DofE FAQs

1. The participant must be away from home for a minimum of 5 days and 4 nights and must have an appointed assessor – all our expeditions are over 5 days in total and the project phase of the Namibia Independents expedition will be a minimum of 5 days and 4 nights long. All teams are accompanied by an Expedition Leader (assessor).
    
2. There must be a specific, shared course or activity co-ordinated by an organised group, registered charity or Approved Activity Provider – teams will set out to complete a programme of project tasks during the day and undertake activities that interact with the community and engage with expedition life in the evening. World Challenge is an Approved Activity Provider.
    
3. Activities should broaden experiences and interests – the group will have the chance to do project work in local communities, explore some stunning landscapes and learn about different cultures with the opportunity to visit a tribe and other cultural sites. 
    
4. Residential group sizes should be no smaller than 5 people, including the participant – all groups will have at least 5 participants.
    
5. The accommodation must be away from home and the environment should be unfamiliar – accommodation will definitely be away from home; typically camping. The environment will depend on your project but could be a small rural community or one within an urban environment. All the communities you will work with will be under-privileged and living conditions will be basic.
    
6. Evenings are as important as the day, e.g. Participants should be mixing with others from the same group both during the day and evening ‘down time’ in the accommodation –  team members will be working and living together throughout the expedition. Evening activities will include; cooking and eating together, sharing responsibility for house keeping and socialising.
    
7. Participants must join a residential activity individually and not as part of an existing group of friends – these expeditions are designed for individuals to join, however, if two or three friends are together, as long as the rest of the team are unknown to them this still meets the criteria.
    
8. Training, briefing or research before departure is required – if you are on an under 18 expedition you will go on a training expedition but this will not qualify as D of E residential training.  The over 18 expeditions do not have a training expedition included in the expedition price but may attend our Travelsafe course.  
    
9. Participants cannot count their practice or qualifying expeditions for this section – only the project phase in Namibia will count towards your residential. The trek can count towards the expedition section of the award.
    
10. The Operating Authority (OA) must have approved the planned residential – individual participants must clear this through their own OA.

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