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Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme

Overview

4th Dimension is an Approved Activity Provider (AAP) for the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme at all three levels of the Expedition Section, Bronze, Silver and Gold, both on foot and on the water. We are also a provider for the Gold Residential Section of the Award.

We pride ourselves in delivering exceptional skills training and expedition management to ensure the successful completion of each Award, no matter what level. We work closely with all our clients, whether that be a large school Bronze cohort of 200+ participants or a small Gold team of 4 individuals, to provide a programme that is tailored to your personal requirements.

All we need from you is an idea on numbers, a preferred expedition venue and which mode of travel you would like to use to complete the expedition; on foot or on the water – We will do the rest!

The Expedition

What is included?

  • A full time Expedition Course Director who will be available to assist with anything before, during and post expedition.
  • Comprehensive pre-expedition admin pack for participants and schools / parents / guardians, including consent forms, kit lists etc.
  • Assistance with expedition paperwork. We will complete operating authority notifications and risk assessments.
  • High quality training, delivered at your venue, our Ashdown Forest site or even in the expedition area.
  • Experienced instructors holding National Governing Body qualifications relevant to the environment in which they are working. All of our instructors hold a current and relevant first aid qualification and Enhanced DBS certificate.
  • Training materials and helpful handouts for participants.
  • All supervision and developmental training throughout the programme (during the day and overnight where agreed). Our goal is to help young people develop their personal and practical skills as much as possible during their time with us, both as individuals and as part of their team.
  • Campsite or bunkhouse fees for participants.
  • Smiles and encouragement throughout!

We also provide the following equipment, if required, at no additional cost:

  • Tents & Group Shelters
  • Stoves & Fuel
  • Group First Aid Kits
  • Hi-Vis Vests (for any potential road walking)
  • Maps & Compasses
  • Boats, Paddles and Buoyancy Aids for Water Based Expeditions
  • Insurance (see below for full details)

The Team

All instructors hold current National Governing Body qualifications relevant to the environment in which they are working.

Supervisors and Assessors will have attended a DofE Expedition Assessor and Supervisor Training Course (EASTC).

All instructors hold a current Rescue Emergency Care (REC) / Activity First Aid (AFA) certificate and a current Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate and are kept up to date with company policy on Safeguarding and Child Protection, plus any other information relevant to the Award.

Insurance

We hold a £10m Public Liability Insurance Policy with the Activities Industry Mutual (AIM) that covers you in the case of our negligence. It does NOT cover personal accident, cancellation or curtailment, personal luggage or health insurance. We strongly advise you take out your own insurance to cover these areas.

4th Dimension cannot take responsibility for the loss or damage to personal belongings including items left in tents, buildings, vehicles or lost/damaged during your expedition. You are advised not to bring valuable items with you. All personal property is your responsibility unless it becomes lost or damaged due to our negligence.

COVID-19 and the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme

The Award Scheme have made a number of temporary rule changes to the Expedition section to comply with Department for Education guidelines and will remain in place until 31st October 2023. These changes include:

1. Bronze participants who progress to Silver will be able to use their Silver practice expedition as their qualifying expedition at Bronze. Silver participants who progress to Gold will be able to use their Gold practice expedition as their qualifying expedition at Silver.

2. At Silver and Gold level, practice expeditions and qualifying expeditions can be delivered ‘back to back’.

3. We’ve relaxed the rules around recommended environments, so participants don’t have to leave their local area to complete an expedition. This means that Gold expeditions can take place outside of wild country.

4. Leaders can use motorised transport to take participants to the start point of their route and pick them up at their end point.

5. Teams at all Award levels are allowed to return home to sleep during their expedition.

6. Expedition Assessors for Silver and Gold levels can be known to the group.

You can view full details on the flexibilities of ‘Running expeditions during the pandemic here: https://www.dofe.org/dofewithadifference/expedition-flexibilities

For more information and details on how expeditions will run over the foreseeable future, please email us on opsmanager@4thdimension.co.uk or call us on 01342 811327

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