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Thursday, April 28, 2011

Duke Of Edinburgh Award



DofE LEVELS

There are three levels of programme you can do which, when you've successfully completed lead to a Bronze, Silver or Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.   
The main differences between them are the minimum length of time it takes to complete them, how challenging it is and the minimum age you can start.

Depending on your age, you are free to start at any level but most people prefer to try for Bronze and work upwards.  There are age restrictions for each one so it makes sense to build yourself up rather than dive in at the deep end.

Don’t forget, you have until your 25th birthday to complete whichever level you’re working on and achieve an Award.

The table below shows the different overall age restrictions and time requirements for each level.
Min age and participation timescales


BRONZE

A Bronze DofE programme has 4 sections, Volunteering, Physical, Skills and Expedition. You need be at least 14 years old to start a Bronze programme and you must do a minimum of 3 months activity for each of the Volunteering, Physical and Skills sections, and plan, train for and do a 2 day (1 night) Expedition.
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 set your aims for the sections.
This table shows what you need to do:
Bronze Tmescales

SILVER

The next step up from Bronze... you need to be at least 15 to start doing your Silver DofE programme.
A Silver DofE programme has 4 sections, Volunteering, Physical, Skills and Expedition. You need to do at least 6 months Volunteering and a minimum of 6 months on either Physical or Skills and 3 months on the other. It’s up to you which one you do for longer.
The Expedition section involves planning, training for and doing a 3 day (2 night) expedition.
If you start the Silver without doing Bronze first you’ll have to do an extra6 months volunteeringor doing whichever of the Physical or Skillssections you have spent more time on. 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 set your aims for the sections.
This table shows what you need to do:
Silver 

GOLD

Once you hit 16 you can do your Gold DofE programme.
You’ll spend 12 months on your Volunteering section. For Physical and Skills you must spend 12 months on one and six months on the other - you decide which way round you do it.
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. It's great fun and a real chance to do something different!
If you’ve jumped straight into your Gold DofE programme you’ll need to do a further six months either volunteering or whichever one of your physical or skills activities you spent the most time on.
This table gives you a summary of what you have to do:
Gold timescales

HOW OLD DO I NEED TO BE?

You can do a Bronze DofE programme once you’re 14 (or nearly 14, which sometimes happens when you and your friends decide to start your adventure together. However, your Leader must agree this.)
If you are 15, you can start on a Silver DofE programme. If you've achieved your Bronze Award, your Leader may allow you to start your Silver a month or two before your 15th birthday.
As for the Gold programme, no activities can be counted for this before your 16th birthday.
All activities that you do for any DofE programme MUST be completed before your 25th birthday.


HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE ME?

It will usually take you at least 6 months to complete your Bronze programme.
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.
For Gold, you'll need to do your programme for at least 12 months if you've got your Silver Award, or18 months if you've started at Gold level without doing Silver- even if you've done Bronze.
We've put the length of time in months - you need to show regularactivity and commitment during this time of at least an hour a week. You can't achieve an Award in a short burst of enthusiasm over one weekend!
Remember, all activities for a DofE programme MUST be completed by your 25th birthday.
Once you've done the minimum amount of time needed to complete your DofE programme, we're sure that you'll have had so much fun that you'll want to keep on doing your activities!

TIMESCALES

Bronze (14+ years old)
VolunteeringPhysicalSkillsExpedition
3 months3 months3 monthsPlan, train for and undertake a 2 day, 1 night expedition.
All participants must undertake a further 3 months in the Volunteering, Physical or Skills sections.

Silver (15+ years old)
VolunteeringPhysicalSkillsExpedition
6 monthsOne section for 6 months and the other section for 3 monthsPlan, train for and undertake a 3 day, 2 night expedition.
Direct entrants must undertake a further 6 months in either the Volunteering or the longer of the Physical or Skills sections.

Gold (16+ years old)
VolunteeringPhysicalSkillsExpeditionResidential
12 monthsOne section for 12 months and the other section for 6 monthsPlan, train for and undertake a 4 day, 3 night expedition.Undertake a shared activity in a residential setting away from home for 5 days and 4 nights.
Direct entrants must undertake a further 6 months in either the Volunteering or the longer of the Physical or Skills sections.




