Ready for an Adventure?

Duke of Edinburgh award scheme runs alongside our explorer porgramme and you can choose to be part of the scheme through explorers.

Done bronze through school and fancy a new challenge, don't worry we can help you get the next level.

It will usually take you at least 6 months to complete your Bronze programme.

– Volunteering section: 3 months
– Physical section: 3 months
– Skills section: 3 months
– Expedition section: 2 days/1 night

You also have to spend an extra three months on one of the Volunteering, Physical or Skills sections. It’s your choice which one and, 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 choose your activity and set your goals for each section.

Chief Scout Platinum

Mix it up with the scout awards, to gain your chief scouts platinum you need to do some extra bits on top of D of E, it really is simple.

  • Be a member of Explorer Scouts for at least six months.

  • Complete six nights away as an Explorer Scout of which four must be camping. Nights away must be different from any other nights away used in the other sections of this award. 

  • Complete two activities from the International, Community and Values list. The two activities should come from different areas.

  • Hold the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award, or complete the four Platinum Scout Challenges, which are:

    • take up a skill for three months, and show progress and lasting interest. The skill can be an existing interest or something entirely new

    • take up a physical activity for three months, completing an agreed programme of taking part and achievement

    • provide service to an individual or the community for three months. Briefing and training should be given in order to gain the necessary skills. This can include helping with another section as a Young Leader

    • complete a two day and one night expedition in rural country by foot, cycle, horse, canoe, boat or dinghy. The expedition should involve careful preparation, training, responsibility and review


It will take you at least 6 months for Silver if you’ve already achieved your Bronze, or 12 months if you’ve jumped straight into Silver.

– Volunteering section: 6 months
– Physical and Skills sections: One section for 6 months and the other section for 3 months
– Expedition section: 3 days/2 nights


If you didn’t do Bronze, you must undertake a further 6 months in either the Volunteering or the longer of the Physical or Skills sections.

Chief Scout Diamond

  • Be a member of Explorer Scouts or the Scout Network or both for at least 12 months. This can include any time counted for the Chief Scout's Platinum Award.

  • Complete 12 nights away as an Explorer Scout or member of the Scout Network, of which eight must be camping. This may include the nights counted for the Chief Scout's Platinum Award. Nights away must be different from any other nights away used in the other sections of this award.

  • Complete four activities from the list of International, Community and Values activities. This should include at least one from each area of the list and can include the activities completed for the International, Community and Values list as part of the Chief Scout's Platinum Award.

  • Hold the Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award, or complete the four Diamond Challenges, which are:

    • take up a skill for three or six months, and show progress and lasting interest. The skill can be an existing interest or something entirely new.

    • take up a physical activity for three or six months, completing an agreed programme of taking part and achievement.

    • provide service to an individual or the community for six months. Briefing and training should be given in order to gain the necessary skills. This many include helping with another section as a Young Leader or regularly helping at in the community at places such as a soup kitchen or animal shelter. 

    • complete a three day and two night expedition in rural or open country by foot, cycle, horse, canoe, boat or dinghy. The expedition should involve careful preparation, training, responsibility and review.

All Members should complete six months in either the physical activity or the skill.

For Gold Duke of Edinburgh, you’ll need to do your programme for at least 12 months if you’ve achieved your Silver Award, or 18 months if you’ve started at Gold level without doing your Silver – even if you’ve done Bronze. The big difference at Gold is you’ll also do a Residential section – staying away from home for five days and four nights doing a shared activity with people you don’t know.

– Volunteering section: 12 months
– Physical and Skills sections: One section for 12 months and the other section for 6 months
– Expedition section: 4 days/3 nights
– Residential section: Undertake a shared activity in a residential setting away from home for 5 days and 4 nights.

If you didn’t do Silver, you must undertake a further 6 months in either the Volunteering or the longer of the Physical or Skills sections.

Queen's Scout Award

Award participants must:
• Be aged 16  or older to start the award and complete the award before your 25th birthday 
• Be a member of either Explorer Scouts or Scout Network (or a combination of both) for at least 18 months to complete the award - time can only be counted from your 16th birthday.
• Be a member of Explorer Scouts or Scout Network at the time you complete the award


This means members can only start working towards and count activities undertaken in achieving the QSA from their 16th Birthday. Activities and nights away completed in achievement of the Chief Scout Platinum and Diamond Awards can be counted towards the QSA.

Complete 18 nights away as an Explorer Scout or Scout Network member, of which at least 12 must be camping.

Nights  away  used for  this  requirement  must  be  different  from nights 
away  undertaken  for  one  of  the  five challenge activities (such as expedition and residential) or those used for the ICV list, but can include those nights away used for the nights away requirement of the Chief Scout’s Platinum or Chief Scout’s Diamond Awards. 

Nights  away  undertaken  as  an  Explorer  Scout  Young  Leader  or  by  Scout  Network  members  who  are  also  an  adult leader in Scouting may count towards this requirement, ie a night away with a Cub Pack where you volunteer. 

Complete six activities in total, two from each topic area of the ICV activities list. Click here to view the ICV list for the QSA.  A minimum of two must be from the QSA ICV list and the others from any of the QSA, or Chief Scout Platinum or Diamond ICV lists. 

If you have completed your Chief Scout’s Platinum Award, you will have already done two activities and will only need to do a further four activities.

If you have completed your Chief Scout’s Diamond Award, you will have already done four activities and will only need to do a further two activities.

Complete the five Queen’s Scout Award challenges or hold the Gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award (DofE).

•    Skill
Take up a skill for six or 12* months, and show progress and lasting interest. The skill can be an existing interest or something entirely new.

•    Physical Activity
Take up a physical activity for six or 12* months, completing an agreed programme by taking part and achieving your objectives.

•    Service
Provide service to an individual or the community for 12 months. Briefing and training should be given in order to gain the necessary skills. This may include helping with another section of the Movement as an Explorer Scout Young Leader or adult volunteer.

•    Expedition
Undertake training, a practice expedition and a four day, three night self-led 
final expedition (including a project). 

You should undertake training (to show you are ready to do your expedition, a practice expedition and then the final expedition). 

Training: 
Before you undertake any expedition you should demonstrate that you are competent in the following areas:

  • First aid (covering First Response as a minimum) and emergency procedures
  • Risk assessment/health and safety
  • Navigation and route planning
  • Camp craft, equipment and hygiene
  • Food and cooking
  • Country, highway and water sports codes
  • Observation, recording and presentation
  • Team building
  • Proficiency in mode of travel

Practice:
Undertake a minimum three-day, two-night (consecutive) self-led expedition in wild country by foot, cycle, horse, canoe, boat or dinghy.

Final:
Undertake a four-day, three-night (consecutive) self led expedition with an aim. The expedition should be completed in wild country by the same method used in your practice. Expeditions should have a minimum of eight hours of activity per day, of  which  at  least half must  be  journeying.  The  final  expedition  must  be  a  different  area  to the  practice  with  similar  conditions and ideally with the same team of people. 

•    Residential
Undertake a five-day, four-night residential project in an unfamiliar environment with people that are unknown to you. This project could be environmental work, project based, service to others or personal training. 

In exceptional circumstances this can be done over two consecutive  weekends as long as the activity is the same and the majority of  people are unknown to you. 

*All members should complete 12 months in either the skill or the physical activity challenges.

Award participants who are not holders of the Chief Scout’s Diamond Award or Silver DofE must complete an extra six months in either the service or the longer of the skills or physical activity challenges.

Make a presentation covering all elements of your award to a suitable audience, with the aim of inspiring and motivating others to achieve the award. The presentation should be the final activity you complete.