FAQs

For advice and FAQs directly from the official DofE website see Do DofE, but read on and you'll hopefully find most of your questions answered below.

Also, we have a Mentor Scheme where people in the society offer advice about completing eDofE Sections, check your progress and motivate you to keep proactive at uploading evidence to help when it comes to approving Sections when you finish them. Your mentor can help you with specific questions, and you are also free to ask the exec any further queries. If you would like to be assigned a mentor, register here, or Contact Us online or in person - it's very easy to sign up!

Highlighted FAQs

What is eDofE?
eDofE is an online portal where you can upload your evidence for each section and your assessor's report for each section. These are necessary to get your award approved and passed. When you sign up to the society you will receive an eDofE account.

What counts for each activity?
There is a huge list of ideas on this section of the DofE website. At Warwick Univeristy completing each section is made easy for you: check out Warwick Volunteers, Warwick Sport and the Student Union Societies.

Does my Residential Activity meet the criteria?
Follow this flowchart to see if your Residential is sufficient at meeting the DofE requirements: Residential Flowchart

What's the difference with the society running under the Scout Network?
Participants need to be a member of the Scout Network, which we sort out during the enrolment stage.

Example Scenarios

I am doing baking/cooking for the Skill section. Who can be my assessor?
You can use anyone that isn’t a family member or close friend but preferably use someone who is educated on the topic. I also did baking/cooking for my skill and I got a family friend to taste the food each week and then I kept a log book of his comments on each dish. You could also keep a log book and take pictures of the food each week.

What do I do once I've signed up to the do the award with the society?
Start the sections! - physical, skill and volunteering. To aid you with this: receive a participant’s handbook from our Vice Pres. The welcome pack only contains a little bit of extra information so is not absolutely urgent. If you log-in to eDofE you will be able to start listing your section ideas.

I've already started some of my sections, but haven't logged them into eDofE yet. Is it possible to backtrack them?
The system only allows you to back date evidence in each section, for a maximum of three months, but on some things you will find that it will not allow the start date to go into the section being completed, so you can only back date to the first available date allowed, meaning they then need to start there time scale from this date.

I've already started my Gold award at school and I'd like to complete it. What should I do?
If you are transferring from a different assessing body (i.e. you’ve already started your Gold) follow the link at: https://warwick.ac.uk/sunion/dofesoc/about/transfer/ and follow the steps to transfer your account.

If you have already completed your expedition then make sure that it has been signed off by your previous assessing body, before you transfer your eDofE account to the university society one

eDofE Tips

What tips do you have for getting eDofE Sections Approved?

Record the start of the activity on eDofE by selecting the section and entering the starting date and other prompted details. (Make sure to do this as soon as you start the activity as backtracking has more limits now).
Keep a log book of the activity with the date, duration and what you achieved in each individual session.
Take lots of pictures of you taking part in the activity. (If other people will appear in the photos make sure to get their permission first).
Ask your assessor to either fill out the corresponding page in your assessor’s booklet or fill in the online version.

What do I tell my assessor to write on my Section report card?
(Cover all of these points and the evidence is more likely to be verified)

Start and End dates- these can be filled in the allocated spot at the top of the page
Your achievements in the section:
- Have you achieved your aim?
- How have you achieved your aim?
- What skills have you developed?
- Any memorable moments or accomplishments.

More information for assessors can be found at: https://edofe.org/Assessor (the assessor can even complete the report card online at this link too).

Do I need to upload any more evidence than an Assessor report card?

The report card is the absolute MINIMUM that will be accepted as evidence for an activity. Sections are rarely approved without one. Ideally, you should upload lots more pieces of evidence (about 8-9 per section) as when your award is sent off to be reviewed it will be far more likely to be approved.

Finishing the Award

What happens when I finish all of the Award Sections?
Once all of your activities have been completed for the required lengths of time, and you have uploaded all of your evidence, your DofE Leader will check that it is all ok. It is then ‘passed up the chain’; Coventry Scouts will check everything, and they will then pass it up to National level who will decide if you will receive your award.

What happens once I have finished my Gold DofE Award and it has all been approved?
Once your award is completed, you will be able to make an achievement pack via eDofE. This is a high quality hardback book which has all of your achievements and evidence in it – something which is great to keep! You will also receive a brooch or badge and a certificate. You will also be invited to an Award ceremony.

What is the Award Ceremony like? What if I cannot make the date?
You will be invited to one of the Royal Palaces to be presented your certificate by a member of the Royal Family. If you cannot make the first date they invite you to, you will be invited to another date about 3 months later. If you cannot make the second date they will send you your certificate by post. You are allowed to take one guest with you.

How can I contact the society if I have any more questions?
Email: dofewarwick@gmail.com or the Warwick DofE society Facebook Page. Also, remember to ask for a DofE Society Mentor - all you have to do is Contact Us online or in person. If you have any doubts do not hesitate to get into contact as soon as possible - this is important to avoid investing a lot of time on a project with the DofE Section in mind and then receive the news that it doesn't meet the criteria. Best to avoid this if possible!