Length of time of DofE expeditions



LevelDuration
Minimum hours of planned activity each day
BRONZE
2 days and 1 night

At least 6 hours during the daytime (at least 3 of which must be spent journeying)
SILVER
3 days and 2 nights

At least 7 hours during the daytime (at least 3½ of which must be spent journeying)
GOLD
4 days and 3 nights

At least 8 hours during the daytime (at least 4 of which must be spent journeying)

Notes: Time associated with overnight accommodation and catering is additional to the minimum daytime hours of planned activity. Participants have to undertake at least one practice expedition as part of their training, in addition to the final assessed expedition.

WHY DO IT?

Good question!
Because, from the first day to the last it’s a real adventure.  Every section gives you something different - that's the fun of it! 
You’ll enjoy loads of new experiences, discover talents you never thought you had, challenge yourself and meet loads of people just like you.  Plus you’ll do things you love and get a kick out of.  It’s a real buzz!
Then there’s all the other stuff…
…like the fact that achieving an Award will give you skills, confidence and a view on life that everyone is looking for, from employers to colleges and universities.
...you're getting recognised for doing things you want to do (and may even be doing already).
...plus you’ll make a difference to other people’s lives and your community, be fitter and healthier, make new friends and have memories to last you a lifetime.
And above all, it's a great laugh! 
The question should really be why wouldn't you bother!
Interested?  Need to know more?
Have a look at more detailed info on DofE programmes, including how to get started, here or
click on one of the sections on the right for loads of ideas of things you could do for your DofE.
Find out how to get involved by asking the person who runs the DofE in your school, college, youth group, company etc.,
or contact your local Operating Authority here.


YOUR DofE PROGRAMME

This part of our site will give you more detailed info on how to build your personal DofE programme.
We'll tell you how to get started, give you some ideas on what you could do for each section and how to record your progress. We'll also tell you about what you get at the end of it all... and it's not just a piece of paper!
Your first question should be what do I want to do? Once you’ve chosen the level you want to do, you create, plan and complete your own programme, making sure you've chosen an activity that counts for each section.
It’s your chance to decide what you want to do, so you really go for stuff that you're interested in. Maybe you want to be a DJ or musician or perhaps you’re big into skateboarding or football?
Whatever really gets you going, the odds are you can do it for your DofE.
And it doesn't matter if you've never done an activity before or if you've been doing it for years - you set your own challenges for each activity and just need to prove you've got better while you're doing it.
Can't find what you're looking for?  Check out our handy FAQ pages as the answer's probably there and we'll point you to the right place!


VOLUNTEERING

This is all about making a difference to other people's lives.  Getting off your sofa and taking time out to change things for the better can be great fun. 
You'll need to agree the type of volunteering you want to do, what you plan to achieve and do any training (if you need to) before you get started.  
Ben Fogle, TV presenter and Silver Award holder reckons volunteering is a great thing to get involved in: “Employers and universities recognise the value of having people who have a life away from their job.  This is where the DofE comes in, it's now become the leading Award for young people to demonstrate they have interests outside of everyday life.  Volunteering gives you a chance to make a difference to others and to their community.  I believe that you'll find your voluntary work will increase your confidence and self-esteem and give you new skills. I would advise you all to embrace volunteering opportunities; it's a great way to collect extra experience that could give you the edge at a college, university or job interview.”
In case you're still wondering what you'll get out of the Volunteering section, this is what Sarah has to say about it...
"For my volunteering I spent a year helping children with special needs.  Doing my DofE gave me even more back than the hours and effort I put in." Sarah, DofE participant.
From conservation to youth work to fundraising for your favourite charity or caring for animals, there's an endless list of the types of projects you can get involved in, so have a chat with your Leader and other people in your community to find out what’s on offer, what needs doing and who needs help!
Once you've found an activity or project, you'll need to get someone who's running it to agree to help you through it and sign off your evidence once you've completed to prove you did it - we call them your Assessor.  Your Assessor will also check on your progress whilst you're doing the activity. 
If you can't find a project you want to do, why not set up a new one that will help your community?  This can be on your own, with a couple of friends or even with your whole DofE group – your Leader can help you do this and may be able to act as your Assessor.
Remember - you need to get your Leader to agree your choice and make sure it fits our rules for the Volunteering section.  They'll have a quick meeting with you to make sure you’ve set yourself enough of a challenge, arrange when they'll catch up with you over the time you're volunteering and when you’ll have your final assessment.  Then you’re good to go!
Use the activity finder on the right to find out about the types of volunteering you can do, plus some ideas to get you started.

