Tutor Notes - DofE · Page 2 Expedition Assessor Accreditation Scheme – Tutor Notes Handouts and case studies Case studies are an important part of the course materials – see

Tutor Notes

DofE.org January 2018

Page 2 Expedition Assessor Accreditation Scheme – Tutor Notes

Handouts and case studiesCase studies are an important part of the course materials – see page 11 for full details. Some case studies must be covered and others can be used as suitable for the audience. The training platform includes suggestions of where you might use both the required and optional case studies throughout the course. Look out for the following symbols:

It also includes a ‘handout’ symbol, which is normally a good time to give out a relevant document. We’ve suggested specific handouts at various stages of the platform.

See the EAAS Training Platform – Technical Support Information in the course login area for further details about downloading and using the platform.

Introduction The DofE provides a nationally recognised accreditation scheme for Expedition Assessors (EAAS). The aim of the EAAS is to prepare and accredit Assessors to undertake expedition assessments. It will:• Ensure a common understanding of the role of the

Expedition Assessor.• Ensure a more consistent interpretation of

the 20 conditions of the Expedition section.• Establish a positive and supportive approach to the

assessment process.

The Expedition Assessor Accreditation Scheme does not train individuals in the technical skills required for the role of an Expedition Assessor.

The EAAS is divided into two levels which are:• Bronze/Silver Expedition Assessor.• Gold Expedition Assessor (and for Bronze/Silver

Assessors assessing in wild country).

About this packThis pack has been designed to help you deliver the Expedition Assessor Accreditation Scheme (EAAS) course.

The course has been designed in such a way that it allows for your own delivery style to overlay the content and resources for this course.

We have provided a presentation platform to assist with the delivery of this course, but it is the expectation that you will develop training resources and exercises from the platform.

We have also provided some exercises with resources, where appropriate, to assist you with the delivery.

The training platformThe Training Platform can be downloaded from DofE.org/training, along with all the other materials referred to within these Tutor Notes.

The Platform has been designed in PowerPoint and is published as a PDF. The course content is fixed (the platform cannot be customised) and amended versions will be created when the materials change. Open in full screen mode to make the platform work properly – use CTRL+L.

Use the home page to jump to the individual course content you are covering. Jump back to the home page by using the black home icon in the bottom right corner of each slide.

Expedition Assessor Accreditation SchemeSample programme

09.00 Welcome and introductions The programme The Expedition Assessor Accreditation Scheme The Expedition Assessor Facilitating success Meeting the team before the expedition (the pre-expedition check) Meeting the team during the expedition Debriefing and presentations12.00 LUNCH13.00 Case studies The participants’ perspective Next steps16.00 Close

Required Optional! !

Distribute hand-out

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Page 3

The Expedition Assessor Accreditation Scheme

AimTo outline the purpose, aim and process of the Expedition Assessor Accreditation Scheme.

By the end of this session the delegates will be able to:• Explain the Expedition Assessor Accreditation

Scheme (EAAS).

TUTOR NOTES

Aim of the EAAS:The aim is to prepare, train and accredit Assessors to undertake expedition assessments.

The accreditation process:

The Expedition Assessor Accreditation Scheme is modular with four stages:

1: Enrol on an EAAS training Course..

2: You will undertake introductory learning to gain a detailed knowledge of the Expedition section’s aims, principles and conditions. This involves completing the online e-induction and online pre-course learning module.

If you wish to assess at Gold, or are a Bronze/Silver Assessor assessing in wild country, you will need to do the online Gold module as well. All these modules are at DofEtraining.org.

3: Successfully complete an Expedition Assessor Accreditation Scheme training course.

4: Complete a Supported Assessment, where Assessors put their skills into practice. This will be with the guidance of an experienced Supporting Assessor. Trainee Assessors require the endorsement of a Licensed Organisation/Approved Activity Provider or Assessor Network before undertaking a Supported Assessment.

EAAS terminology• Delegate – anyone applying for or attending the

course and in the context of the training course.• Trainee Assessor – anyone who has attended the

course and is completing a Supported Assessment.• Expedition Assessor – anyone who has completed

the EAAS and been accredited.

Once successfully completed, Assessors will be accredited for five years and a certificate and ID card and ID card holder will be sent to them. Accreditation can be revalidated every five years if they remain actively involved in DofE expeditions.

The course (stage 3 of the process):• The aim is to evaluate and enhance delegates’

understanding of the role of the Assessor.• The sessions, exercises and discussions confirm

that the delegate is able to undertake the role of the Assessor effectively.

• Provide opportunities to discuss the issues and demonstrate the techniques associated with the Assessor’s role.

• The course should also be enjoyable.

Accredited as Bronze, Silver or Gold Assessor

Online EAAS pre-courselearning Online Gold

Gold Assessor e-learning module (for Gold assessors and

Bronze/Silver Assessors in wild country)

Online e-inductioncourse

Assessors apply

for course

Attend a one-day

classroom-basedcourse

Complete a Supported Assessment within

two years


The expedition Assessor

TUTOR NOTES

The Expedition sectionThe aim of the Expedition section is: To inspire young people to develop initiative and a spirit of adventure and discovery, by planning, training for and completing an adventurous self-sufficient journey as part of a team.

Principles

The Expedition section - prime considerationsIt’s not all about expeditions:• The DofE is made of four sections (five at Gold

level) and some sections will appeal to some participants more than others. Some participants will only be tackling the expedition because they cannot achieve their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award without completing it. This is a core design of the DofE and so Assessors need to consider the comfort zone of each participant, and credit them with taking on an activity that truly challenges them as an individual.

As a representative of the DofE, Assessors should take interest in the participant’s other sectional activities and encourage them to continue on to complete their Award and

progress to the next DofE level or become DofE Leaders and Assessors

• Participation in shared experiences in the outdoor environment can develop initiative, teamwork, communication, leadership, problem solving and organisational skills.

• Experiencing and overcoming challenges together develops emotional strength and empathy for others.

• Working with a team of peers in the outdoors, experiencing isolation and solitude develops self-reliance and self-confidence.

• Assessing is about being supportive and confirming success.

The role of the AssessorThe Assessor is a member of a partnership consisting of the participants, the Supervisor and the Assessor, formed to bring about a successful outcome to the team’s expedition.

The role of the Assessor is to confirm that the 20 conditions of the Expedition section have been met. There is no testing, no marking, either the 20 conditions have been fulfilled or they have not.

To carry out their role effectively, the Assessor must be familiar with the conditions of the Expedition section and have access to the current Handbook for DofE Leaders, the DofE Expedition Guide and the Expedition Training Framework. It is beneficial for the Assessor to know the expedition area they are Assessing DofE teams in. Trainee Assessors and LO/AN/AAPs should be familiar with the Expedition Assessor Role Description.

The Assessor’s contribution should be greater than this, however, each year many expeditions owe their success to the support inspiration and encouragement of their Assessor. Sometimes, their knowledge of an expedition area enables them to make a valued contribution, such as guidance on the aim of the expedition and how to investigate it.

Guidance should always be encouraging and enrich the experience being offered at an appropriate moment; it must never be intrusive or time consuming. Assessors must always consult with the Supervisor and remember that the expedition belongs to the young people.

AimTo give relevant information on the Expedition section and how the role of the Assessor plays an important part.

By the end of this session delegates will be able to:• State the aim and principles of the

Expedition section• Explain the Assessor’s role.

Assessors are the guardians of the DofE’s high standards.

Their role is to:

Ensure that the aim of the Expedition

sectionis met.

Protect theinterests of the DofE.

Provide, as appropriate, local expedition area information to teams to help them decide

how best to meet the 20 conditions.

Ensure that the 20 conditions of the Expedition

section are fulfilled.

Be a fair, impartial and positive person who

adds to the expedition experience, supports the team and sees a successful outcome.


Facilitating success

TUTOR NOTES The assessment should be regarded as a continuous process with several significant steps:

The 20 conditions of the Expedition sectionDofE qualifying expedition conditions1. All expeditions must be by the participants’

own physical effort, without motorised or outside assistance.

2. All expeditions must be unaccompanied and self-sufficient.

3. All expeditions must be supervised by an adult who is able to accept responsibility for the safety of the team.

4. The expedition must have an aim.5. All participants must be properly equipped.6. Participants must have completed the required

training and practice expeditions.7. At least one practice expedition must be

undertaken at each level of the programme, in the same mode of travel in a similar environment to the qualifying expedition.

