Duke of Edinburgh

Randwick Boys’ High School Duke of Edinburgh Award

Randwick Boys’ High School is proud to offer students in years 9-12 the opportunity to engage with the international Duke of Edinburgh Award. The Duke of Edinburgh is an international award with more than 140 countries participating. Its ambition is to empower the youth of the world, through its challenge. Over the past 8 years, we have had over 150 students participate in the award at various levels. It is a rewarding and challenging commitment that requires tenacity, discipline and an adventurous spirit. Students regularly describe the hiking expeditions in the Blue Mountains National Park as one of the most enjoyable and exciting activity they engaged with whilst at school. 

What is the Award?

The Award is an enrichment program that allows young people between the ages of 14 and 25 to participate in a number of activities. Participation is entirely voluntary and students design their own unique program. The award has 3 levels, each more progressively challenging:

·         Bronze (Students are at least 14 years old)

·         Silver (Students are at least 15 years old)

·         Gold (Students are at least 16 years old)

At each level, students must complete four mandatory sections, Skill, Service, Fitness/Physical Recreation and Adventure Journey. Gold participants must also complete a Residential Project.

·         Skill requires unleashing talents and broadening personal interest and skills. Anything from refereeing, to digital production, to learning a musical instrument. Generally a non-physical activity in nature.

·         Service requires connecting with the community by giving useful service to others, through volunteering. Any area of interest in the community, such as youth work, the environment or charity work.

·         Fitness/Physical Recreation requires improving physical fitness, wellbeing and getting active. This could be through team sport, individual pursuit or simply getting out and being physically active.

·         Adventurous Journey is about discovering a sense of adventure and requires an expedition or exploration. All Randwick Boys’ journeys are overnight expeditions involving hiking in the beautiful wilderness of our National Parks. Participants complete 2 hiking expeditions per level, a practice and qualifying journey.

Ø  Bronze journeys are  2 days, I night

Ø  Silver journeys are 3 days, 2 nights

Ø  Gold journeys are 4 days, 3 nights

Students usually start the award in year 9 at the bronze level and then progress to silver and gold. At RBHS we provide all participants with the training required for the overnight hiking journeys at school. The hiking journeys are organised and run by the teachers who act as guides and assessors of the Adventure Journey component. Participants are responsible for organising and completing all other sections of the award. Participants will be assisted to find activities to complete the award by school staff.

How to get involved?

If you are a parent and want to find out more about your son doing the award, please contact the school and ask to speak to Mr J. Dimopoulos, the Duke of Edinburgh Award Coordinator. If you are a student in year 9 and want to start the bronze award, there is an information session provided early in term 1 of each calendar year. For all students who miss this information session or would like to start the award at silver or gold level, please visit Mr Dimopoulos in careers office for further information.

A good way to get started is to click the link below, which provides all the information you need for doing the award.

https://dukeofed.com.au/doing-the-award/

We look forward to your son exploring this opportunity!