Duke of Edinburgh s Award Expedition Management for Schools & Groups Your expedition in safe hands 01768 800212 : info@theadventureelement.co.uk : www.theadventureelement.co.uk
Topics 1 Your Expedition in Safe Hands 8 Accommodation and Camping 2 The Booking Process 9 Remore Supervision 3 Modes of Transport, Locations and Prices 10 Safety, Accreditation and Qualifications 4 What do we provide? 11 Our other Products 5 Sample Itinerary 6 Training Topics 7 Meal Plan 1. Your Expedition is in Safe Hands Amazing staff are the key to the success of our DofE programme. Each staff member is a keen outdoor enthusiast and a full time professional instructor. They are full of knowledge and passion for the outdoors, it s hard not to be motivated by their enthusiasm. Everything at The Adventure Element Ltd is focused on your success and a personal approach. We are confident that Your Expedition is in Safe Hands. The Adventure Element Ltd is a leading provider of Duke of Edinburgh s Award expeditions. Providing expeditions across the UK in some of the most stunning and wild locations. We truly believe in the benefits of completing the DofE award and we will do all we can to help you on your journey to success. Our history of working in the outdoors is vast and we offer a range of outdoor related courses, trips and experiences as well as the DofE. Our staff hold some of the highest outdoor qualifications available in the UK and all follow our simple 3 stage ethos of: Safety Always our number one priority. We provide experienced and qualified staff who have extensive experience in DofE expeditions and working with young people. Enjoyment It s hard not to enjoy the experience when all of your fellow adventurers are right there beside you willing you to succeed. Making you laugh at just the right time and encouraging you when you need it. Learning We know that being on an expedition pushes boundaries to a point where you learn so much about yourself. You are capable of more than you expect, and our staff are there to help you every step of the way.
2. The Booking Process We are proud of our customer service. Our policy is to offer all of our clients a personal service and to ensure you receive a programme that suits you. Once an initial enquiry is made you will be allocated your own dedicated DofE Expedition Coordinator. They will work with you throughout the preparation and expedition phase to ensure your success. Step by Step Booking and Planning Call or Email to make your initial enquiry. Let us know: The level of the award you would like and type of programme. Potential dates. We are always willing to talk through ideas or offer advice on the best option for you or your teams. Return Participant Information Form This information is vital for us to be able to submit the DofE Green Form for authorisation from the DofE for your expedition. Information can be provided to us in your own format or using one of our forms. As a minimum we will require - Contact information, Next of Kin, Medical information, Doctors contact, Previous DofE level and edofe numbers. Deposits Paid and Programme Confirmed In order to confirm your booking a deposit of 25% will need to be paid. All our programmes require minimum numbers. Once these have been reached, your programme will be confirmed. Once the deposit is paid your final expedition details will be arranged including accommodation and staff. Expedition Programme Your Expedition Coordinator will prepare a programme and route plan. This plan will include navigation points, accommodation and campsite details. We do not want to be prescriptive over which routes your teams take. We will provide grid references of Start, Go Via and Finish points for each day. This method allows freedom for creative route planning and allows for easier supervision. Final Payment 8 weeks prior to your expedition the final payment will be due. Your final invoice will be sent to you once minimum numbers have been reached. Your final balance will need to be settled 8 weeks before your expedition. The Expedition After all the planning and organising its time to get on with the expedition.
