A Parent's Guide to Gold DofE Open Expeditions
Your child needs a Gold DofE expedition — but their school arrangements don't work. What happens now?
If you've arrived here because your son or daughter has missed a school expedition, doesn't have a complete group, or simply needs an alternative date, you're not alone.
Gold DofE open expeditions are designed for participants who need to complete their expedition away from their normal school or DofE group.
TrekCo has been running outdoor expeditions since 1989 and is a DofE Approved Activity Provider.
Here's what you need to know.
Is an open expedition suitable for my child?
An open expedition may be suitable if your child:
is already enrolled on Gold DofE
needs to complete a Gold practice or qualifying expedition
cannot attend their normal school expedition
doesn't have a complete expedition team
needs an alternative date
If you're unsure, contact us before booking.
Will my child know anyone?
Possibly not — and that's perfectly normal.
Many participants book open expeditions as individuals.
They meet the other participants when they arrive and are placed into an expedition team.
The preparation day gives everyone time to get to know each other, understand how the expedition works and start working together.
For many participants, making new friends becomes one of the highlights of the experience.
How much supervision is there?
Gold DofE is designed to develop independence, so participants are expected to navigate and operate as a team rather than being accompanied continuously by an instructor.
That doesn't mean they are left without support.
TrekCo instructors monitor the teams and provide the supervision required during the expedition.
There is also a preparation day before the expedition itself.
The aim is to give young people the independence required by DofE while maintaining appropriate supervision and support.
What happens if my child struggles?
The preparation period and start of the expedition allows our instructors to assess participants' equipment, navigation skills and readiness before the expedition begins.
Participants are expected to work together and support one another during the expedition.
Our instructors monitor progress and are available to provide support where necessary.
If there is a problem, the team is not simply left to deal with it alone.
What if the weather is bad?
DofE expeditions take place in the countryside and weather is part of the challenge.
Participants need to arrive with appropriate clothing and equipment and be prepared for changing conditions.
Our instructors monitor conditions and the safety of the teams throughout the expedition.
The exact response to severe weather depends on the conditions and the particular expedition.
What happens if my child becomes ill?
The expedition team and TrekCo instructors have procedures for dealing with problems during the expedition.
Parents will receive the relevant contact and emergency information for their particular expedition before departure.
If your child has a medical condition, injury or dietary requirement that may affect their participation or supervision needs, this should be disclosed before the expedition - we’ll send you medical forms to somplete as part of the bookng process.
What equipment does my child need?
You don't need to buy everything from scratch.
TrekCo provides full kit guidance before the expedition and can loan a rucksack and sleeping bag at no additional charge, subject to availability.
You will still need to provide appropriate personal clothing, footwear, food and other personal equipment.
What happens before the expedition?
The first day is arrival and preparation day.
Participants:
meet their instructors
meet the other members of their team
check their equipment
plan their route
discuss timings
make sure everyone understands what is expected
At Gold level, this preparation is particularly important because the expedition is longer and participants are expected to operate with greater independence.
What happens during the expedition?
The Gold expedition lasts four expedition days.
Participants travel together as a team, navigate their route, camp and work towards their expedition aim.
The team is expected to make decisions together and manage the expedition as independently as possible.
TrekCo instructors monitor the expedition and provide the required supervision.
What happens at the end?
If your child is completing a qualifying expedition, a qualified DofE assessor assesses the expedition.
TrekCo includes this assessment within the qualifying expedition.
TrekCo then log in to your child’s eDofE account and complete the report to verify that they have done the expedition section.
What does it cost?
TrekCo publishes the price for each expedition date.
The price varies according to the expedition and location.
Our current programme includes Gold opportunities in the Chilterns, Sussex, Peak District and Lake District.
Check the current dates and prices before booking because the programme changes from year to year.
What if I still have questions?
That's completely understandable.
If this is your first experience of an open DofE expedition, you may want to talk to someone before committing.
You can contact TrekCo to discuss:
Which expedition your child needs
Whether they need practice or qualifying
Whether they can attend as an individual
What equipment they need
How the expedition works
Where it takes place
Travel arrangements
Any questions about your child's particular circumstances
We're happy to talk it through.
Your child doesn't have to miss Gold DofE just because the school expedition doesn't work.
