DofE - how do you do it?


Thanks for all the info.

Yes, useful clarification :slight_smile: I was just answering it from a very generic RAFAC policy POV. I’m currently affiliated to 2 LOs and 1 AAP.

Yes. And words.

As said above, they just need to affiliate to the LO.

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As others have said, but be aware that some externals may go looking for payment/reimbursement in some way, whereas RAFAC staff can put in for remuneration :man_shrugging:

Nothing wrong with getting you CWC to fork out for the assessors expenses like fuel and campsite fee if they are staying over night!

But as said above, I’m surprised you can’t find an assessor/enough assessors from with the org!

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This isnt the reason for asking.

If you have to go with externals, given how we do DofE on the cheap, (compared to other operators) adding say a tenner per cadet to pay an external would not be too much.

Ok so to start off my post. I am an ex cadet who is in the “considering it” stages of rejoining as a CFAV. In this instance please feel free to take everything I say with a pinch of salt.

Ok so…

I just thought I’d share an insight with you. Back when I was in as a cadet (rank redacted) I did the bronze.

I recall doing the sports section and recall my visits to a nursing home as part of the volunteering section. I remember listing to some of the residents stories of time served in the forces.

The one thing that put me off to no end and made me quit was the exped side of things.

For me I found carrying all that weight in a bergen for a whole weekend truly wasn’t for me.

What’s worse I failed my first exped and one of the instructors back then informed me of this a few days later and let me know of other chances I’d have to re-do the practice exped before being allowed to do the exam one.

In my head I already knew the answer was “sorry, but no” and I had already quit in my head at this point

It took me a few days or maybe a week to formally announce this to the sqn CO but I truly couldn’t see myself doing this activity twice.

Just some food for thought. The expedition side of D of E might be off-putting for some cadets.

I’m not expert in DofE, but the potential routes for exped completion are really broad and not limited to a yomp across the countryside.

Looking from a very outside perspective, you seem beyond casually interested and well into “give it a go” territory for returning, with a caveat of “don’t let the first hurdle dissuade you”. Your experience generally could be a genuine benefit to cadets and if you get into it then DofE could be something to get involved in where you could support those who, like you, didn’t get on well with the yompy stuff.

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I could potentially still instruct cadets on the non yompy stuff, sports or the volunteering side.

From what I’ve read, the org has a few ways to get the volunteering side of things covered off inside the org, meaning you would only need to volunteer outside the org if there was a specific desire to.

I’m open minded about instructing cadets on D of E (excluding expeds)

Agreed. I didn’t like the yompy stuff.

There are lots of other ways to do it beyond Trekking, the issue becomes one of cost and training.

A Canoe Expedition for example requires considerable investment in equipment, qualifications and training.

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And, perhaps most importantly, staff time and commitment

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I’ve just seen this, and thought it might assist with supervision of cadets.

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It’ll be handy in some areas definitely. No walking leadership qual required, so it’ll be handy for all those events where people want to camp but aren’t necessarily doing any walking.

Downside is it no longer includes remote supervision in the syllabus so that input will probably have to come from the DofE EASTC course again. Ultimately there is probably no change in terms of overall hours required to get qualified to supervise DofE expeds.

Oh bloody hell. I read this earlier and thought it was a great idea. I however thought it was a new course. As opposed to replacing the ESM. Replacing the ESM seems ridiculous. This as a stand alone course would have been ideal though.

Even less of those available than their were ESM or even the old ESTC. (Only 7 tutors in the organisation and no remote option).

This is going to seriously impact the ability of Staff to deliver DofE.

I’ve been trying to get on an ESTC for ages.

Did the assessor qual stand-alone so have no interest in redoing that bit.

Was planning to do the ESM in 2020 to tick it off, but no dice.

Still plan to do Camping Leader when courses come through, and will have to find a separate supervisors course.

If you possibly can get an ESM before they go completely.

I did an online EASTC towards the end of 2021 as part of my D of E Assessor reaccreditation. I believe this was a Corps organised course with someone from the DofE attending the 2 online sessions to facilitate.

Must have been 15-20 of us on it from all over the UK. Would suggest reaching out to your Wing/Region D of E officer to see if more of these are planned as I think they are organised on a demand basis.

For eastc? I thought that was being held onto by Windsor and we can’t deliver in the organisation?