Booking now open for DofE London's Diamond Conference!

Welcome to DofE London's latest mail out! Read on for booking information on our Diamond Conference and more...

Booking now open for DofE London's Diamond Anniversary Conference The Duke of Edinburgh's Award is celebrating its Diamond Anniversary this year. To celebrate this important milestone, we are hosting a special Diamond Anniversary Conference for all of our DofE Managers, Co-ordinators, Leaders and volunteers in London. The conference will be a day event held at Kings College London on Thursday 23rd June 2016 and will include a number of training workshops and presentations covering a selection of the following topics:  Aligning the new Ofsted Inspection Framework to DofE Safeguarding Volunteer management The National Curriculum and DofE Extending a Gold Award offer to students and young people Fundraising Expedition & residential opportunities Running DofE on a budget Engaging young people who are disadvantaged (DofE and early intervention, additional needs, youth justice and other inclusion-based work) There will also be guest speakers, an exhibition area, a prize draw and a Special Recognition Awards ceremony followed by a drinks reception. There will be a £10.00 booking fee for all delegates which covers the cost of lunch on the day, delegate packs and administration. To book a place please complete the booking form here. We would be delighted if you could all join us for this event and celebrate the Diamond Anniversary with the DofE London Regional team. Please note: places at this event are limited so book now to avoid disappointment.

Gold DofE Programme Training Interested in delivering Gold Award level DofE programmes to your school or youth centre? We have a workshop where you can learn how to successfully deliver Gold Award programmes within your school. To join this course, you need to have attend the Introduction to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award course or have good knowledge of the DofE. Course Date: Tuesday 8th June 2016 between 1.00-5.00pm.Course Fee: FREE (£50 cancellation fee) For more information and a booking form visit our training page or contact London@DofE.org       Footpath Closures in Kent The National Grid will be closing a number of footpaths in Kent for maintenance over the course of 2016, which may affect any expeditions being planned in the region. Each footpath affected will be closed twice: The first closure will take place in April/May and the second between August and October. Each closure is expected to last no longer than two and a half weeks and will be clearly signposted to minimise confusion and ensure people's safety. For further information about the dates and locations of these closures, please see this leaflet from the National Grid.

Accredited Assessors Wanted  It isn’t possible to complete an expedition without an Assessor; here are a few organisations that need your help. Riverside Secondary School are seeking a Bronze Assessor for the weekend of May 21st-22nd in Epping Forest. Please contact Tom Blandford at thbl@riversidecampus.onmicrosoft.com if you are able to offer your support. Highbury Grove School are looking for a Bronze Assessor for the 2nd-3rd July in Kings Langley, Hertfordshire. Please contact Serina Bingham at sbingham@highburygrove.islington.sch.uk for more information. Elm Green School are looking for a Bronze and Silver Assessor for the 15th-17th July. Ideally the Assessor will complete a supported assessment on the weekend and must have been accredited for at least two years. If you are able to assist please contact Kevin Welsh at kwelsh@the-elmgreen-school.org.uk.

New: Expedition Supervisors Training Orientation Course DofE London is offering a new course geared towards enabling individuals to deliver future ESTC courses.  The new ESTC Orientation course will allow those wishing to deliver ESTC courses to become familiar with course resources, processes and other support materials. Date: 11/05/2016Venue: Victoria Charity Centre, LondonCourse Fee: £60           For more information and to book a place please visit our website or email London@DofE.org.        s s     Open Expeditions: 2016 dates The London Region will again be running a selection of open expeditions for Bronze and Gold participants from London. These expeditions are aimed at participants who may have missed a locally run trip or were not able to take part last year. More detailed information (including prices, dates and locations) can be found on our website and these downloads: Bronze & Gold. Please note participants will need to visit the London Office for a briefing and complete route planning for the qualifying expedition. Places are allocated on a first to book basis. For further information please email Leanne.Chapman@DofE.org or call 020 7630 9092.

Anything for next month? Do you struggle to find Assessors for expeditions? Want advice from the London network? Are you recruiting new members of staff or seeking volunteers? If so, then let us know and we will inform the network. Email Mark.Allen@DofE.org with your contribution before Friday 1st April.