PRACTICE EXPEDITIONS
DofE PRACTICE EXPEDITIONS
A DofE practice expedition is an important part of the journey towards completing the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
It gives young people the opportunity to take the skills they have learnt during their training and put them into practice in the outdoors. The practice expedition gives participants the chance to hone their navigation, camping and cooking skills, their ability to walk as a team and make independent decisions and their equipment management.
At Learn Outdoors, we aim to make practice expeditions challenging, rewarding and enjoyable, while giving participants the skills, confidence and experience they need for their qualifying expedition.
PROFESSIONAL DofE PRACTICE EXPEDITIONS FOR SCHOOLS AND GROUPS
Learn Outdoors is a long-established DofE Approved Activity Provider (AAP), delivering Bronze, Silver and Gold expeditions for schools and groups across England and Wales.
Our experienced staff and instructors work closely with schools to provide practice expeditions that are appropriate for the level of the Award and the needs of the group.
Whether you need support with the whole expedition programme or simply want us to provide the practice expedition element, we can tailor our support to suit your school.
WHAT HAPPENS ON A PRACTICE EXPEDITIONS
The exact format depends on the level of the Award, the location and your school's requirements, but participants will generally have the opportunity to:
✓Walk together as a self-sufficient team
✓ Experience an instructor-led day walk
✓ Navigate using maps and compasses
✓ Carry and manage their own expedition equipment
✓ Plan and prepare meals
✓ Set up and manage camp
✓ Develop teamwork and communication skills
✓ Make decisions and solve problems independently
✓ Manage the challenges of walking and camping outdoors
✓ Put their expedition training into practice
✓ Learn from their experience before their qualifying expedition
Our instructors provide appropriate supervision and guidance throughout the expedition (we provide trackers on all expeditions to back up this supervision), helping participants develop their skills while allowing them to take increasing responsibility for their own expedition.
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For many young people, the Bronze expedition is their first experience of independent walking, navigation and camping.
A typical Bronze expedition involves two days of walking and one night camping, with participants carrying their equipment and navigating between checkpoints as a team.
The practice expedition provides an opportunity to develop essential skills including navigation, campcraft, teamwork and expedition routines before the qualifying expedition.
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Silver builds on the skills developed at Bronze and introduces greater independence, responsibility and challenge.
A typical Silver expedition involves three days of walking and two nights camping, with longer routes and increased navigation demands.
The practice expedition gives participants valuable experience of managing themselves and their team over a longer period, helping them prepare for the demands of their qualifying expedition.
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Gold is the most challenging level of the DofE expedition section and usually takes place in appropriate wild country.
Participants need to demonstrate a high level of independence, resilience, navigation and teamwork. The practice expedition is therefore a particularly important opportunity to test their skills and experience the demands of a longer, more remote expedition.
Our Gold practice expeditions can include advanced navigation, leadership, route planning, risk management and decision-making in challenging environments.
A FLEXIBLE SERVICE FOR SCHOOLS
Every school is different.
Some schools want us to deliver their complete DofE expedition programme. Others already have experienced staff and resources in place and simply need additional support with particular elements.
Our approach is therefore modular and flexible.
We can provide:
✓ Training
✓ Route planning guidance
✓ Practice expeditions
✓ Qualifying expeditions
✓ Qualified instructors and supervisors
✓ Expedition assessors
✓ Campsite coordination
✓ Equipment hire, including tents, stoves and gas
✓ Expedition planning and logistical support
This means you can choose the level of support that works best for your school.
LIFE, IT’S YOUR ADVENTURE!
If you want to find out more about how we can support you with your Duke of Edinburgh’s expeditions then please get in touch today.