8. The team must plan and organise the expedition.9. Assessment must be by an approved

Accredited Assessor.10. There must be between four and seven in a team

(eight for modes of travel which have tandem).11. All participants must be within the qualifying age of

the programme level.12. Participants must be at the same level

of assessment.13. The team must not include those who have

completed the same or higher level expedition.14. Accommodation should be by camping.15. The expedition must be of the

correct duration.16. The expedition should normally take place between

the end of March and the end of October.17. The expedition should take place in the

recommended environment.18. The expedition must meet the minimum hours of

planned activity.19. A substantial meal should be cooked and eaten by

participants each day.20. A presentation must be prepared and delivered

after the expedition.

• More detailed information is set out in the DofE Expedition Guide.

• The process for variations to these conditions is available at www.DofE.org/expedition.

• Many of these conditions can be checked prior to the expedition commencing.

• The Expedition Assessor Checklist Card can be used during the course in conjunction with exercises. See the EAAS Course Login area for further details on obtaining the card.

AimTo understand the process of assessment and how this can have an impact on the success of an expedition.

By the end of this session the delegate will be able to:• Understand the process for facilitating a

successful expedition• List the seven steps of assessment• Be able to use the 20 conditions for assessment.

Receive expedition information from the team.

Make initial contact with the team and review the expedition plan.

Meetings with the team en-route.

Debrief the teamand sign off the expedition.

Meet the team in the expedition area and complete the

pre-expedition check.

Receive expedition presentationsif requested.


ProblemsThe 20 conditions are designed to help Assessors, and all involved in DofE expeditions, work to the same requirements, so new rules are not inferred or created. Assessors should always exercise great care not to advise hasty or ill-considered actions which would prevent the 20 conditions from being fulfilled.

For example, placing an overdue team in a vehicle and taking them to their campsite would immediately invalidate their expedition; better that they camp where they are, if safe to do so, or take the most direct route to the/a campsite.

Problems will still arise during expeditions from uncontrolled factors, such as the weather, injury, illness, fatigue or being very overdue. The Assessor and Supervisor should use their common sense to ensure the safety of the young people and to try to allow the expedition to continue.

The Supervisor must liaise with the Assessor and agree any changes, variations or actions advised or requested to allow participants to still meet the DofE requirements. Conditions such as those relating to time or team size cannot be modified, while certain requirements such as cooking can be interpreted far more liberally to meet individual needs. Assessors have the discretion to discuss modifying routes in consultation with the team and Supervisor, be sure that the new route still meets the 20 conditions.

Occasionally it may be difficult for an Assessor to decide whether or not a team has complied with the 20 conditions or if a team’s inability to meet the 20 conditions was due to omissions or inadequacies of a third party. The Assessor should then reserve judgement and seek the support of their Licensed Organisation/AAP/Assessor Network Co-ordinator who can discuss the matter with the DofE.

Please refer to the DofE Expedition Guide for the key behaviour expectations of DofE participants undertaking the DofE Expedition section.

The Assessor’s pre-expedition check

TUTOR NOTESMake initial contact with the team and review the expedition plan:After checking the basic expedition information, Assessors should:• Phone or email the team’s Supervisor/Leader to

introduce themselves and approve the submissions or make comments.

• Confirm with the Supervisor that all the training and practices have (or will have, by the time of the expedition) been completed. Agree how this will be evidenced to the Assessor.

• Confirm that a pre-expedition equipment check will be undertaken by the Supervisor.

• Arrange to see (unless they have already been received) the team’s route cards, equipment lists, menu plans and further details of the expedition’s aim, project theme, investigation methods and presentation ideas.

Assessors cannot change a proposed route but may provide information to help the team adjust their route to manage risk and comply with the 20 conditions. The preparation of the route outline and cards represents a major undertaking by those concerned and involves many hours of hard work.

The Assessor must talk with the Supervisor to understand the ability of the team based on their practice expedition and assess if the proposed expedition will be a sufficient personal challenge. The Assessor needs to review and approve the balance in activity time between journeying and investigation as appropriately challenging for the team. Assessors need to bear in mind that while some routes may appear short, the route and distances will be based on the aim and ability of the team.

Assessors need to agree with the Supervisor any requested variations to the 20 conditions through the DofE variations process at www.DofE.org/expedition.

The Assessor must tell the team their route has been approved as meeting the 20 conditions.

AimTo outline the purpose of the pre-expedition check and its importance within the Expedition section.

By the end of this session the delegates will:• Understand the process and requirements of the

pre-expedition check.


The Assessor, the team and the Supervisor need to arrange a first meeting where they can all get together. Usually this is at a pre-expedition check during the acclimatisation period in the expedition area on the day, or evening, before the start of the expedition. Agree where to meet, provide a postcode/grid reference where possible, share contact phone numbers and a way to identify each other and vehicles.

The Assessor must take their DofE Accredited Assessor photo ID card to this first meeting to prove their identity and level of accreditation to

both the team and the Supervisor.

Meet the team in the expedition area and complete the pre-expedition check: This is the most important meeting where the Assessor, Supervisor and team agree their ‘contract’. At Gold level this is usually in the acclimatisation period, lasting between one and two hours. At Bronze and Silver levels it is usually shorter, often being in the morning of the expedition, when teams are keen to start their expedition. An Assessor local to the team might do this a few days early or during the Supervisor’s pre-expedition check.

The Assessor needs to: • Establish friendly relations and remove any fears or

apprehensions the team may have of the Assessor. Ensure the team sees the Assessor as a positive person who wishes to support the team in their expedition and see a successful outcome.

• Set clear expectations and explain the role of the Assessor as the person who simply ensures that the 20 conditions are complied with. The young people establish a ‘contract’ on what is involved and agree to DofE’s requirements, behaviour expectations, environmental impact policy and the 20 conditions. Details can be found in the DofE Expedition Guide.

• Discuss with the team the Assessor’s plans for visiting them during the expedition.

• Explain that if all is going well, one visit a day will probably be the norm, except at the beginning of the expedition.

• Tell the team it is their expedition so they should not wait for the Assessor at checkpoints.

• Explain that Assessors are (usually) volunteers and so may support more than one team or are balancing other commitments, travelling large distances. Assessors supporting more than one team need to carefully plan how they will see each team. They should refer to the Guidance on Assessing Multiple Expedition Teams when making the arrangements.

• Discuss and give advice on the team’s aim and confirm how, and to whom, they wish to make their presentation. If participants want their Assessor to review their presentation then arrangements must be made in advance to book a suitable location and allow enough time.

• Discuss and examine the detail of the route on the map with the participants. Confirm with the team and Supervisor if the supervision plan allows participants to leave checkpoints early and then adjust their remaining route times accordingly. Review alternative routes for foul weather and emergency escapes and the associated consequences of their use including actions to be taken by the team, Supervisor and Assessor.

• Tell participants that many teams make mistakes, or get lost (or maybe become temporarily unsure of their position) at some stage on their expedition, this is acceptable and part of the learning process. Providing the team manage to sort themselves out in an appropriate way to reach their destination, it should not present any problems other than being late and tired.

• Ask the team to talk through their equipment and pack weights, although the opportunity for the Supervisor to correct shortcomings at this late stage is limited.

• Agree the supervision plan with the Supervisor, i.e. how many visits will be carried out and when. The Supervisor has the responsibility for the team’s safety and will make contact with the team, as and when necessary. An Assessor will have concerns when a Supervisor tracks a team or makes contact at every checkpoint, it is usually an indication of inadequate training, a lack of confidence in the team or little experience of the expedition area.

• Establish with the Supervisor (and other staff) where they will be based and the means of communication for daily use, updates after meeting the team(s) and in case anything should go wrong. This is usually achieved by phoning an agreed staffed mobile number with land line backup.

• Ensure all involved, particularly participants, understand and agree the emergency procedures, deciding the action which would be taken if there was an emergency or unexpected end, through illness or impossible weather conditions.

• Agree with the team and Supervisor the expedition policy on mobile phones (particularly for emergencies), GPS, GPS tracking, personal music, speakers and radios. Please refer to the appropriate chapters in the DofE Expedition Guide.

Equipment Navigation

Route Emergencies

Campcraft Paperwork

Assessor’s pre-expedition check

Topics to cover during an Assessor’s pre-expedition check

Cooking/food Otherpeople

Behaviour

Investigationmethods

Mobile phones

Aim of expedition

First aid


Conducting an Assessor’s pre-expedition check:The pre-expedition check allows the Assessor to verify with the team many of the 20 conditions including, but not limited to, condition 4 (aim and project), condition 5 (properly equipped), and conditions 6 and 7 (training and practices).

The objective is to find out what the participants know, not to lecture or demonstrate what the Assessor knows. Every effort should be made to involve all of the young people together at each stage of the check, although individuals in the team must be able to demonstrate their own competence.

Use supportive oral questioning and visual inspection, never use written tests or in an examination atmosphere. The tone should be encouraging, where the young people can speak freely about any problems or apprehensions before embarking on what is, for many, one of the greatest challenges of their lives.

