D of E Choosing your level
Bronze (14+ years old)
To achieve your Bronze Award, you need to complete the following sections:
| Volunteering | Physical | Skills | Expedition |
| 3 months | 3 months | 3 months | Plan, train for and complete a 2 day, 1 night expedition |
| You must also undertake a further three months in the Volunteering, Physical or Skills section. | |||
Some examples of activities that can be used:
- Volunteering: Service at Brigade; fundraising for a charity, helping a community group...
- Physical: Dance, cycling, sailing, gym work, yoga, diving, pilates, cricket, fencing, kneeboarding, athletics, aerobics...
- Skills: First aid; performing arts, cookery, music, arts and crafts, website building, photography...
- Expedition: Expedition training followed by practice and assessed expeditions...
Silver (15+ years old)
To achieve your Silver Award, you need to complete the following sections:
| Volunteering | Physical | Skills | Expedition |
| 6 months | One section for 6 months and the other section for 3 months | Plan, train for and complete a 3 day, 2 night expedition | |
| If you have not achieved your Bronze Award you must undertake a further six months in your Volunteering or the longer of your Physical or Skills sections. | |||
Some examples of activities that can be used:
- Volunteering: Religious education, litter picking, peer education, urban conservation, helping people in need...
- Physical: Ballet, tennis, cheerleading, gymnastics, archery, cross country running, swimming, walking, canoeing, ice skating...
- Skills: Circus skills, agriculture, puppetry, dog training, IT, zoology, fishing...
- Expedition: Practice and assessed expeditions...
Gold (16+ years old)
To achieve your Gold Award, you need to complete the following sections:
| Volunteering | Physical | Skills | Expedition | Residential |
| 12 months | One section for 12 months and the other saection for 6 months | Plan, train for and complete a 4 day, 3 night expedition | Undertake a shared activity in a redidential setting away from home for 5 days and 4 nights | |
| If you have not achieved your Silver Award you must undertake a further six months in either your Volunteering or the longer of your Physical or Skills sections. | ||||
Some examples of activities that can be used:
- Volunteering: Working in a charity shop, mountain rescue, event management, dance leadership, youth leadership...
- Physical: Physical Achievement, participation in a recognised sport. hurling, badminton, orienteering, running...
- Skills: Ceramics, DIY, interior design, table games, hair & beauty, chess....
- Expedition: Practice and assessed expeditions.
- Residential: Open residential or Brigade camps, cookery courses, outdoor activity courses, photography course...