Participant Help
If you are experiencing difficulties with the Online Record Book (ORB) as a Participant, please refer to the following:
Participant FAQs
These FAQs relate specifically to Participants of The Duke of Ed. There are other FAQ sections specifically for Coordinators and Assessors, and also for technical queries.
If you have questions of a more general nature regarding various aspects of The Duke of Ed please refer to The Duke of Ed National website.
Becoming a Participant
Award Activities (General)
Award Activities (Specific)
Assessment
Adventurous Journeys
Online Record Book Help for Participants
Becoming a Participant
Q.
When can I start?
The minimum age requirements are:
Bronze – 14
Silver – 15
Gold – 16
Please note: At Bronze level, if you are slightly younger than 14, but are part of a peer group where the majority are 14 or older, then you may be allowed to start Bronze with the rest of the group. At Silver, if you are slightly younger than 15, but are part of a peer group where the majority are 15, then you may be allowed to start Silver with the rest of the group. No participant can start Gold before they turn 16. Please contact your Coordinator or your local State or Territory Award Office for more details.
Q. How do I get started?
To get started you will need to find a Coordinator who runs The Duke of Ed. Coordinators are attached to Licenced Operators (LOs). LOs are usually schools, universities, community groups, sporting clubs etc. If you do not know who your Coordinator will be, please contact your State/Territory Office and they will help you find an LO.
Once you have found your Coordinator, register your interest with them to become a participant in the Award . You will have to pay a small fee. You can then plan your Award by choosing your activities, setting yourself goals and finding Assessors for each section and you’re ready to go.
Q.
Do I have to do Bronze first?
No. You can be a direct entrant into Silver at 15 years and Gold at 16 years.
Q.
Can I start an activity for my Silver before I finish my Bronze?
No. You can not commence any activities towards your Silver Award until after your Bronze Award is approved.
Q.
How long do I have to do my Award?
The minimum time requirements for completion of an Award are:
Bronze - 6 months
Silver - 12 months (6 months if you have completed Bronze)
Gold - 18 months (12 months is you have completed Silver)
You have until your 25th birthday to complete one level or all three levels of the Award.
Q.
When do I have to finish my Award?
You have until your 25th birthday to finish one level or all levels of the Award.
Q.
Can I do two Awards levels at the same time?
No. You can only do one Award level at a time.
Q.
Does the time I’ve spent doing activities for Bronze count towards my Silver?
No. Each level is separate. If you complete Bronze and continue on to Silver there is a reduction in requirements for your next Award.
However if you are over 15 or 16 and have not completed Bronze you may be able to count some of your activities if you enter either Silver or Gold as a direct entrant. To be able to count your activities you must however have met the age requirements of the level you choose to enter at the time of the activity. To find out if you can contact your State Award Office.
Q.
Can I continue my involvement when I leave school?
Absolutely. Some universities and TAFEs are Licensed Operators, or you can always do your Award through a community organisation, such as Surf Life Saving. In some States and Territories you can become an independent participant. Please contact your State/Territory for more information
Q.
Can I continue if I change schools?
Yes. If your new school offers the Award your details can be transferred to that school. If you new school does not offer the Award, please contact your State/Territory Office, and they will assist you in finding another Licensed Operator.
Q.
Can I continue my Award interstate?
Yes you can. If you do move interstate you will need to alert your Coordinator, who will arrange with your State/Territory for a transfer.
Q.
Can I continue my Award if I move overseas?
The Award is an international program that is offered in over 120 countries. If you move to one of these countries you should be able to continue your Award. Please contact National Office and they will assist you in connecting to the right person overseas.
Q.
I left school some years ago. I’ve just found my record book and would like to finish off my Award. Can I, and what do I have to do?
Yes you can finish your Award provided you can complete the requirements by your 25th birthday. Contact your State/Territory Award Office for advice on how to complete your Award.
Q.
How long, and how many hours do I need to complete for each Section of my Award?
You will be required to show regular commitment averaging one hour per week, or two hours per fortnight, for your Fitness / Physical Rec, Skill and Service/Volunteering activities over the course of your award (e.g. 3 months = 13 hours/weeks, 6 months = 26 hours/weeks and 12 months = 52 hours/weeks).
You will also need to complete the requirements of the Adventurous Journey section including preparation, training, practice and qualifying journeys. At Gold there is also an additional requirement called the Residential section.
Q.
Am I insured?
Yes. When you joined The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award you pay a participant registration fee which includs Insurance.html cover under a national Insurance.html policy. To find out more about the Insurance.html cover and coverage for high risk activities please refer to the Insurance.html Certificates of Currency.