Debra Searle MBE, Trustee and Gold Award holder said:
“The Volunteering section teaches young people valuable lessons about the importance of giving back to the community. A wonderful 61% of Award holders go on to volunteer in their local community. Just imagine what an impact it would have on our society and the economy if every young person in the UK had the opportunity to have a DofE volunteering experience. It is aspirations like this coupled with the impact of my own volunteering for my Gold that inspire me to commit wholeheartedly to volunteering as a DofE Trustee.”







Increase the value of your gift

Make your gift worth 28% more by enclosing a completed gift aid form with your donation.

Payroll giving

Does your company run a Payroll Giving scheme?  This means a monthly donation to your chosen charity is deducted from your salary before tax.  A gift of $10 per month to The Duke of Edinburgh's Award effectively only costs you $7.50  Find out more by calling our fundraising team on 03 9221 6128 or emailing info@vampglobalmission.org

Share giving

Have you considered giving shares as a way of supporting The Duke of Edinburgh's Award?  It could even save you money on your tax bill.  Find out more by calling the fundraising team on 03 9221 6128 or emailing info@vampglobalmission.org

Leave a legacy

Your support can ensure that The DofE will still be making a difference to young people in the future.  Together we can help the young people of tomorrow build a better future for themselves.
A gift in your will could help us meet the challenges of the future, confident that we have the support we need to succeed.  Call the fundraising team on 03 9221 6128 or email info@vampglobalmission.org for more information.

However you have chosen to donate to The DofE we would like to say a really big

THANK  YOU

You have helped us to inspire, guide and support young people.


Friday, April 15, 2011

Etiquette leading with respect....


Leading with Respect for Time Boundaries

Time and Leadership, Leadership Article, Leadership Training, Shawn DoyleAs a speaker, trainer, and consultant who travels extensively, I see more and more disturbing signs of there being absolutely no boundaries on people's time as it relates to work. Here are some symptoms that I've noticed lately:
Employees who routinely receive 200-300 emails each day, and as a result, they're frustrated because they're rarely able to catch up. 
  • Employees who are expected to call in to conference calls and answer emails while on vacation. 
  • People multitasking electronically (for example, sending email while participating in conference calls). 
  • Executives who sit in the audience in tears when I tell a moving story in a keynote speech about lack of life balance. They tell me afterward my story was about them.
  • Emails from clients that are sent during the weekend, both day and night.
  • Voicemails from clients that are left between 6 a.m. and midnight on any day, including weekends.
As leaders, we must take responsibility for this problem because we are either implicitly or explicitly causing it. Employees are running themselves ragged and definitely have no life balance because work has followed them home from the workplace. The blurring of the line between work and non-work time is taking a toll not only on employees' lives but also on those of their families. It's time for a change.
Since we're leading the charge from the front of the pack, here are some things we can do to turn ourselves around and help team members (and ourselves) regain some control of time.
 Insist that employees be allowed to actually go on vacation.
Many times while I'm on conference calls, I hear background noises such as music at a cafe or the loud rumble of amusement park rides. When I ask participants where they are, they answer, "I'm on vacation." Everyone tells them to "Have a good time," but how can they? They've had to call in to a stupid, unnecessary conference call.
As a leader, you should demand that employees not answer email or dial in to conference calls while they are on vacation.  The idea behind vacation is to vacate and get a break from day-to-day responsibilities. If they do not get away from work, they come back from vacation feeling as though they never left. They aren't refreshed, so what has been the point? Have we halfway ruined the family vacation?
Some leaders tell me they cannot afford to have employees go on vacation unless they check their email or take part in conference calls. This is the leaders' fault. They have not cross trained enough employees to handle their coworkers' responsibilities.  Whether directly ordered or subtly implied, expecting employees to work while on vacation simply is not fair, nor is it good for the organisation. 

