DofE silver award – delivering Duke of Edinburgh silver awards in the UK and overseas

The next step up from Bronze... you need to be at least 15 to start doing your Silver DofE programme.

A Silver DofE programme has 4 sections, Volunteering, Physical, Skills and Expedition. You need to do at least 6 months Volunteering and a minimum of 6 months on either Physical or Skills and 3 months on the other. It’s up to you which one you do for longer.

The Expedition section involves planning, training for and doing a 3 day (2 night) expedition.

If you start the Silver without doing Bronze first you’ll have to do an extra 6 months volunteering or doing whichever of the Physical or Skills sections you have spent more time on. Though you can change your mind later, you should decide which section you want to do for longer at the beginning. Knowing how long you’re going to do it for will help you to set your aims for the sections.

Direct entrants must undertake a further 6 months in the volunteering or the longer of the Physical or Skills section.