Award Activities (General)
Q. Do the activities I choose have to be done via a club or organisation?
No. You can choose an activity that is not connected to a club or organisation but you will need to make sure that you have specific goals in mind for your activity and that you have an adult with specific knowledge, skills or experience who can provide you with help and be your Assessor.
Q.
What about other school subjects?
An aim of the Award is to encourage you to extend upon your skills and contacts. However, we can accept some activities undertaken during school time provided you can also show clear evidence of additional commitment to the activity in your own time.
Q.
Can I use the same activities (eg football for my Fitness/Phys Rec; piano for my Skill etc) right the way through to Gold, or do I have to change my activities at each level?
You can use the same activity through the different levels of the Award but you must show that you are improving and building upon your skills at each level.
Q.
Can I change the type of Service/Volunteering, Skill or Fitness/Physical Rec activity I do half way through a level?
Yes.
For the Service/Volunteering section we recognise that you may need to undertake a few different activities to meet the requirements of this section.
For the Skill section we encourage you to choose one activity and commit to this activity for the duration of the Award. However if for some reason it is no longer possible for to you to undertake your chosen activity we would be happy for you to choose another activity to complete the requirements for this section.
For the Fitness/Physical Rec section we recognise that you may need to choose one or two different activities to meet the requirements of this section as some activities may not be available due to seasonal changes.
Q. Can I do more than one type of Service/Volunteering, Skill or Fitness/Physical Rec activity at the same time and count the hours for both towards my Award?
Yes. Although we would encourage you to choose one activity for each section you can choose a few different activities that may be similar e.g. Fundraising could be undertaken for a number of different organisations or Craft could involve a variety of different craft activities. If you do choose different activities you may also need to consider choosing different Assessors for each activity.
Q.
Can I count the one activity for different parts of the Award?
Yes, as long as each part of the activity being used meets the requirements for the different sections for the Award. You will also need to ensure that you keep detailed information of your participation for each section of the Award and that your Assessors’ reports reflect the Volunteering, Skills, Physical Recreation components of your commitment.
Q.
How do I tell if my activity is counted as Service/Volunteering rather than a Skill?
The difference between these two activities is that for Service/Volunteering you are helping someone else and for Skill is about you increasing your knowledge and understanding on a subject.
Q.
How do I tell if my activity is counted as Fitness/Physical Rec or a Skill?
The purpose of a Fitness/Physical Rec activity is to improve your fitness and work up a sweat.
The purpose of a Skill activity is to unleash your talent and broaden your abilities. The focus is usually to increase your knowledge and understanding of a non-physical interest or hobby.
Q.
Can I count elective subjects towards my Award?
An aim of the Award is to encourage you to extend upon your skills and contacts. However, we can accept some activities undertaken during school time provided you can also show clear evidence of additional commitment to the activity in your own time.
Activities (Specific)
Q.
Is a first aid course counted as a Skill or a Service/Volunteering?
A Service/Volunteering activity as the purpose of the course is to enable you to help others. If you choose to do First Aid for your Service/Volunteering section you will also need to volunteer as a First Aid person for a local sports club to meet the regular commitment requirement of this section.
Q.
Is ballet (or any type of dancing) counted as a Skill or Fitness/Physical Rec?
If you are performing or learning ballet then it is considered to be a Fitness/Physical Rec activity.
For Ballet to be accepted as Skill activity it would need to be more passive. You would need to focus on the research of styles, history or choreography.
Q.
Is Tae Kwon Doe counted as a Skill or Fitness/Physical Rec?
If you are leaning Tai Kwon Doe it is considered to be a Fitness/Physical Rec activity.
For Tai Kwon Doe to be accepted as Skill activity it would need to be more passive and focussed on a study of the history etc.
Q.
Is yoga a Skill or Fitness/Physical Rec activity?
If you are leaning Yoga it is considered to be a Fitness/Physical Rec activity.
For Yoga to be accepted as Skill activity it would need to be more passive and focussed on a study of the history etc.
Q. Can I count umpiring as a Service?
Yes, as long as you are not being paid for it.
Q. Can I count umpiring as Fitness / Physical Rec?
Yes, if the purpose of doing it is to increase your fitness and it is done without payment.
Q.
Can I do learning to drive for my Skill?
Yes, but we would like to encourage you to also learn about car maintenance, or do an advanced or specialised course especially at the Gold level.
Q.
Can I count the language I’m learning at school as my Skill?
Yes, but you would need to go beyond the classroom and homework activities set by your teacher. (e.g. correspond with a penfriend, attend a social function, or meet with a local group)
Q.
Can I count work experience as my Service?
No, because you are doing it to gain experience for yourself not to help others.
Assessment
Q.