Control meetings
One of the reasons that many people in the workplace don't have enough time to do their work is that they're going to meetings that are either unproductive or unnecessary.  Make sure that all meetings are necessary, have an agenda in advance, are governed by a time limit, and begin and end when they should. Try to determine which people should or should not be at the meeting. These simple approaches alone will save employees lots of time each week.

Control conference calls
So many conference calls are confusing, ineffective, and poorly run because they're not well facilitated by the person leading the call.  In fact, on some calls, I'm not exactly sure who is in charge since no one is leading.  Conference calls should have specific agenda items for participants to cover, and all who take part  should be committed to beginning and ending at a certain time.   

 Try to create control of email and know how to use it efficiently
When employees are getting 300 emails each day, this tells me that people are sending messages that are unnecessary or inefficient.  In many cases, people send emails to coworkers who work in the same office. They could have avoided writing an email by literally poking theirs head around the corner and having a two-minute conversation, which would save an hour of reading and response time. 
In one of my training sessions, two employees were talking about getting too many emails from one another and that this added greatly to their email volume each day.  When asked further, they revealed they actually sat in the same office with their chairs back to back. Because they were both on the phone throughout most of the day, they figured it was more efficient to send emails than speak to each other. 
At the top of the problems list my corporate clients face today is dealing with email because of its misuse, abuse, and volume. Here is an idea: assemble your group and reach agreement on situations that would best be handled by email, by phone, or by personal, face-to-face conversation. By establishing guidelines for when, why, and how to communicate with those who send emails, you and your team can save time by quickly distinguishing between those messages that require written responses and those that don't.  

 Don't expect people to work through lunch and breaks
In many organisations, I see employees who literally work through every lunch every day, all week.  They simply get their lunch and eat at their desks or are asked to have lunch with another team member while working. Either way, they'll work through lunch to get things done. This practice is an actual drain on productivity, because employees are going all day with no actual breaks, and by the end of the week they are completely and utterly exhausted. 
In some organisations, this practice is directed; in others, it is simply implied; in many more, it seems to be an expectation of the culture. See how crazy we are? We work non stop and are proud of it!   

Watch for burnout
Look for symptoms of burnout among your team members.  When you see people getting uncharacteristically frazzled, irritated, and frustrated, this is certainly a sign of burnout.  When you notice employees are more frequently absent because of illness, this is also a burnout signal. I know it is a leader's job to get results, but if your employees are burned out, they will get nothing done. It is up to you to establish a reasonable stopping point so that your team members can have some degree of life balance. They look to you to determine when they have reached that point.  

 Model the behaviour yourself
In many organisations, it seems to be a badge of honour for people in leadership positions to come in early, stay late, work weekends, work during vacation, and send emails at all crazy hours of the day and night.  What people in these roles do not realise is they are modeling the very behaviour that they want their folks to exhibit. Some do it on purpose. 
It is up to you to draw boundaries where they need to be drawn, to make reasonable decisions about the number of hours you want your team members to work, and to prevent work from dominating people's lives. It is up to you to stop the insanity. If we do not start to set boundaries on work time, we may win the battle for results but ultimately lose the war, with our best employees being the casualties.