3. Modes of Transport, Locations and Prices From 45 per person, per day Expeditions by Foot Swinging a rucksack on with clothes and food and head off in to the hills to sell reliant is the most common method of completing the DofE award. Along with team mates teams will enjoy travelling through some of the UK s finest scenery and camp out under the stars. Award Training Qualifying Level Duration Duration Gold 6 Days 5 Days Silver 5 Days 4 Days Bronze 3 Days 2 Days Expeditions by Bike Attach a trailer full of equipment, swing a leg over the saddle and pedal through some of the most stunning scenery. Teams will be challenged by hitting the heights of the big climbs but have the pleasure of spectacular descents. Using mountain bikes the routes are a mixture of quiet roads and forest tracks. From 65 per person, per day Award Training Qualifying Level Duration Duration Gold 6 Days 5 Days Silver 5 Days 4 Days Bronze 4 Days 2 Days Expeditions by Boat There is something very special about viewing the world from a boat. Life passes by slowly, wildlife can be seen and you reach places not normally visited. Using 2-person open canoes teams will travel through some of the UK s finest lakes and rivers. From 65 per person, per day Award Training Qualifying Level Duration Duration Gold 6 Days 5 Days Silver 5 Days 4 Days Bronze 4 Days 2 Days Locations Bronze expeditions can be run very close to home. There is no need to go far to have an adventurous experience. We are completely mobile and can deliver expeditions in variety of locations to make them more convenient to you and your students.
4. What Do We Provide? We offer a range of expedition packages to suit all needs. Our aim is to make the process of taking part in a DofE expedition as easy as possible and we work closely with you to ensure you receive a product which suits your needs. Each programme is carefully tailored to meet the requirements of the DofE award. In order to relieve some of the pressure of organising your DofE programme we provide all of our groups with a range of equipment and complete some of the administration. With some of the strain taken away from you, we hope you will be able to relax and enjoy the experience. The Full Package SERVICE DETAILS Expedition Coordinator Your Expedition Coordinator will have extensive experience of working with DofE groups and also has a vast knowledge of your expedition area. The Best Staff available We only work with the best instructors in the UK. All of our staff are highly qualified professional instructors and have vast experience providing DofE programmes. YHA or Bunk house Accommodation For the first few nights of your expedition you will stay in a local YHA or Bunkhouse. For Training and Practice expeditions this gives a great opportunity to complete some of the training topics inside out of the elements. For Qualifying expeditions, the night before the expedition starts will be based in a YHA or Bunk house. This offers the assessor the opportunity to carry out pre expedition checks and briefings. Camping Fees Groups will have a mixture of staying in camp sites as well as experiencing the beauty of wild camping. All campsite bookings are arranged for you. Tents Each team has the option of using our tents. These are high quality 2 and 3 person tents. Stoves and Gas Each tent group will be allocated a Gas Trangia stove. We also provide the gas along with cleaning materials to keep them clean. Group Shelters Teams will also carry an group emergency group shelters. This is additional to their tents and to be used for lunch breaks to keep the team warm and for emergency situations. Maps and compasses 2 x 1:25,000 laminated, all weather maps and compasses will be allocated to each team. Green Forms and Administration We will complete and submit the Green forms to the DofE. All expedition risk assessments and procedures are available to view. Group First Aid Kits A full first aid kit will be supplied to each team. This will be carried in addition to their personal first aid pouch with plasters and personal medication. All Technical Equipment If booking on to a bike or not expedition we will also provide all the technical equipment. This could include, canoes, paddles and buoyancy aids or All terrain bikes, helmets and trailers.
5. Sample Itinerary Sample Gold Training/Practice Expedition by Foot Programme Day Programme Accommodation 1 2 3 4 5 6 Introductions. Briefing on following days activities. Group on to the hill for a familiarisation walk and begin training. Evening session: Weather, Nutrition and Food A full day out covering Navigation, Group dynamics & general mountain skills. Evening session: Equipment and rucksack packing. PRACTICE EXPEDITION DAY 1 Group to follow planned route assisted by instructor further training to be given if required. PRACTICE EXPEDITION DAY 2 Group to follow planned route assisted by instructor who will begin to supervise remotely. PRACTICE EXPEDITION DAY 3 Group to follow planned route assisted by instructor who will begin to supervise remotely. Following the expedition the team will be debriefed by their instructor. This day is set aside for teams to plan their Qualifying route under the supervision of their instructor. Youth Hostel or Bunk House Youth Hostel or Bunk House Registered campsite or Wild Camp Registered campsite or Wild Camp Youth Hostel or Bunk House N/A Sample Gold Qualifying Expedition by Foot Programme Day Programme Accommodation 1 2 3 4 5 REFRESHER DAY Today you will take to the hills with an instructor to refresher the core skills of navigation and emergency procedures. Evening session: Equipment checks by assessor. EXPEDITION DAY 1 Group to follow planned route, remotely supervised. EXPEDITION DAY 2 Group to follow planned route, remotely supervised. EXPEDITION DAY 3 Group to follow planned route, remotely supervised. EXPEDITION DAY 4 Group to follow planned route, remotely supervised. Following the expedition, the team will be debriefed by the assessor. Youth Hostel or Bunk House Registered campsite Wild Camp Wild Camp N/A NOTE: The amount of days undertaken for your programme may differ depending on additional training requirements.