Start by asking the team to talk through their equipment choices as it tends to put participants at their ease. Talk about personal clothing, emergency equipment, personal and team camping equipment and the team’s plans to keep their equipment dry, especially the sleeping bags and spare clothing. Many young people may have borrowed their equipment; it does not need to be top of the range and it will have already been checked by the Supervisor in the team’s equipment check. If the Assessor thinks there are shortcomings in any equipment, they should be considered in relation to the overall level of provision and be brought to the attention of the team’s Supervisor.

Next check participants’ training, covering the Expedition Training Framework to the appropriate level and mode of travel. Ask the participants to talk through their route, describing their strategies, recognising hazards and discussing what it will actually mean to journey from point to point. Focus attention to evidencing practical navigation skills like setting the map, finding position, identifying and locating places from the map.

There is no need to discuss planning skills as these are evidenced through the route card/outline. Awareness of the dangers associated with the various forms of stoves and fuel should be reviewed.

There may be wide variations in ability so consider the overall competence of the team. Assessors should accept support given to individuals as long as they have the basic necessary competence to carry out the expedition without being a danger to themselves or a hazard to the rest of the team or the environment.

If there is a problem, discuss it immediately with the Supervisor.

Meetings with the team en-route

TUTOR NOTES

Meetings with the team en-route:During the expedition, the Assessor should make contact with the team as often as is necessary to ensure that the 20 conditions are being fulfilled. Keep meetings to a minimum and as short as possible, as all meetings represent an intrusion into the team’s expedition and undermines their sense of remoteness, self-sufficiency and self-reliance.

The timing of the visits should be varied. Assessors will meet the team en route, at the campsite in an evening and at the campsite in a morning.

Meeting a team at lunchtime, or when they are undertaking exploratory work, can work well as this can be undertaken quickly and may help to avoid delaying either the team or the Assessor.

Often, some teams don’t have the experience to set reliable journey times so they will frequently be late at checkpoints, and usually at their campsites. Assessors must come to terms with this and be very patient.

Teams can be several hours late and the Assessor must have the resolve and patience not to be panicked into unnecessary action and work closely with the Supervisor to get updates on the team’s location. Guidance on the use of mobile phones is set out in set out in the DofE Expedition Guide.

Equally, some teams may be very early to check points. The Assessor and Supervisor can work with teams to re-plan their routes and timings to ensure the expedition remains an appropriate challenge for the participants.

AimTo outline the need for meetings duringthe expedition.

By the end of this session the delegates will:• Know when it is relevant to meet the team• Understand that the expedition belongs to

the participants.


Debriefing and presentations

TUTOR NOTES

Debrief the team and sign off the expedition: This is the second most important meeting with the team and comes immediately at the end of the expedition.

This is the opportunity for the Assessor to share in the team’s success and congratulate them. Help the young people review their expedition and express their feelings and reactions.

The Assessor’s debrief should:• Always start by confirming the successful

completion of the expedition.• Draw out overall impressions and achievements • Help participants to recognise their learning and

personal development as individuals and as a team. • Remain positive and informal.• Encourage participants to complete their Award,

progress to the next level and stress the value of the DofE on their CV and future endeavours.

• Normally last between 20 and 30 minutes – don’t be rushed by waiting parents or minibuses.

The Assessor’s debrief is separate to a presentation given to the Assessor. Where an Assessor is debriefing multiple teams at the end of the day, try to ensure that the finish times are staggered so that each team has time for a proper debrief.

The Expedition section is about developing teamwork and success is dependent on the whole team completing the expedition. If a team finishes their expedition and meets the 20 conditions, they

have successfully completed their expedition. Assessors can not pick out individual participants as being unsuccessful if they have made it to the

end of their expedition. Issues with individual participants need to be resolved during the

expedition, not after it.

Some suggested questions for the Assessor’s debrief:Assessors should facilitate the expedition debrief by asking open-ended questions of the team, enabling the team to effectively reflect and learn.

AimTo understand the processes involved in the debrief and presentation part of the expedition.

By the end of this session the delegates will be able to:• Explain the process of debriefing and

its importance.• Recognise the need for a presentation after

the expedition.• Complete the Assessor’s Report for the Expedition

section, using www.DofE.org/Assessors or through eDofE, or by using the Assessor’s Report in the participant’s Welcome Pack.

Reflecting on themselves(reflecting on performance)• Now you have finished, how do you feel? • What were the best and most challenging parts

of the experience?• What do you think you have learnt about yourself

and others in your team?• Has the expedition experience given you more

self-confidence/self belief?• Did you discover any hidden abilities during your

expedition experience? • What did you do differently/better than your

practice and what would you do differently next time?

• What do you think the benefits were of you being on your own away from other friends, family and social media?

Reflecting on the team (teamwork, leadership, self-reliance, co-operation)• Why do you think it is important to work as a

team on an expedition, and how did you get on with each other?

• Were there any factors which helped the team work together?

• Were there any factors which prevented the team from working together?

• Give an example of a problem that arose on the expedition and how you overcame it.

• If you made the wrong decision, what happened and what did you learn from the experience?

• Did people take on different roles (leader, navigator, motivator, helper, chef) or did you all share the different roles? What role do you think you would take on in a different team environment?

Reflecting on the expedition (route, menu, kit, managing risk)• Was your route plan accurate and how closely

did you follow it and your timings?• In the light of experience, are there any other

preparations you would make for future expeditions?

• Were you able to find the balance between keeping safe and having an adventure and where would you want to do your next expedition?

• What advice would you give to another DofE team setting out on their expedition?


Sign off evidenceAt the end of the debrief the Assessor must provide positive personal feedback to each participant which they can use as evidence in eDofE to show that they have completed their expedition.

The Assessor’s Report can either be recorded online via www.DofE.org/Assessors or through eDofE, or by using the Assessor Report cards in the participant’s Welcome Pack.

The feedback must be personal, usually several short paragraphs and reflect and capture the memorable and major achievement that a DofE expedition represents. It is never acceptable to simply say ‘he/she satisfactorily completed the Expedition section’. Usually it is a good idea to suggest they go on and progress to the next DofE level.

In the event of an expedition team not meeting the 20 conditions, the Assessor must clearly inform them and the Supervisor of the reason.

Receive presentations, if requestedTo complete their Expedition section participants must deliver a presentation in any format to any

suitable adult. Some participants will choose their Assessor and they should agree when and how this will be completed.

If the Assessor is to be sent the presentations at a later date, ensure they have the participant’s and Leader’s contact details.

Refer to the DofE Expedition Guide for more information on presentations.

Assessing project-focused expeditions It is helpful if Assessors have experience of assessing DofE teams, before assessing those with a focus on exploring and their project.

It is helpful for Assessors to have a good understanding of the exploration subject to give relevant advice, understand the appropriateness of the investigation methods used and the balance between investigation and journeying.

It may be necessary to have two Assessors, one to deal with the 20 conditions, and one with thenecessary knowledge and experience to assess the results of the aim. The second Assessor could be a local expert in the aim, rather than a DofE Accredited Assessor, and can also be the person who receives the presentation.

It is essential that all concerned, the two Assessors,the team, the Supervisor and the Leader co-operate right from the initial stages of preparation and planning to ensure a successful outcome of the expedition.

For more information about expeditions which have a project focus, please refer to the DofE Expedition Guide.

Next steps (completing the section and level)• Are you going to do a written report or will you

create a performance, video presentation or an online report for your presentation?

• When will you deliver your presentation and what work do you need to do?

• What else have you got to do to complete your programme?


Required case studies Case studies 1-10 must be covered during the course; they include scenarios that all Trainee Assessors will benefit from discussing. These Tutor Notes and the EAAS training platform show guidance on where to use them.

Optional case studies Case studies 11-36 can be covered as needed throughout the course. Decide on the most relevant case studies for the group and their levels of information and experience. Try to include a range of the scenarios, highlighting the different modes of travel where suitable.

DeliveryIntersperse the case studies throughout the course and avoid having one session where you cover everything. Most courses will not use all of the case studies and 16-20 will be a normal amount to aim for.

Required case studies – must be covered

Case Study 1 Injury – team numbersCase Study 2 Self-sufficiency – foodCase Study 3 Team numbersCase Study 4 Suitable equipmentCase Study 5 Hours of activity – delayed startCase Study 6 SafeguardingCase Study 7 Additional needs – journeyingCase Study 8 Assessor/Supervisor disagreementCase Study 9 Changing routesCase Study 10 Pre-supplied route

A Silver expedition team of four boys from a school are visited by their Assessor at camp on the morning of day two of their expedition. It is clear that one of the boys is in some distress with severely blistered feet and cannot continue the expedition without further damage to himself.

