The Duke of Edinburgh Award is offered at Auburn Girls High School for students in year 9-11 (aged 14 and above) are able to join the program. The Award is a self-development program available to all young people and is recognized internationally. The Award is non-competitive and encourages young people to set and achieve goals at a level appropriate to their needs.
There are four sections that must be completed for a young person to qualify for an Award: Volunteering, Skills, Physical Recreation and Adventurous Journeys. These activities provide an opportunity for students to acquire and develop skills and build initiative and self-esteem which will help them become more confident and contributing members of the community. The Award is highly regarded by many employers.
Participants design their own program by selecting activities they are interested in, setting their own goals and striving to achieve their own potential. The Award has three levels – Bronze, Silver and Gold. Year 10 students may start at the Bronze level at the beginning of the schooling year.
To obtain the Bronze Award students must complete the following Sections:
Skills
A cultural or social activity must be pursued leading to a deeper knowledge of the subject and the attainment of a reasonable degree of skill such as playing a musical instrument or studying a language.
(3 months of regular commitment averaging at least 1 hour per week)
Physical recreation
Participation in an individual or group physical activity.
(3 months of regular commitment averaging at least 1 hour per week)
Volunteering
Voluntary unpaid community service spread over 3 months such as peer support or surf lifesaving.
(3 months of regular commitment averaging at least 1 hour per week)
Note: All Bronze participants must complete an extra 3 months in one of the above Sections.
Adventurous journey
Complete Preliminary Training, a Practice Journey and then a self-sufficient Qualifying Journey (a total of 2 overnight trips – each 2 days and 1 night).
We hope daughter will take advantage of this opportunity to join this internationally recognised program. To learn more about The Award go to the Duke of Edinburgh website. If you have any questions please ring Rebecca Woods at school on 9649 6949.
The Award is being offered at the beginning of Year 10 to give students the opportunity to finish their Bronze Award before the pressures of their studies in Year 11 and 12. The cost of registration is the participants’ responsibility at $130.00 paid directly to Duke of Edinburgh NSW upon registration (an email detailing your child’s enrolment will include a link for such payment). This includes insurance and administration by the Department of Sport and Recreation and all certificates and badges. Training will take place prior to the adventurous journey at school during Tuesday lunchtimes.
Each hike is conducted at Broken Bay Sport and Recreational Centre in Brooklyn under the supervision of Ms Woods and another member of staff from Auburn Girls High School, and camp staff. Students are to complete two hikes, a practice and then their qualifier. As each hike is a total of $263.00 (as of 2018 – may change slightly in 2019) per student per hike we will be providing fundraising opportunities for the students to participate in. By conducting the camp at the Sport and Recreational Centre this ensures that the students are supervised at all times, are guided with teachers by Sport and Recreational experts who know the island thoroughly, and have access to emergency assistance in the worst case scenario.
We will be conducting the first adventurous journey in Term 3, 2018 and the second at the conclusion of Term 4, 2019. However we will consult the exam and assessment schedule to ensure we are providing as little disruption as possible to your daughters education.
Funding assistance is available for the adventurous journey, however strict state guidelines must be meet for access. Additionally students must complete the award in total or they will be ask to reimburse the funding made available to them.
View more information about the Duke of Edinburgh program.