6. Training Topics Our instructors will guide teams through a series of training sessions focused on passing on the essential knowledge and skills required to safely complete their qualifying expedition. These sessions are delivered in an interactive style with plenty of hands on opportunities to practice and build confidence. The instructors will always be on hand to offer further guidance where required. By the end of the programme teams should be happy to venture out alone in to the hills with their new found skills. Below is a range of topics which will be covered through these training sessions. The list is not exhaustive and our instructors will always try to train beyond the minimum requirements. Camp Craft Emergency Procedures Health and Hygiene First Aid EXPEDITION TRAINING TOPICS Food Navigation and Map skills Safe use of stoves Water and Hydration
7. Meal Plan One of the more challenging and important aspects of an expedition is planning and preparing a good menu. In the team there may be a variety of likes and dislikes or special dietary requirements to accommodate. Food is not part of your expedition cost. Whilst in the accommodation, teams will need to arrange to either self cater or can buy food directly from the YHA at their own expense. Whilst on their expedition teams are self reliant and will cook on the trangia stoves. For some this will be a whole new experience and is a real team activity and a big challenge. Will your food give enough of the right energy? On average teams should eat between 2000 and 3000 calories per day. The calorie in-take needs to reflect the nature of the days activity. These calories should come from slow releasing complex carbohydrates. Foods like pasta and porridge are ideal. Sample 1-day Menu Will I need to cook my food? At least one meal during your expedition day has to be hot. Ideally this would be your evening meal. It would be preferred that breakfast was also hot and full of good calorie rich food. Having a warm meal can help you function better and also raise moral on those long tiring days. What are the practicalities of your food? It would be easy to create an ultimate mountain menu if weight, cost and practical cooking was not an issue. You have to carry the food, so make it light. approx. 1kg of food per day. Can it be cooked on a Trangia stove? Does the food require to be added to, like milk? Will you enjoy eating your food? At the end of a long wet cold day food may be just the moral boost your team needs. Make sure your food is tasty and edible. Take time over your menu and think beyond pasta and sauce. Add extras like herbs or tabasco sauce to liven it up, and of course Include a dessert! Breakfast Lunch Dinner Drinks Snacks Quick Cook Porridge Added to this: Nuts and Raisins Condensed milk in a tube. Tortilla Wraps Added to this: Primula cheese Tuna from a Packet. Chocolate bar Spaghetti & Sauce Added to this: Packet of sauce Packet Hotdogs Pre Chopped veg Parmesan cheese Flapjack & Custard Orange Vitamin C or Hydration tablets added to water bottle. Sachets of Hot Choc. Sachets of Coffee or Latte Home made Trail mix. inc. Dried fruit, Nuts, Choc drops and Jelly babies. Flap Jacks Cereal Bars Sweets
8. Accommodation and Camping Indoor Accommodation In order to gain the most out of some of the training topics, it is sometimes better to be out of the elements and in the warm. Your programme will be packed full of training and activities. As part of your expedition fee we will arrange for teams to stay in a local YHA or bunk house. During the day, teams will be out in the hills learning and practicing skills. Training & Practice Expedition - Teams will usually have between 1 and 3 nights in indoor accommodation (depending on award level) before heading out on their expeditions. Qualifying Expedition - Teams usually have 1 night of indoor accommodation. Qualifying teams will have a familiarisation day with an instructor and for the assessor to meet the teams and carry out kit checks and briefings before starting their expedition. Camping Teams will camp in both registered campsites and possibly the opportunity to wild camp were possible. We feel wild camping can be magical and requires the teams to pull on their skills and knowledge in to practice to ensure a safe and comfortable night. Our staff will visit the teams in camp to ensure they are safe and comfortable before they bed down for the night. 