The Assessor agrees that it would be foolish for the boy to continue and, in order to save the rest of the team from disappointment, he allows the team to continue by using their ‘alternative poor weather route’ which takes them through valleys with only a small amount of height gained.

Is the Assessor correct in giving this advice?

Guidance notes:• No, the Assessor’s advice is not correct on this occasion. If the team drops below four then the expedition is

no longer viable and it should therefore be stopped. • Condition 10 states that there must be between four and seven in a team.• The priority must be the health and safety of the team, not to mitigate the (understandable) disappointment of

those who are fit to continue.• It is important to note that the Supervisor retains responsibility for the safety of the team. The Assessor

should be liaising with them in this situation and following the emergency procedures of the Licensed Organisation.

• The minimum team numbers are also in place to help maintain the quality of the experience for the participants involved.

CASE STUDY 1

Case studies

TUTOR GUIDANCE

The case studies are designed to provide an opportunity for discussion and to gain understanding around some of the issues that an Assessor may come across. They should garner discussion and show that decisions often have to be made that draw on judgement and experience.

They are all based on real issues and are scenarios that Assessors often come across.

Each case study has guidance notes with the suggested outcome for each of the case studies. For ease of reference, the notes are shown after each case study.

Print the A5 Case Studies document (in the Course Director’s download area) for Trainee Assessors.

Aim

To consider a range of scenarios that may occur during an assessment and discuss possible solutions. By the end of the course Trainee Assessors will be able to:• React appropriately to situations that that may

arise during an assessment• Make suitable decisions on these situations, based

on the 20 conditions of the Expedition section.

Required!

Optional!

Required!(Injury – team numbers)


CASE STUDY 2

CASE STUDY 3

Required!

Required!

(Self-sufficiency – food)

(Team numbers)

The Assessor visits the camp site of a Gold team on the third night of their expedition. He has already visited them twice at camp and has been impressed by their campcraft skills. This is an extra visit put in at the last minute when another engagement has taken him into the area. Arriving at the site he finds no one there, but the tents have been erected and dirty pans and plates at the tent door indicate that the team have arrived and eaten. Whilst driving through the nearest village, two miles from the site, he notices the team sitting outside ‘The Duke’s Arms’ clearly enjoying some liquid refreshment and a basket meal.

Should he drive on as if nothing has happened or stop and tell them they should consider the expedition cancelled?

Guidance notes:• Teams should be able to carry all food and equipment for their expedition. It appears that condition 2

(expeditions must be unaccompanied and self-sufficient) has not been met. • However, the Assessor should avoid any hasty action. They should have a discussion with the team and the

Supervisor to establish exactly what has happened. • This situation could have been avoided by setting a contract with the young people at the start of

the expedition.

It is the second day of a Gold expedition. Two teams of four (one all male and one all female) from the same DofE centre are using the same camp sites but walking to them along different routes. During the morning of day two, two of the male team (who are not under assessment) feel that they cannot continue and ring home for someone to come and collect them. The other two members of the team under assessment are anxious to complete so continue on their route as planned, arriving at the chosen camp site just after the girls’ team.

The Assessor is confronted with a problem. Should he cancel the boys’ expedition because they have walked in wild country as a pair, or should he ignore this as they have arrived safely and allow them to team up with the girls’ team to complete their expedition?

What advice would you offer to the Assessor?

Guidance notes:• The boys have travelled as a team of two and have therefore not met Condition 10. • Some Assessors may be tempted to allow the boys to team up with the girls’ team. However, as they

have already travelled as a team of two, the Assessor really has no other option but to consider the boys’ expedition has not been completed successfully on this occasion.

• A better scenario would have been for the boys to contact the Assessor as soon as their team mates dropped out. It may have been possibly to join the teams, before they travelled any further. The Assessor can help the boys to appreciate how they should cope with this situation in future.


CASE STUDY 4

CASE STUDY 5

Required!

Required!

(Suitable equipment)

(Hours of Activity – Delayed Start)

A team of four Gold cyclists arrive in the expedition area having had their equipment and plans checked in their own area before leaving home. The Assessor for the wild country area to which they have travelled is of the opinion that the panniers they have hired are totally inappropriate for their cycles. He advises that the expedition should not go ahead.

The team is obviously disappointed, especially having undertaken a pre-expedition check first.

Is the Assessor being too harsh? Does the Assessor have any other options?

Guidance notes:• The role of the Assessor is to offer support and guidance to the expedition. • It is not the Assessor’s job to check that the equipment is fit for purpose, but they can advise the team and

Supervisor using the local knowledge and experience. • However, they must be careful to distinguish between what is unsafe and what is less than ideal. Many teams

at Bronze will use equipment that is old or battered. It may not be ideal but it may not be unsafe for the terrain in which it is going to be used.

• The Assessor could contact the Supervisor to ask them why they thought the equipment was suitable during the pre-expedition check. There may be a reason that satisfies the Assessor.

• An alternative would be to try to find suitable equipment. In some cases, the team may be in a position to consider delaying the expedition (even by a day) in order to make other arrangements.

A Silver team of girls submits an application for assessment on the last weekend of October. The team live only one hour away from the wild country area, but part-time work commitments of two of the members means that the team cannot start walking until 14.00 hrs at the earliest. The route they choose is broken down into daily journeys of ten km, 23 km and 18 km on days one, two and three respectively.

The Assessor is unhappy but the DofE Leader gives an assurance that this is the only time the expedition can take place. If the assessed expedition is delayed or cancelled the team will lose interest and leave the DofE group.

Should the Assessor allow the expedition to proceed?

Guidance notes:• This expedition does not meet Condition 18 (hours of planned activity). It may also not meet Condition 15

(correct duration). The Assessor should not allow the expedition to continue with these arrangements. • With a minimum of seven hours planned activity a day they would not be reaching their camp site until at

least 21.00. In October it is already dark at this time and would be a safety risk to the team, Assessor and Supervisor.

• To cover ten km in seven hours, you would need an explanation of how the team will meet the planned minimum seven hours activity.

• The LO needs to find a way to maintain the interest of the team until they can arrange an expedition that does meet the 20 conditions.


CASE STUDY 6 Required!(Safeguarding)

You are assessing five 15 year old schoolgirls on their Silver expedition. You arrive at their campsite on the morning of day two. You have agreed to check on them because their Supervisor, a teacher from the school, would be busy checking two other teams in the area.

You find the girls in a distraught condition and one of the girls, who has her own tent, is inside and crying.

The other girls inform you that a young male student teacher at the school, who is helping with the supervision, visited the campsite the previous evening and had spent some time in the single girl’s tent before leaving late at night.

Discuss the issues related to a code of conduct and child protection and what action you would take.

Guidance notes:• The Assessor should contact the Supervisor as soon as possible to inform them of the situation. • The Licensed Organisation will have a child protection or safeguarding policy and it must be followed here.

The Supervisor has full responsibility for the situation.• The young male teacher appears to have acted against good child protection principles and against the

DofE’s Safeguarding Code of Behaviour for Adults. • However, the Assessor should simply record the facts of the situation, but should not investigate any further.

An initial priority will be to try to calm the team members. • The Supervisor may seek support from the relevant school or child protection agencies (e.g. NSPCC helpline)

and act according to their advice. The Assessor should only consider seeking similar support if they feel the Supervisor has not acted appropriately.

CASE STUDY 7 Required!(Additional needs – journeying)

You have been asked to assess a Bronze expedition team that comprises six young people with moderate learning difficulties.

When you receive the route cards you discover that they are doing three hours of journeying and three hours of exploring on each day.

Most of the exploring will be in a local Deer Park. The team will only be carrying day sacks each day.

Will you accept the expedition as submitted?

Guidance notes:• This expedition meets all of the DofE’s requirements with regard to journeying and exploring. The actual

distance covered in the time is not important.• Not every participant will have the ability to carry a full rucksack. Provided the team carries the minimum

safety equipment required to ensure their safety, then this is acceptable.• Assessors should seek advice on assessing participants with additional needs before the expedition (e.g.

from the Expedition Guide or from the Licensed Organisation), if needed.


CASE STUDY 9 Required!(Changing routes)

You are assessing a silver expedition team that is walking a route in the Durham Dales. Whilst completing the pre-expedition check, your instinct is that the route may not be challenging enough. By the end of day 1 (and after an extended lunch break) it’s clear to you that the route is too easy for a Silver team. The Supervisor doesn’t think this is an issue, as the team are travelling quicker that expected and are due to finish the day’s walking early, after only five hours.

How could you support the group to increase the challenge – would you change the route or planned activity?

