, for every expedition, there will be costs incurred for campsite fees and for food - but participants are expected to meet these costs themselves. Your organisation is responsible for providing minibus transport for participants, the supervisor and your accompanying leader to and from the expedition location. This minibus is to be available to assist the supervisor, and to provide emergency transport, throughout the expedition.
Equipment
Participants are responsible for providing the following equipment:
Team Equipment
Tents, stoves, fuel bottles and fuel, pans, maps, compasses, first aid kits, survival bags.
Individual Equipment
Boots, walking socks, waterproof jackets and trousers, fleece jackets, hats, gloves, sleeping bags and liners, sleeping mats, rucksacks and liners, water bottles, plates, mugs, cutlery, headtorches and batteries, whistles.
If required, Zest for Adventure can arrange hire of any equipment needed.
Safety
All instructors, supervisors and assessors are approved by The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and hold, as a minimum, a Summer Mountain Leader Award and a 2-day Remote First Aid Certificate. Supervisors have all completed the DofE's Supervisor Training Programme and assessors are all nationally accredited DofE Gold Assessors. They all have enhanced Criminal Records Bureau clearance. They carry appropriate safety equipment with them at all times.
All accompanying leaders are required to have attended the planning meeting and to have completed the training expedition.
All participants are required to have successfully completed an accompanied training expedition before being allowed to undertake an unaccompanied expedition. Teams carry appropriate safety equipment with them at all times.
Zest for Adventure has £5,000,000 public liability insurance for mountain walking.