Etiquette in Business Communication

Etiquette in Business Communication



The idea that people need to have feedback, appreciation and information is a good basis for understanding how and why excellent business communication is important and compelling for success. In fact, not only do they need it for appreciation, they need it to continue to be effective and be successful. If we do not give feedback and communicate we will lose our influence and cut into creating successful results.
Being busy is never an excuse for not communicating in a timely way. What does “timely” mean anyway? In the old days, timely meant the same day. In the new days – and I have experienced this hundreds of times – timely means:
“Whenever I get a chance to get back to you assuming I remember what you
wanted and can find the email or the correspondence on my desk because it is
covered with tiny notes and phone numbers because I have not taken the time to
clean up my work area because I am too busy."
You get the picture.
Let me be very clear. It is NEVER ok to not respond to those you are doing business with; those you want to do business with; those that can refer you to business; those who were referred by someone; anyone writing to you (except spam and porno) needs a response. If you are getting 500 emails a day that is now a systems issue and you need to find a way to receive what is most important to you.
  • Tell your colleagues that you do not need to be on every email “reply”
  • Find a spam filter system that serves you
  • Go through a week and track who is sending you email and find out it they are important or not and inform them if you do not need to hear from them
  • Find someone to screen you emails for applicability to you
  • Separate business from personal by having two different email addresses so you don’t have to worry that you miss either
  • Stop signing up for newsletters and information that you don’t need – go back to the ones you did sign up with and unsubscribe from those you never read and delete anyway
 
Don’t let email steal your efficiency. Take the time to manage what it is that is most important to you so you can get on to communicating with those relationships that offer you the best shot at successful results.
 
In your very best relationship - whether your spouse, best friend, sister, co-worker - you can easily communicate with them in a high value way. You telephone, email, write notes, make plans and generally stay in contact with them because you want the connection and the relationship.
 
In building very good relationships in business, it is absolutely the same. What is different in a business relationship is that you communicate with them and you don't always know them as well as a dear friend. However, they need the same attention that a good relationship needs. These needs are:
  • Returning a phone call
  • Following up on a request
  • Listening intently
  • Appreciative communication
  • Clear communication with details and directions
  • Doing what you say you will do
  • Remembering what is important to them
  • Valuing what is most important to them
 
Our communication styles and methods are being stretched to the limit by email, technology, lack of time and demands on our ability to do so much in our days.
 
But there are rules of common courtesy that have NOT changed since the inception of humans dealing with each other in a high value way. If you want to be a remembered, trusted and respected leader, you will practice these courtesies with every business contact.
 
If you take the time to examine what is important to you, we think you will find that they are also the courtesies that you expect in all business communication – actually how you would like to be treated and communicated with.
Email - not only should you be returning emails in a timely way, but you need to set the context each and every time of why the email is important and what information it is that you want to deliver. Spam filters help, but in order to more easily control your email load, you need to be in more control of what you generate yourself. In business, be brief, be informational and be gone.
Cell phones - the ring tones that are available now are fun outside of the office, networking situations, client lunches etc. Put them on vibrate or shut them off. Take and make calls when you are with people sparingly. Most people are not interested in listening to your conversations no matter how stimulating you think they might be. If you need to take or make a call, excuse yourself and then make it brief.
Returning phone calls – We are not sure when it became ok to not return phone calls, but it is not ok. Whether you think you have time to return the call or not, find out what people need, make sure you are clear on whether you can help them or not and then get back to your own work. People who return phone calls are trusted and respected. You do not need to make the calls long. In fact, returning all calls twice a day instead of doing it piece meal all day long is a good way to manage your time more appropriately.
Here are some additional basics that will help you grow your own identity and brand which will identify you as a trusted and respected “up and coming leader”:
  • Practice your handshake - ask a friend to shake hands with you and then ask them to give you feedback. Firm is good.
  • Eye contact - learn to look at a person when they are speaking.
  • Body language - 55% of our non verbal communication is our body - watch what your body is saying about you.
  • Business card - get one and have them with you ALL of the time. Do include an address, email, telephone number, name and what you do – a title is very good. If your company does not provide a business card, get one for you anyway. The fast print companies all have programs you can easily and quickly make one for you.
  • Holding doors - opening a door for someone is not just a guy thing anymore. Ladies, if you get to the door first, open it.
  • Standing and greeting - if you are being introduced, stand, reach out your hand and shake their hand. This is not a gender issue. Women in the workforce can show respect by standing and shaking hands.