Guidance notes:• It is important that the team undertake an appropriate route and complete 7 hours of planned activity

(condition 18). • The Assessor needs to aware that LO has approved and risk assessed this route and wholesale changes might

compromise the LO’s approval. Assessors must not simply change routes because of personal preference. • The Assessor and Supervisor need to help agree a solution with the team to make sure everyone is satisfied

with the new route. The Supervisor may need reminding of the minimum requirements for a Silver expedition. • Extending the route is not the only option; the planned activity could also be adjusted.• Whilst they do need to meet the hours of planned activity, they should consider with the Supervisor what an

appropriate challenge for this team would be. • The Assessor should be careful to avoid negative language about the expedition being ‘too easy’. • The Assessor could ask the team about how route timings were calculated and whether practice expedition

times were discussed and used.• The suggestions for altering the route or planned activity will be different, based on the mode of travel. • Once a new route/planned activity is agreed upon, the Assessor should raise further concerns if the

requirements still don’t appear to be met.

CASE STUDY 8 Required!(Assessor/Supervisor disagreement)

You are assessing a Bronze team. You met the team for their pre-expedition check and had significant misgivings about their general attitude and knowledge. However, in the spirit of ‘facilitating success’ you decided to give the team a chance. You encountered multiple issues with the team on day 1, all of which you did your best to help the team learn from and move on. The issues continue on day 2. After the team get lost and start to hail passing traffic to collect them, you decide that the team are under-prepared, clearly lacking in training and not prepared to listen to your suggestions and advice.You talk to the Supervisor and express the view that the team don’t have the skills required and need extra training. You tell them that the expedition should not count as a qualifying expedition but can count as a practice. The Supervisor argues strongly that the team have paid for the assessment and that everyone should be allowed to complete. You then get a call from the school’s head teacher, criticising you for your suggestion.

Has the Assessor made the right decision? How would you respond in this situation?

Guidance notes:• Licensed Organisations will sometimes put pressure on Assessors to ‘sign off’ teams. It is vital that the 20

conditions are followed and Assessors must be free to defer teams.• By continuing the expedition, there is a real risk to the team. They are lost and putting themselves in danger• The role of supervisor within this cannot go unchallenged–they are responsible for the health and safety of

the team and their attitude is irresponsible. • If the expedition is to continue as a practice, suggest additional training/planned activity in the campsite by

the Assessor.• The Assessor should have raised this on the first day with the Supervisor or during the pre-expedition check.• The head teacher should be reported to a DofE staff office. LOs should never put pressure on Assessors to

continue expeditions when they have concerns.


Case Study 25 Alcohol

Case Study 26 Dieting

Case Study 27 Use of time

Case Study 28 Supervision using tracking

Case Study 29 Additional needs – medical

interventions

Case Study 30 Family impartiality

Case Study 31 Group impartiality

Case Study 32 Drop cards/water drops

Case Study 33 Route – short cut

Case Study 34 Late notice/registration form

Case Study 35 Litter

Case Study 36 Quality of presentation

Case Study 11 Multiple teams

Case Study 12 Inadequate fitness

Case Study 13 Supervisor camping

Case Study 14 Use of GPS

Case Study 15 Health

Case Study 16 Toilet use

Case Study 17 Equipment – pre-positioning

Case Study 18 Use of mobile phones

Case Study 19 Route card

Case Study 20 Injury – reduced distance

Case Study 21 Time keeping

Case Study 22 Self-sufficiency - camping

Case Study 23 Hours of activity - early finish

Case Study 24 Emergency procedures

CASE STUDY 10 Required!(Pre-supplied route)

You meet the team in the expedition area for their Bronze expedition. The pre-expedition check has been undertaken with a separate accredited Assessor near the home base.

You have concerns from your conversations with the young people that they have no knowledge of the route and have had no input into them. It is the Supervisor’s first expedition (although fully qualified) and they advise that the school have always provided the routes.

What issues does this present for you as the Assessor?

Guidance notes:• Condition 9 states the team must plan and organise the expedition. They should have planned this route and

should not be accepting the route from the school.• The Supervisor should be aware of this and you should talk to them in the first instance. • At Bronze level, a flexible approach would be to ask them to replan the route before the start. The key points

(e.g. camp sites, finish) can stay the same. • If it seems unlikely that the team can plan a route at this point, you may have to compromise with a practice

expedition or to delay the expedition to another day. • You should raise the issue with the school, who need to be aware that they should not be providing routes. • The Assessor could use the pre-expedition check to encourage the participants to talk about their route, to

make sure they fully understand it. Should you see their presentation, you could ask them how they would plan an expedition route in future.

Optional case studies Optional case studies


CASE STUDY 11 (Multiple teams)

You are asked by your local centre to assess 3 Silver Expedition teams. The expeditions will take place in September and will all operate in open country.

Another Assessor registered to your centre has agreed to assess 3 different Silver teams that will be out at the same time.

The day before the expeditions are due to take place, the other Assessor falls ill. The centre Co-ordinator contacts you in a real panic, asking if you will assess the three additional teams too.

Would you agree to assess all 6 teams? Consider the factors you would need to consider before making your decision.

Guidance notes:• There are a number of different factors that need to be considered when making your decision. • The DofE’s Guidance on Assessing Multiple Expedition Teams recommends that (normally) an Assessor

should not undertake more than 4 assessments at the same time.• Assessors should consider first whether the quality of the experience for young people would be

compromised. Would there be time to meet the team beforehand and to check their routes?• Other factors are: contact with the Supervisor, the routes, practicality of access between checkpoints and

debriefing (a full list is in the Guidance document, available in the Course download area). • In most cases, assessing this many teams will be hard work and likely to lead to a lesser experience for

participants.

Optional!

CASE STUDY 12 (Inadequate fitness)

You agree to assess a Gold team of four boys who have planned a route in the Scottish Highlands. You completed your own Gold expedition in the area many years ago and are looking forward to it.However, on receiving the route card and other information, you discover that they are planning a very demanding route over difficult terrain.

You are immediately concerned that you might not have the technical skill and fitness to support this expedition effectively. You don’t have any injuries as such, but you do wonder if you were more suited for this kind of walking when younger and fitter.

What are your options?

Guidance notes:• You do have a responsibility for your own health and wellbeing. If you are not fit enough then you need to be

honest and say you cannot assess. • On the other hand, there are other options available and you should consider carefully if you are in fact

capable of Assessing. You only need to see the group as appropriate – and you will certainly not walk the whole route. You don’t need to see them on the hill every day and there is no suggestion that you need to be in peak physical condition.

• You do need to be fit enough to meet them en-route and in wild country. Meeting them at a road junction in your car is not a flexible enough approach.

• Technical competence is decided by an LO and you may wish to remind yourself of their requirements. If you don’t feel you have the experience for a particular expedition, you are unlikely to make a good judgement and should let the LO know so they can find another Assessor.

Optional!


CASE STUDY 13 (Supervisor camping)

A mixed Bronze team of two males and four females are visited by the Assessor on night one. She finds that the Supervisor of the team is camping on the same site as the young people: an isolated field in the New Forest.

The Assessor says she is not happy with this and unless other arrangements are made is not prepared to assess the team.

Is she correct?

Guidance notes:• The Assessor is probably not correct to immediately take this view. Further investigation may show that the

Supervisor has a good reason for camping on the same site. The Handbook for DofE Leaders states that in certain circumstances it may be important that support from an adult should be quickly and easily available at night.

• The Licensed Organisation’s safety requirements must be met.• An approach could be to ensure that the Supervisor understands the need for participants to be self-reliant

and for the supervision plan to reflect this. (i.e. the Supervisor camps as far as way as possible from the team). The Assessor, Supervisor and Team should have discussed this situation before the expedition or during the pre-expedition check.

• It is worth noting that at Gold Level, the Handbook states that it should not be necessary for the Supervisor to camp on the same site.

Optional!

CASE STUDY 14 (Use of GPS)

It is the afternoon of the first day of a Gold expedition and you meet a team at their first checkpoint.

They have made excellent progress, are in high spirits and seem to be working well together.

When you ask them about their route, you find that they have stowed their maps at the bottom of their rucksacks and have clearly not used them all day. They have instead relied on their expensive GPS handsets for navigation.

What should your next steps be?

Guidance notes:• DofE teams must navigate using a map and compass. • Whilst useful, GPS devices can only be used as an additional navigational tool. They cannot replace the use

of maps and other traditional tools. • The Assessor and Supervisor should make clear during the pre-expedition check that GPS can give a false

sense of security and will eventually run out of battery. • The team should not have used the GPS and making this clear may be a valuable learning point for the team. • As it is so early in the expedition, and if they are satisfied it was an honest mistake, the Assessor may agree

that they continue onwards, possibly with an additional element to the route. • If you feel that this was a deliberate attempt to bend the rules on using GPS, the Assessor should talk to the

Supervisor immediately, as the expedition may well need to be deferred or considered a practice.

