Programme Outline – Schools and Colleges

TrekCo runs expeditions in conjunction with your school or college, and at every stage we discuss with you what you need. We know that every group has different parameters, and adapt our scheduling and programme accordingly within the DofE requirements. If you’d like more information about how AAPs (Approved Activity Providers) run expeditions for you, please see the DofE website here.

TrekCo’s DofE Director is Bruce Lee; he can be contacted directly at any time by email ; or call the office on 01273 487509.

Programmes in detail for each level are outlined in the relevant pages for Bronze, Silver and Gold expeditions; however there are some elements common to each level.

General Outline

Each level will have a common format:

• Pre – expedition training
• Training Expedition, to be held in an area similar to that of the qualifying expedition
• Assessed (‘Qualifying’) Expedition (TrekCo provide the Assessors)
• Post expedition presentation/report

Pre Expedition Training 

This can be carried out at school or at our DofE base in Sussex. At Deers Leap  we have a classroom, courtyard, DofE equipment store and a cafe for refreshment breaks. There are also 230 acres of land to practise in – so we can run practical sessions in mapwork, campcraft, setting up tents and any other elements of training needed.

Training covers the aspects of the expedition required:

• Navigation, mapwork and route choice and planning
• Equipment – choice and how to use it
• The Country Code and relevant points of the Highway Code
• First Aid
• Emergency procedures
• Campcraft – tents and their management, choosing your pitch
• Cooking – safe use of a camp stove, choice of menu, hygiene
• Packing – what to take, what not to take, how to pack a rucksack

Training for DofE expeditions will vary according to previous training and experience, and the level of Award. The training delivered will be adapted for the Expedition level and location.

The DofE Training Expedition

The Training Expedition is designed to be as similar to the real thing as possible, but with some guidance and training along the way to ensure that participants are applying their training to the expedition. Participants aren’t accompanied, but may be given more frequent checkpoints and helpful advice along the way. Each group needs a different level of supervision and guidance, and we will make judgements about this as well as identifying key areas requiring reinforcement or help along the way. This expedition should be in an area similar to that of the assessed expedition, in order to give a realistic view of the conditions which may be anticipated on the assessment.

The DofE Qualifying Expedition

This is the culmination of the previous training and preparation, and we will ensure that participants are prepared. The expedition must take place in the appropriate type of terrain – in general Bronze Expeditions will be in familiar territory, Silver in a different area so that it is unfamiliar to participants, and Gold must be held in more challenging areas than previous expeditions. (This used to be ‘Wild Country’ but this has changed so that each level must simply be more challenging). 
TrekCo provide an Assessor in addition to the Supervisor. The Supervisor, generally the same instructor who will have taken the group through each stage so far, will oversee the logistics, give advice and liaise with the school; the Assessor just observes and assesses and will not be involved with the running of the expedition.

Debrief and Presentation

Bronze and Silver groups should have a debrief at the end of their expedition to present the results of their expedition’s goal. Gold expeditions should also give a presentation. This may be in any format, and is generally delivered back at school or to the participant’s supervisor or operating body.