Employer Guidance: Duke of Edinburgh Award (DofE) Expeditions
Organisers of DofE Award expeditions must check whether they are required to operate
under the terms and conditions of an AALS license. This will not be the case where the
expedition is organised by an educational establishment and all of the young people
participants are on the roll of that establishment. However, in a situation where some
participants are not on roll (e.g. as where a young person has left a school but is allowed
to participate in an expedition to complete their award) then a licence is required. The local
DofE operating authority holding an AALS licence to cover such eventualities usually
addresses this issue but establishments should seek clarification as to whether this
arrangement is in place.
The DofE Award website (www.dofe.org.uk) has comprehensive guidance on all aspects
of the Award. Areas to be considered are summarised below and should be used to guide
the decisions of those with delegated responsibilities for managing DofE awards.
Establishment leaders wishing to supervise DofE expeditions must gain formal approval
from their establishment and their DofE operating authority award officer and supervise all
expeditions and associated activities in accordance with their requirements. Staff
competence to supervise or otherwise assist with DofE expeditions should be clarified in
detail by specialist guidance.
Role of the DofE Coordinator
Establishment DofE co-ordinators may not necessarily be present on the expedition but
they retain overall responsibility for the group. They must act as the liaison with the
operating authority’s designated officer. The DofE co-ordinator must ensure that group
supervision is carried out by an expedition supervisor meeting employer and operating
authority guidance requirements.
Role of the DofE Supervisor (Visit leader)
The supervisor has overall responsibility in the field and should have proven competence
for the terrain in which the expedition takes place. It is their responsibility to ensure the
health and safety of the group and supervising staff.
Supervisor responsibilities include monitoring the decision making of the group, as well as
liaison with the home contact in an emergency. The Supervisor will need sufficient
experience to understand the nature of an incident and the procedures required to resolve
reasonably foreseeable problems.
Since supervisors will not be with the group at all times, they should determine the nature
and extent of supervision required to ensure that supervision remains effective - whether it
is direct or remote. Such decisions must take account of:
Hertfordshire Policy for LOtC and Offsite Visits
Duke of Edinbugh Award Expeditions 7b
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
the experience of the group;
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the weather;
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the nature of the activity;
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the terrain.
Role of the DofE Assessor
The assessor ensures that all conditions and requirements of the DofE Award Office are
met. At each level of the programme, different criteria apply as to who is a suitable person
to assess groups. These criteria are set out in the DofE Expedition Guide.
The assessor should not make decisions that affect group management. However, there
may be times when a supervisor would be wise to accept advice from an assessor,
particularly when the assessor has detailed local knowledge.
All assessors of DofE expeditions must be formally accredited as official DofE Assessors.
Role of the DofE Assistant Supervisor
The assistant supervisor supports the supervisor in ensuring that the expedition runs
smoothly and safely. It is recommended that all supervisors first gain experience as
assistant supervisors.
Supervision During Expeditions
To complete their award, every DofE participant is expected to participate in an
unaccompanied expedition where the group is largely operating independently. For this to
happen within the requirements of the award, participants must first have acquired the
necessary skills and techniques, with the appropriate level of experience, confidence,
physical ability and judgement. It is critical that the training provided must be sound and
thorough. The supervisor must exercise careful judgement before withdrawing from direct
supervision. This process should be a gradual and progressive.
The supervisor continues to be responsible for the group, even when direct supervision
has been withdrawn.
Environment and Venue Considerations
The choice of environment for DofE expeditions must take into account the experience and
competence of each member of the group. While altitude in the UK is not, of itself, a major
factor (subject always to consideration of underfoot ground conditions, as well as
prevailing and forecast weather) DofE advice is that routes "which involve more than 600
metres of ascent in a day should be viewed with suspicion". On this basis, most
expeditions should be planned to operate “through” rather than “over” wild country.
Hertfordshire Policy for LOtC and Offsite Visits
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June 2011
Supervisors must ensure that the expedition plan takes account of the reasonably
foreseeable weather and ground conditions. It must be clearly understood that the term
“winter conditions” is determined by the prevailing weather and ground state - not by the
calendar.
Fording all but the smallest streams and rivers should always be treated as a potentially
high-risk activity. Even ankle-deep fast flowing water can be enough to knock someone off
their feet and, the effects can be serious when wearing a large rucksack. Groups should
be specifically briefed on the associated hazards during training. Routes should be
selected to avoid river crossings that require entering the water.
Hertfordshire Policy for LOtC and Offsite Visits
Duke of Edinbugh Award Expeditions 7b
CSF0205
Adapted from OEAP Employer Guidance
Page 3 of 3
Issue 1
June 2011