Optional!


CASE STUDY 15 (Health)

There is a team of four and whilst at the campsite, one of them loses a filling in a tooth.

The Supervisor is reluctant to take the participant to the hospital or dentist for fear of invalidating the team’s expedition.

What should the Assessor do in this situation?

Guidance notes:• If the injury is serious enough to require medical attention, then that must always be the most important

consideration, rather than invalidating the expedition. Each LO has an emergency procedure and the Supervisor should follow it at this point.

• It is a team effort and the health of the participant should be the focus of the whole team. You should help make the Supervisor aware of your concerns, if you have them.

• The Supervisor may be able to arrange dental support at the campsite (bearing in mind condition 1 about using motorised transport to go elsewhere). The Assessor can support the Supervisor with this decision but must be aware of the conditions throughout.

• If the injury is not serious enough to require immediate attention, you may be able to assist the Supervisor by letting the parents know, so they can make a dental appointment. This remains the Supervisor’s responsibility.

Optional!

CASE STUDY 16 (Toilet use)

It is day 2 of a Gold Expedition. Whilst meeting the team mid expedition, it transpires that an individual participant has not been eating or drinking sufficient amounts for fear of being ‘caught short’ with no public toilets available.

What advice would you provide to the team - and to the individual?

Guidance notes:• Participants (both male and female) may have issues that make them self-conscious and you should try to be

empathetic and sensitive with the individual. • However, you need to make it clear to them that failing to eat or drink enough during an expedition is a

serious risk to their health and well being. • Being in a wild country area will mean an element of ‘roughing it’ and that everyone is in the same situation. • The team should be aware of this situation and can help to resolve it – through checking they are eating

enough and being aware of the potential embarrassment of the individual. Making this point discreetly is likely to be needed and helpful. This may not have been covered by their training, you can advise them on suitable ways to go to the toilet in the expedition area.

• Inform the Supervisor, who should help to monitor the situation.

Optional!


CASE STUDY 17 (Equipment – pre-positioning)

The Assessor is waiting at a remote camp site when her Silver team of four girls arrive somewhat drenched after walking the whole of their second day in heavy continuous rain. Their tent and stoves have been pre-positioned by the Supervisor some time earlier in the day. The Supervisor does not expect to return to the camp site that evening, knowing that the Assessor would be seeing them.

When the team start to erect their tent, they find that the pegs have not been included. The Assessor feels that, in view of the weather and low morale of the team, she has no option but to cancel the expedition and see that the team is returned to base camp. Is this really her only option?

What advice would you offer to the Assessor?

Guidance notes:• It is not the participants’ fault that kit pre-positioned at the camp site is missing (note that pre-positioning of

equipment is possible but should have been discussed between the team, Supervisor, Licensed Organisation and the Assessor prior to the expedition starting).

• Contact the Supervisor to locate the missing pieces or get the team to improvise a solution.• Pulling out of the expedition should be a very last resort.

Optional!

CASE STUDY 18 (Use of mobile phones)

An Assessor visits a team at their campsite on the second night of their Gold expedition in the Peak District. Whilst talking to the team, they notice that the emergency bag containing the mobile phone has been opened. The Assessor, Supervisor and team had agreed at the start of the expedition that the mobile was only to be used in an emergency.

After some discussion, it becomes clear that the phone has been used. One of the participants was feeling homesick and upset, so the team had all agreed they should ring home.

After a short break to make the phone call, the team continued on with the expedition and arrived safely on time at their campsite that night.

What action should the Assessor take? Should the Assessor immediately cancel the expedition?

Guidance notes:• Cancelling the expedition would be premature and is probably unnecessary. The Assessor should discuss

this with the team their decision and ask them to consider the implications.• They should highlight that using emergency phone will have drained its battery. Discuss with the team the

potential dangers associated with the phone running out of charge. • The ‘contract’ between the team, Supervisor and Assessor (which should be agreed beforehand, normally

at the Assessor’s pre-expedition check) is likely to have been broken. The Assessor should emphasize the importance of the pre-expedition contract and that the team have been trusted to keep it. Emphasise that persistent or deliberate misuse of mobiles could be a reason to judge that the team does not meet Condition 2 (to be isolated, self-sufficient).

• The Assessor should also help the team to understand how else they could have helped their team mate. Finding alternative ways to comfort and distract them would have been a better solution all round.

• Technical competence is decided by an LO and you may wish to remind yourself of their requirements. If you don’t feel you have the experience for a particular expedition, you are unlikely to make a good judgement and should let the LO know so they can find another Assessor.

Optional!


CASE STUDY 19 (Route card)

A Silver expedition team have submitted their planned route to an Assessor saying that they are canoeing along a river and will canoe for six hours each day and then camp. The route has been passed by their Licensed Organisation as appropriate for the team involved.

The Assessor has both local knowledge and is a canoeist herself.

The Assessor contacts the team and says that their information is not robust enough and demands a route card with all details of timings and grid references or the route will not be accepted as a Silver expedition.

Is she right to make this decision?

Guidance notes:• Yes, the team should evidence that they have planed the route thoroughly.• Detailed route plans should be produced.• The Assessor’s role is to be supportive and to try to aid the team in their choice of route – this information

should therefore be requested, rather than demanded.

Optional!

CASE STUDY 20 (Injury – reduced distance)

A team of 6 start a Gold expedition, walking in the Brecon Beacons. One team member picks up a small injury early on day 1. The participants and Supervisor both feel they can continue with minor adjustments, with some of the equipment being shared amongst the rest of the team.

At the end of day 2 the injury is worse and the supervisor wants to make wholesale changes so the group are covering less distance over easier terrain to ensure all the team complete.

You wish to help the team complete the expedition, if possible, but are reluctant to agree with these changes. You feel that changing the route will dilute the Gold experience for the whole team.

As an Assessor where do you draw the line between completion and postponement?

Guidance notes:• The expedition is a team effort and it is a good aim to help everyone complete if possible. However, it is still a

Gold level expedition and needs to meet that level of challenge. • It is important that the team undertake an appropriate route and complete 8 hours of planned activity

(condition 18). • The Assessor and Supervisor need to help agree a solution with the whole team to make sure everyone is

satisfied with the new route. The remaining team members should not feel that their expedition has been diminished.

• Adapting the route is not the only option; the planned activity could also be adjusted.• Once a new route/planned activity is agreed upon, the Assessor should raise further concerns if

postponement is still a better option. The safety of the team and the injured participant should be the main concern for everyone. As long as the minimum team numbers can be met (Condition 10), then the injured participant could retire and the remaining members carry on (e.g. as a team of 5, not 6).

Optional!


CASE STUDY 21 (Time keeping)

The Assessor finds that her Silver horseriding team has been up to two hours late at given check points. She is uncertain about the reason for this, but finds it annoying.

At camp on day two she tells the team that, unless they are at the points stated on their route cards at the times given, she will have no alternative but to consider their expedition void.

On day three their time keeping is better but they still arrive at their final destination one hour late.

Is the Assessor correct in keeping to her condition given the previous evening?

Guidance notes:• No, keeping strictly to time is not in the 20 conditions. • Route cards are like a best guess, based on very little practice. Young people doing an expedition often have

little experience in judging accurately their speed of travel. • Different modes of travel will bring different challenges for the team and they must be trained to cope with

them. The Assessor should use the opportunity to discuss their expedition with the team and to see if there are any gaps in their learning or experience.

• One of the skills of an Assessor is patience!

Optional!

CASE STUDY 22 (Self-sufficiency – camping)

The expedition team you are assessing are booked into a campsite and their Supervisor is staying off site.

On arrival at the campsite, it transpires that there are 250 DofE participants from other centres on the same site that evening. The Supervisor decides to camp alongside the team, in an effort to prevent them being influenced by so many other potentially rowdy participants.

What issues, if any, does this present in your role as Assessor?

Guidance notes:• The Handbook for DofE Leaders states that in certain circumstances it may be important that support from

an adult should be quickly and easily available at night. The Licensed Organisation’s safety requirements must be met.

• As the Assessor, you need to make the Supervisor appreciate that the team needs to be self-sufficient (condition 2). The presence of other DofE participants is not in itself a likely safety concern for the team. This is the team’s expedition and the Supervisor is in danger of intruding upon their efforts.

• A further discussion between you, the team and the Supervisor at this point could reiterate the expectations on the team and the Licensed Organisation’s procedures.

• It is worth noting that at Gold Level, the Handbook states that it should not be necessary for the Supervisor to camp on the same site.

Optional!


CASE STUDY 23 (Hours of activity– early finish)

A Gold expedition team has been paddling a river that has been gradually rising over the four days of their expedition. On the final day they completed the planned 28 km in just three hours because of the flow and had reached the sea and finished their route.