9. Remote Supervision What is remote supervision? Remote supervision is when the safety and well being of a group is monitored from a distance, with limited direct contact with the group. This technique gives groups an independence but the level safety remains the same. Why do we need remote supervision on a DofE Expedition? In order to complete a D of E expeditions teams need to have met the 20 Expeditions Conditions laid down by The Award. The first of these is that the expedition is unaccompanied and self sufficient without outside assistance. For this objective to be met groups cannot be led by an instructor. We are still responsible for the safety of the group, so they will be monitored throughout, and we do this by remote supervision. How does remote supervision work? Teams are trained in all of the skills to be self sufficient in their chosen environment. Our staff gain a good knowledge of their ability, so that we are able to predict their reactions when on the hill. ALL of our expeditions involve an element of training before allowing the team on the hill. We carry out a full location recce and are aware of any potential hazards. Where appropriate we will pass this knowledge onto the groups. Using a combination of experience in the field, extensive prior knowledge from working with the groups, and constant review of our procedures we are able to make sound judgements, and position ourselves appropriately throughout the expedition in order to maintain safety and risk management. A full assessment of the teams route is carried out and we continually make dynamic risk assessments during an expedition to take into account prevailing conditions. Our staff have the ability to move fast and efficiently on the hill, something we believe is essential to remote supervision, in order to get to the group quickly should they need us. Where appropriate we may make use of radios or mobile phones between instructors and the groups. But we are firm believers that nothing can replace competence and so such technology can only assist, and we will pass this message on to our DofE groups.
10. Safety, Accreditation and Qualifications Safety above all other things is our key priority. Our aim is that every person who is a part of one of programmes remains safe and healthy. Careful consideration and effort is taken throughout the whole of the company to promote a safety culture. The measures we take to ensure our client safety has resulted in an outstanding safety record. For your expedition these safety control measures in place are: High student to staff levels. 1 instructor :2 teams We only employ qualified Mountain Leaders or higher to work on our DofE programmes. A full Safety Management System including regular Risk assessments and Operating procedure updates. Teams are issued with Emergency group shelters and 1st Aid kits as standard. Teams are issued with Emergency cards with 24 hour emergency contact information. All qualifying teams receive a days training before being allowed on expedition. Our staff are on the hill supervising groups at all times and are able to move quickly if there was an emergency. As an Approved Activity Provider we offer the Expedition section by foot, by boat and by bike. Many of our staff hold the highest level of Mountaineering qualifications in the UK. MIA and MIC awards. Expeditions by boat are delivered by staff holding some of the highest canoeing qualifications in the UK. AALA, part of the HSE indicates our Safety Management Systems have been inspected and approved. All staff delivering expeditions by foot hold Summer Mountain leader or above and follow the MT guidelines. 11. Our other products The Adventure Element Ltd is a provider of Mountain and Water Adventures, Courses and Guiding. Being based in the beautiful Lake District offers us an amazing back drop for all of our activities. Our passion is introducing and developing people in the outdoors and being part with its incredible landscape. Along with our extensive DofE programme we also offer a range of outdoor related courses for everyone to be involved in. FAMILY & FRIENDS SCHOOLS & GROUPS TRAINING COURSES WINTER HILL SKILLS WORLDWIDE EXPEDITIONS Experience some amazing and exciting activities designed to offer great laughs and fun for all. The outdoors is a great classroom. Bring your students for a day activity or residential programme. Learn from the professionals. Gain skills and knowledge to venture further in your quest for adventure. Explore the amazing winter mountain environment and develop your own skills and confidence. Explore some of the worlds finest mountains and challenge yourself reaching their summits.