Who is an Assessor?
An Assessor is an adult mentor who is experienced and/or qualified in the area of your activity. You will need at least one Assessor for each Section of your Duke of Ed, and sometimes may require multiple Assessors for some Sections.
Assessors will help you set your goals and offer guidance to you during the course of your Duke of Ed. When you have completed an Activity, they will assess your progress and will complete a final report.
Q.
Who can I ask to be my Assessor?
You can ask people such as your sports coach, instrumental teacher, school teacher or community member to be your Assessors.
Q.
Can my parents, brother/sister or aunt be my Assessors?
No. You are not allowed to have close relations as assessors for any of your activities. They may however be involved in the instruction for your activity.
Q.
Can my peers be my Assessors?
No. But they can be involved in the instructor for your activity.
Adventurous Journeys
Q.
Can I count camping with my family?
Yes, provided that the journey can meet the Adventurous Journey requirements in your State or Territory. Contact your State/Territory Award Office to find out more.
Q.
Can I stay in a caravan park or a Youth Hostel?
Yes, provided you can meet the requirements for the Adventurous Journey section in your State or Territory. Contact your State/Territory Award Office to find out more.
Q.
I have a bad back (or other physical disability). Can the rest of the group share my load by taking it in turns to help me carry my pack?
Yes, provided you are genuinely challenging yourself.
Q.
Do school camps count?
Yes they can, provided that they meet the Adventurous Journey requirements.
Q.
I’m an independent Participant. What if someone drops out of the expedition at the last minute, making numbers short?
If someone needs to drop out then a reassessment to reconsider your plans must be undertaken. For safety reasons, four is the recommended minimum number for any Adventurous Journey party.
Q.
Is travelling from school to our expedition destination in a bus counted as part of our expedition?
No. The expedition commences from the time you put your pack on (get into your canoe, or on your bike etc), and set off on the planned route.
Q.
What is meant by ‘effort’ per day when on an expedition?
For each level it is required that you contribute effort to the expedition, and that this increases as you gain skills and experience. Effort per day required for Bronze at least 6 hours per day, for Silver at least 7 hours per day and for Gold at least 8 hours per day.
Q.
Do I need to tell anyone about our expedition?
Yes. Your Coordinator must be alerted to any Adventurous Journey you plan to take, for both practice and qualifying journeys. You will need to inform them of planned dates, routes, who is going on the journey and brief them on your plans in full. Your Coordinator must signoff and approve any journey. In addition, there may be a number of other people and organisations you will need to notify of your plans, so please discuss this further with your Coordinator.
Q.
What is a log book/report?
The completion of a log book/report is one of the requirements for the Adventurous Journey section. It is your story about the journey you undertook. To find out more about how to put together your log book or report, talk to your Coordinator.
Online Record Book Help
Q. How do I set up my Duke of Ed?
Go to the “My Award Setup” tab in the Online Record Book. Each Section will be listed, and you can create your Activities by clicking on ‘update’ and completing the Activity form.
Q. How do I log my hours?
Go to the “My log” tab in the Online Record Book. Your log will default to Fitness. To select another Section, choose from the drop down menu. The record log for that Section will appear below.
You can view all your logs in the “My Summary” tab of the Online Record Book.
Q. Can I SMS my hours?
The SMS hours functionality will launch in June 2009. You will receive a message when this is live.
Q. How do I contact my Coordinator or Assessor?
You can contact your Coordinator or Assessor through the “My Contacts” tab of the Online Record Book.
There is an internal messaging service for your contacts, or you can link to your local email client through the system.
Q. I seem to be having technical problems, what do I do?
Please check our technical FAQs. If you are still having problems, please complete the feedback form and we will endeavour to get back to you within 2 working days.
Q. What happens with my personal information?
Here’s a quick summary of the important points covered in our Privacy Policy. If you have any questions or you’re not quite sure what everything means, please speak to your parents, coordinator, a mate or your local Duke of Ed Office.
· We own the copyright on the content on the website, so if you want to use it somewhere else please contact us
· We take privacy very seriously. We won’t share your details with anyone else, unless you give us your permission.
· We have security in place to protect your personal information, however as this is the Internet, no security is ever 100% guaranteed.
· If you post information such as photos, stories, blog comments and video to the website, you agree that we can publish it on and offline to promote The Duke of Ed.
· If you post information to our website, please make sure you have the right to do so, and please don’t post anything that you shouldn’t.
· If you do post content that is damaging to The Duke of Ed, you agree to take full responsibility.
· If you download any content from this site, you do so at your own risk.
That’s about it –for the full details and the legal speak click here, because that’s what you agree to when you agree to the terms and conditions