The Assessor believes that they have not done enough on the last day and will not agree they’ve completed their expedition.

Is the Assessor right in their decision?

Guidance notes:• The team have planned a reasonable eight- hour journey. The DofE expects all teams to complete the

required hours of activity and the Assessor is right to question the situation. • The Supervisor and Assessor should have tried to avoid this situation developing, particularly as the water

has been rising over the past four days. • The team should either have used the route more flexibly or dedicated more time to their projects.• The Assessor should discuss with the team whether they can continue their route and cover additional

distance. If not, they can ask the team to complete the hours at the finish point, on their project.

Optional!

CASE STUDY 24 (Emergency procedures)

You are at the campsite waiting for a Gold team of cyclists on the evening of day 2 of their expedition.

The team are 90 minutes overdue and the Supervisor wants to call the emergency services and start a full scale search.

The team have been on time throughout and were last seen at 1pm. It is now 6pm.

What advice would you give? How would you support the Supervisor?

Guidance notes:• The Supervisor is fully responsibly for the Health and Safety of the team, on behalf of the LO.• The LO will have an emergency procedure document and this should be implemented. • The Assessor should support the Supervisor with their responsibility, by exploring all the options available.• The team will have had training in emergency procedures and should be well equipped. • It could be useful to review the final section of the route to look for features that may be potentially time

consuming. You can talk through the situation with the Supervisor and perhaps reassure them. • However, the final decision must be taken by the Supervisor, even if the Assessor is well qualified (e.g.

through external qualifications). Ultimately, helping the Supervisor when they request it is likely to be the most supportive action you can take.

Optional!


CASE STUDY 25 (Alcohol)

A team of six girls are undertaking a Gold canoeing expedition on the Caledonian Canal.

One of the girl’s 18th birthday falls during the expedition. The rest of the team are all over 18.

The Assessor decides to visit them on the evening of their second night and finds all of the girls drinking alcohol with their evening meal as part of the birthday celebrations.

He decides that the expedition is no longer valid and that the girls can carry on with their expedition but it will only be counted towards a practice. He does not contact the Supervisor, who finds out from the girls on his visit to them in the morning. The Supervisor tries to contact the Assessor without any success to discuss the matter.

Would you support this action?

Guidance notes:• The Assessor, team and Supervisor should have discussed this situation during their pre-expedition meeting. • The Licensed Organisation may have a policy on drinking alcohol during expeditions. • The team needs to be sensible, aware of the risks of dehydration and to remain self-sufficient. If all those

factors can be accommodated, then the Assessor and Supervisor may be happy for the celebration to go ahead.

• The Assessor should be contactable and should have talked to the Supervisor before making any kind of recommendation.

Optional!

CASE STUDY 26 (Dieting)

Whilst meeting the team in the expedition area you conduct a pre-expedition kit check. They are a Silver team and have planned a good route.

However, they do not seem to have in their rucksacks the food detailed on their menu plan. In your judgement, it doesn’t appear to be enough food for the length of expedition.

Through conversations with the group it becomes apparent that the amount of food has been deliberately reduced by the participants. They tell you that their school prom is next week and they are hoping to use the expedition to lose body weight beforehand. They have heard that combining walking with limited food is an excellent way to reduce body fat and look great for the dance.

What should your reaction be?

Guidance notes:• Condition 5 stipulates that the participants must be properly equipped. • The Supervisor is responsible for the health and safety of the team and it is clear that the team are at risk with

their current supplies.• However, insufficient food supplies are also a sign that the expedition conditions are not being properly

followed. • A conversation between the Assessor, Supervisor and the team should make it clear that trying to lose

weight during an expedition is not sensible. They are unlikely to lose weight and are more likely to fall over and injure themselves. A positive solution could be for the team to then obtain suitable additional provisions prior to departure.

Optional!


CASE STUDY 27 (Use of time)

A team of eight boys are undertaking a Gold expedition in canoes down the River Wye. They are observed on the second day by the Assessor, just drifting and killing time with their feet dangling in the water.

They are certainly having fun but the Assessor does not believe that their expedition has been challenging enough for them and decides to confront the team about it at their meeting at the campsite that evening.

Is he right to do this?

Guidance notes:• It could be worth raising the issue with the team who may decide to re-look at their plans for the rest of the

expedition. • The DofE expects the team to meet the hours of planned activity for the expedition, which expedition needs

to be challenging for the team. This should be evident in the route and the Assessor should have seen this in advance of the expedition.

• The Assessor should discuss with the team before making any kind of decision. • The expedition is meant to be enjoyable. If they are meeting the conditions then they should carry on.

Optional!

CASE STUDY 28 (Supervision using tracking)

You are due to assess four Bronze teams at the weekend and you’ve been impressed with the preparation and the different routes that are planned. A Supervisor from your centre has been asked to supervise the same four teams.

You are concerned to find out that the Supervisor’s plan is to supervise from the café using GPS tracking. They have arranged for a member of staff to be mobile in the area to help if the teams go off track. You feel this is inadequate supervision and have concerns that this approach could invalidate the team’s excellent efforts.

What is your course of action?

Guidance notes:• The relationship between the Supervisor and the Assessor is a very important one – you should feel confident

that you can raise your concerns with them in the first instance. • The DofE’s guidance on using GPS is clear that tracking should be used for emergencies and not as a

routine way to avoid a Supervisor needing to be in the area.• Supervision of teams (Condition 3) should be a mix of direct, close and remote supervision. In this example it

seems too remote. • As an Assessor you should make the Supervisor aware of your concerns, raising it with the LO if needed.

Although you are there to assess the quality of the expedition, there will be times when you need to act in the best interests of everyone involved.

Optional!


CASE STUDY 29 (Additional needs – medical interventions)

A Silver expedition team comprising of seven young people (all of whom have mobility difficulties) have planned a land-based expedition alongside a canal in Yorkshire. Three of the team will stay on an accompanying barge because they need medical interventions overnight, whilst the others will camp adjacent to the barge on land next to the towpath.

The Assessor is not happy as the group is going to be split up.

What would you advise?

Guidance notes:• The group should stay together for as long as possible – only separating when they need to retire to sleep.

The young people on the barge should leave the barge as soon as possible and breakfast with the team. • Landowner’s permission must be sought to camp overnight next to the towpath. It is important that the

participants who can sleep in tents should have the opportunity to do so.• The Assessor should not insist on an environment which may be unsuitable for the needs of the participants.

Optional!

CASE STUDY 30 (Family impartiality)

You are an Accredited Assessor with the Boys’ Brigade. You are also the parent of a DofE participant, who does their DofE through their school.

The school’s DofE Leader is looking for someone to assess your child’s expedition team, a Gold sailing expedition in the Solent.

They are confident you will do a good job, particularly as you know the whole team.

What response would you give?

Guidance notes:• You cannot assess your child’s expedition and must decline.• Assessors must be impartial and cannot assess family members (for any section).• For the expedition section, there are additional requirements on impartiality. At Bronze/Silver they cannot be

involved in the team’s training; at Gold they must be completely independent of both the DofE Group and the expedition team.

Optional!


CASE STUDY 31 (Group impartiality)

You are a Leader and Assessor at a centre and have supported a group of participants through their Bronze and Silver Award programmes.

You have not been involved in the team’s training or practice for their Gold Award and have been asked to assess their Gold expedition.

What response do you give?

Guidance notes:• You cannot assess this team’s Gold expedition and must decline. • At Gold level, the Assessor must be independent of the group and not associated with the team in any way. • As you have supported the group through their Bronze and Silver programmes you cannot be considered

impartial for the Gold.

Optional!

CASE STUDY 32 (Drop cards/water drops)

You are in the New Forest to meet a Silver expedition team, who are undertaking their expedition on horseback.

The Supervisor presents their supervision plan and you see that it includes the use of drop cards and unstaffed water drops.

How will this impact on your role as Assessor?

Guidance notes:• Team members must carry sufficient water. The Supervisor can only provide water drops if necessary (e.g.

very hot weather or teams running late).• The water drops may be intended for the horses. The Supervisor should make suitable arrangements. • Expeditions by horse may have a reason to include pre-positioning of kit, but this must have been agreed in

advance. • Drop cards are not allowed in the New Forest and in other areas. They are likely to be removed and are an

unreliable method of communication. • As an Assessor, your main focus should be on making sure the team plan to be self-sufficient. You should

discuss both issues with the team and Supervisor and see if the plans can be amended.

Optional!


CASE STUDY 33 (Route – short cut)

You are an Assessor and find the expedition team ‘off route’ walking a short distance along a road you know to be dangerous. The road appears to be a significant short cut from the planned route.

What action would you take?

