Duke of Ed Framework

The physical recreation section of the Duke of Ed encourages young people to get active and improve their physical performance. Registered users can choose individual or team activities and competitive or non-competitive activities.

Activity examples

• Ball sports and team sports—basketball, football, hockey, netball, rugby, volleyball, water polo
• Movement and dance—aerobics, circus sports, dancing, gymnastics, martial arts, yoga
• Outdoors and adventure—caving, orienteering, snowboarding, surfing
• Racquet games—badminton, squash, tennis
• Other—archery, athletics, bowling, cycling, equestrian, skateboarding, swimming, walking

For more ideas, check out the physical recreation list.

Requirements for completing physical recreation

• Registered users do not need to be part of a club—an adult with skills and experience in the chosen activity is required to provide guidance and act as the assessor.
• Activities undertaken during school hours may count towards the level, provided the registered user can demonstrate that the activity is largely pursued in their own time.
• The same activity may be completed across different levels—there must be a demonstration of progression and skill development at each level.
• More than one activity may be pursued if a single activity cannot be undertaken throughout the year. For example, an activity may not be suitable across both summer and winter seasons.

The skills section of the Duke of Ed encourages young people to discover their talents and develop practical skills in an area that interests them.

It could be:

• artistic
• academic
• technical
• another area of interest.

Young people can do any of the following:

• develop skills and knowledge in an activity they already do
• study something new
• complete a specific project (e.g. making a piece of furniture).

Activity examples

The chosen skill should not be a sport or physical activity. Ideas include:

• academic—biology, democracy and political studies, palaeontology, physics
• communication—braille, debating, foreign language, journalism, sign language
• creative arts—art appreciation, creative writing, drawing, film production, painting, photography, pottery
• design—fashion, jewellery design, web design
• music and performing arts—acting, producing plays, playing a musical instrument, singing
• practical—boat building, cooking, cycle maintenance, driving, keeping pets
• other hobbies—astrology, fishing, juggling, meditation, puppetry, refereeing, stamp collecting.

For more ideas, check out the skill list.

Requirements for completing skill

• Registered users do not need to be part of a club—an adult with skills and experience in the chosen activity is required to provide guidance and act as the assessor.
• Activities undertaken during school hours may count towards the level, provided the registered user can demonstrate that the activity is largely pursued in their own time.
• The same activity may be completed across different levels—there must be a demonstration of progression and skill development at each level.
• More than one activity may be pursued if a single activity cannot be undertaken throughout the year. For example, an activity may not be suitable across both summer and winter seasons.

The voluntary service section of the Duke of Ed helps young people develop a sense of community by volunteering to help others.

Depending on the service chosen, young people may have to complete some training. This can range from a simple briefing session through to a specialised training course.

Activity ideas

• Help at a youth group
• Help at a charity organisation
• Take care of walking tracks, parks or wildlife
• Take a first-aid course, then volunteer as a first-aid officer
• Help at an animal shelter
• Help in the school library
• Support people experiencing disadvantage within the community
• Help at a hospital or nursing home
• Fundraising for charity

For more ideas, check out the voluntary service list.

Requirements for completing voluntary service

• Undertake an activity regularly donating time to a genuine cause
• Choose a voluntary service that reflects individual interests, talents and capabilities.
• Choose an activity that provides an appropriate level of challenge and encourages personal development.
• Registered users may undertake more than one activity.
• Discuss activity ideas with a Duke of Ed Leader before commencing.
• Ensure the voluntary service activity is unpaid.

The aim of the adventurous journey section is to stimulate a spirit of adventure and self-discovery while undertaking a journey in a group.

Choose your adventure

Registered users can choose from 3 types of adventurous journeys:

Adventurous journey:

• What: The adventurous journey is about developing team and group work skills, and this is achieved by getting out into an unfamiliar and challenging environment with an agreed team goal.
• Where: The journey can be over land, in the air, or on waterways.
• Who: Bronze, Silver or Gold registered users.
• Activity ideas: Bushwalking, canoeing, cross country skiing, cycling, cultural or historical trips, scientific exploration, marine study, survey of a national park or wildlife park.

Virtual journey (Bronze and Silver only):

• What: Combines elements of both expedition and exploration.
• Where: It can be in an urban or outdoor setting.
• Who: Bronze or Silver registered users.
• Activity ideas: Virtual adventurous journey.

Adventurous project:

• What: A journey that is more innovative, creative, and challenging than an adventurous journey.
• Where: It can be in an urban or outdoor setting.
• Who: Gold Level registered users who are 18 years or older, where the journey being planned does not meet one or more of the requirements of an adventurous journey.
• Approval from the Queensland Award Operating Authority is required before commencing an adventurous project.
• Activity ideas: set out on a solo sailing trip, climb a mountain, follow an ancient pilgrimage (in Australia or overseas), retrace the path of an early explorer, or study ecosystems in a remote area.

Requirements for completing an adventurous journey

Before you start

1. Discuss journey plans with a Duke of Ed Leader and get approval to proceed. It is highly recommended that Gold Level registered users submit a Gold Level plan. The Duke of Ed Leader will endorse and forward the plan to the Queensland Award Operating Authority for processing.
2. A minimum of 4 registered users is required in each adventurous journey group, while the maximum is 10 at Bronze Level and 7 at Silver and Gold Levels. Groups larger than these maximums must be split into smaller sub-groups.
3. Have a clearly defined and agreed SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant/realistic, time‐bound) team goal.
4. Obtain approval from the Duke of Ed Leader prior to commencing any activity. This includes approval for all preparation and training, team goals, all practice journeys, and the qualifying journey.
5. Undertake sufficient preparation and training. Ensure all members of the group are involved in planning, training and decision making both prior and during an adventurous journey.
6. Obtain written parent/guardian consent prior to departing on each journey if under the age of 18.
7. Be supervised and assessed by suitably skilled, experienced, or qualified adults.
8. Ensure that both the practice and qualifying journeys are undertaken in an environment that is unfamiliar and challenging to the registered user(s) (physical or virtual).
9. Ensure that practice and qualifying journeys are similar in terms of nature and difficulty (e.g. a similar terrain and climate conditions), however they should not cover the same route. The journeys must involve substantial individual effort and should use the same mode or combination of modes of travel.
10. Ensure that appropriate risk management has been researched and approved by the Duke of Ed Leader.
11. Only use simple self-catering accommodation (in an appropriate shelter, tent, hostel, or other basic accommodation), and be largely self-sufficient throughout the journey.
12. Ensure that the qualifying adventurous journey meets the minimum time requirements for the chosen level of the Duke of Ed.

Journey log

The registered user should keep a journey log of all activity so that they can create their journey report which needs to be submitted for approval. This can be a written logbook, scrapbook, photographic record, audio or video log, or any combination of these.

The record may include things such as a description of the journey, map, route plan, equipment, food and clothing lists, drawings, photos and any personal reflections had during and after the journey.

Time commitment

All registered users must complete one qualifying journey, and at Silver and Gold Levels, at least one practice journey using the same mode of travel and for the same length of time. Practice journeys are not mandated at Bronze Level.

The length of all journeys at each level needs to be:

• Bronze Level: 2 days and 1 night with at least 6 hours of purposeful effort per day
• Silver Level: 3 days and 2 nights with at least 7 hours of purposeful effort per day
• Gold Level: 4 days and 3 nights with at least 8 hours of purposeful effort per day

Time spent sleeping, cooking, eating and any journeying not related to achieving the team goal is not considered purposeful effort.

Registered users should also allow sufficient time for preparation and training before undertaking their journeys.