Newcastle University has become the first higher education institution in the North East to obtain a license for the highly sought after Duke of Edinburgh Award (DofE).
The Award is being funded by the Farmer Foundation, with the purpose of cementing the legacy of Newcastle student Ed Farmer.
The programme, in which bronze, silver, and gold stages can be achieved, is running throughout this year. It allows students to recommence their previous Duke of Edinburgh Award progress, or start from scratch. Students will undertake a number of personal development tasks, ranging from volunteering to unaccompanied expeditions. Other aspects include physical activity, refining skills and, if completing the gold stage, working in teams on a residential course. These activities, according to the DofE, enable university students both to meet new people, and to develop essentials skills that are beneficial for life and work.
The DofE website lists a large array of employers that recognise the award, showing it to be highly sought after in the workplace. Someone who supports the programme is the CEO of business giant Serco, Rupert Soames, who states: “The world of work needs people of resilience and aspiration, good at problem-solving and working in teams, energetic, enthusiastic and hard-working. All that you need to achieve a DofE Award.”
Those who achieve gold are able to ‘stand out from the crowd’, and even collect their award from Buckingham Palace, however Newcastle University has also decided to further honour its students. Each year, Newcastle staff will choose one student deemed an “outstanding” participant in the Duke of Edinburgh programme, to receive an award from the Farmer Foundation, in memory of Ed.
