The Duke of Edinburgh's award scheme
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme is a fantastic achievement to attain and will benefit you no matter what you wish to do with your life in the future. Throughout your time doing the award you will be learning and developing skills to use in your life ahead. Employers, when looking to hire employees, usually check if you have gained this type of achievement because it shows many good attributes about you as a person. For those looking to join the Armed Forces, this award is useful as it teaches you map reading skills, navigation and many other expedition related skills. Above all, while you gain your award and enhance your skills, you will also be having a great fun and taking exercise.
Bronze Award
To begin your Bronze DofE you must be over 14 (13 and 9 months is usually accepted) and you must complete it before your 25th birthday. Taking part is at very little cost and you can use some of your cadet activities towards the award setions. The programme is designed to take around 6 months.

There are 4 sections for the Bronze Dofe: (One of the top 3 must be undertaken for 6 months)

Volunteering: Complete 1 hour of work per week for 3 months for a registered charity
Skills: Improve on a skill that is new to you or you have done before for 3 months
Physical: Improve your physical abilities over 3 months
Expedition: Complete a minimum of two expeditions with a duration of 2 days and 1 night
Silver Award
To begin your Silver DofE you must be 15 and you must complete it before your 25th birthday. If you have already completed your Bronze Award then the programme should take 6 months, if you are beginning with your Silver Award then it should take around 12 months. The sections for the Silver Award are the same as the Bronze Award, however; for your physical section you should ideally join a sports team or club.
Gold Award
To start the Gold award you must be 16 and you must complete it by your 25th birthday. If you have completed your Silver award award then the programme should take around 12 months however if you are starting at Gold then the programme will take at least 18 months.

There are 5 sections to Gold DofE: (From the top two, 1 must be 12 months, the other 6 months)

Skills: Improve on a skill that is new to you or you have done before.
Physical: Improve your physical abilities, for your Gold you must join a sports team or club.
Volunteering: Carry out 1 hour of volunteering per week for 12 months for a registered charity.
Expedition: Complete two or three expeditions of 4 days and 3 nights.
Residential: Go on a trip for 5 days with fellow award participants that you do not know well.

You can find out more on the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme on their official website by clicking on the logo here

The Duke of Edinburgh's award scheme website