Guidance notes:• Walking on roads should be limited and avoided at all times. • Talking to the team about why they made this alteration will allow you to discover if they are, in fact, lost or if

they are deliberately trying to cut off part of the route. • During your discussion of the route, you may be able to impress upon them the importance of following to

the plan. You may also find that a hazard made the detour an understandable decision.

Optional!

CASE STUDY 34 (Late notice/registration form)

You are an accredited Assessor with the Scouts and often assess for your local Scout Group.

Your best friend is the leader of the Girlguiding Senior section in your village. She explains that they are short of an assessor for an expedition and asks if you are able to assess a team during the coming weekend.

You would like to help and you are free. However, it seems very rushed and you’ve never assessed for the Guides before. Are men really allowed to assess all-girl groups?

What would your response be? Do you need to do anything to prepare?

Guidance notes:• Last minute requests for Assessors are, unfortunately, common. Assessors should consider very carefully

whether they have the time and necessary information to step in at short notice. • If you do decide to help out, making sure you are properly prepared is vital – particularly in terms of seeing

the route and having contact details for the Supervisor. • You would also need to be registered to assess for the Guides (using form EAAS/12). The Guide Leader

should ask you to complete the form, allowing you to assess for a new organisation. • EAAS/12 includes making sure that appropriate safeguarding checks have taken place, in this case for the

Guides. You can only assess the team if Girlguiding have processed this in time for the expedition. • Men are definitely allowed to assess all-girl groups!

Optional!


CASE STUDY 35 (Litter)

On day two of a Silver expedition the campsite owner tells you, after the team have departed, that they had left the campsite cooking area untidy.

You are then late to their lunch stop and discover a large pile of litter ineffectively hidden behind a gate.

What is your role as an Assessor in this instance?

Guidance notes:• Participants must follow the Countryside Code – litter and untidy campcraft are not acceptable behaviour. • You should draw their attention to this immediately and make them aware of their responsibilities, involving

the Supervisor if necessary. • Persistent, repeated behaviour of this kind may mean you decide to withdraw your services – although the

Supervisor’s support should be sought before it gets to this point.

Optional!

CASE STUDY 36 (Quality of presentation)

Five young men completed their Silver canoe expedition in July when their exams had been completed. The weather was good and their river journey, whilst adequate, was no real physical challenge for the fit team. However their paddling skills, watercraft and campcraft skills were excellent.

As they were going on to do different things and unlikely to meet together again, the team arranged with the Assessor that each person would submit an individual written report of the expedition. Three of the team submitted substantial reports, well illustrated with photographs and showing some research into the area and various aspects they had encountered on the journey. The other two members of the team sent in a scribbled account of the expedition on four sides of paper. The Assessor decided to return the work of the two saying that it was insufficient and invited them to present a better report before they could complete the section.

Would you support this action?

Guidance notes:• The requirement of condition 20 is to submit a presentation. On the face of it, they appear to have met the

condition.• This may reflect the ability of the individual participants concerned, and may have been a tremendous effort

for them. Condition 20 is not a test of written skill or presentation. • However, it may be obvious that the participants have provided a presentation that, based on your

knowledge of them during the expedition, suggests they have not made much of an effort. In this situation, you could invite them to resubmit, giving them guidance on how to put together a written report.

Optional!


The participants’ perspectiveThis session is self-run and will work directly froma laptop. Internet access is required, or the video can be downloaded in advance.

The key messages are:• Facilitating success – it is the Assessor’s

role to enable the young people to have a positive experience.

• Understanding it is not the natural environment for the young people.

• How behaviour changes with environment.

The next steps

TUTOR NOTES

Next stepsOnce they have completed this course the following will apply:

• All Assessors will complete a Supported Assessment. This is a practical assessment in the field, under the supervision of an experienced Supporting Assessor.

• This must take place within two years of completing the EAAS course.

• Trainee Assessors will require the endorsement of an LO/AN/AAP before undertaking the Supported Assessment.

See EAAS/5a The Supported Assessment Process for the full details.

Supported assessmentsThe aim is to provide practical experience in the field. • It gives the Assessor the opportunity to put into

practice what they have learnt in a supportive environment. They can utilise the skills and knowledge gained during the learning programme.

• It gives the DofE the opportunity to verify their understanding of the role of the Assessor.

• It enables them to demonstrate that they can establish friendly and supportive relationships with participants in a real situation.

• It ensures they can apply the 20 conditions of the Expedition section to a real expedition.

The Supporting Assessor• Upon successful completion of the Expedition

Assessor Accreditation Scheme course, a Trainee Assessor will normally undertake at least one supported assessment.

• The Supporting Assessor will make a recommendation as to whether the Trainee Assessor meets the performance criteria.

• The Supported Assessment Confirmation Form (EAAS/5) has an overview of the process on page 1, aimed at Supporting Assessors and intended to be an aide memoire for completing the Supported Assessment.

Accreditation• The DofE Manager, Assessor Network Co-ordinator

or AAP Manager, in consultation with the Supporting Assessor, makes the decision for accreditation approval.

Those who wish to become an Expedition Assessor should be able to demonstrate that:• They are over 18 years of age.• They have relevant safeguarding checks in place for

working with young people.• They are able to carry out practical assessments in

the field in accordance with the 20 conditions of the Expedition section.

• They can establish good supportive relationships with the young people and communicate effectively with them.

AimTo understand how a young person’s perspective and the interaction of the Assessor may have an impact on their performance during the expedition.

By the end of this session the course delegates will be able to:• Explain how experiences affect a young

person’s perspective• List the causes of behavioural change in

an individual• Discuss how the Assessor can have a positive

influence on the young persons’ expedition.

Note: It is the tutors’ role to promote discussion at the end of the presentation – what are the key messages?

AimTo enable the delegate to understand the Supported Assessment and Accreditation processes.

By the end of this session the delegate will:• Understand the next steps and how to be

accredited as an Assessor.• Understand the process of supported

assessments.• Understand the paperwork required to fulfil the

accreditation, reaccreditation and registration processes.


• They are able to deal effectively with relevant forms, tracings, route outlines, route cards, the suitability of routes and problems associated with access.

• They are able to give advice to the Supervisor and the participants, based on their knowledge of the Expedition section.

Performance criteria The DofE has established four performance criteria as the agreed standard to which Expedition Assessors are trained. Trainee Assessors will use the Supported Assessment to show the Supporting Assessor if they meet the criteria. The Supporting Assessor will make a judgement as to whether the criteria have been met; the final accreditation decision is however taken by the DofE Manager, Assessor Network Coordinator or AAP Manager.

Technical competencyThe Supported Assessment is a test of the performance criteria; it is not a test of technical competence. LO/AN/AAPs make a judgement of the technical competence – and endorse the level they are happy for them to assess at (i.e. Bronze/Silver or Bronze/Silver/Gold). For the EAAS training, Gold Assessors must complete the additional Gold e-learning and an EAAS/7 form.

Who they can assessIt is important for individual Assessors to understand their involvement/interaction with an expedition team prior to assessing them.

Assessors (for any section) must be independent and cannot a family member of a participant. For Expedition Assessors the following also applies:• At Bronze and Silver level, Assessors should not

have been involved in any training or instruction of the team.

• At Gold level, the Assessor must be independent of the DofE group and not associated with the team in any way.

Arranging a Supported Assessment• Trainee Assessors should arrange their supported

assessments with the help of their LO/AN/AAP. If necessary, they should contact their Regional/Country office for help with finding a Supporting Assessor.

If they are planning to assess for their Licensed Organisation then they should contact them for a list of Supporting Assessors. Trainee Assessors must have been endorsed by their LO/AN/AAP before the Supported Assessment, by having an EAAS/13 form signed.

Confirmation Form handout:Use the completed version of the Example Supported Assessment Confirmation Form (EAAS/5B). It gives a ‘good practice’ example of comments that a Supporting Assessor might make.

It aims to show:• Trainee Assessors: the Supported Assessment

form - and give an idea of how the Supported Assessment will look in practice;

• Supporting Assessors: how to complete the form (including responding to each of the performance criteria);

• DofE Managers/Assessor Network Co-ordinators or Approved Activity Provider Managers: how to use the form to approve the Supporting Assessor’s recommendation.

The example form could be used during a group/plenary discussion exercise. The individual comments that are made by the Supporting Assessor can be considered:• Could the Supporting Assessor have been more

informative, helpful or responded in a different way?

When the supported assessment has been completed:• The Supporting Assessor should then send the

EAAS/5 form to the Trainee Assessor’s DofE Manager, Assessor Network Area Co-ordinator or AAP Manager for endorsement with a cheque for the accreditation fee made payable to The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. This fee is waived for the DofE’s Network Assessors.

• When they have endorsed the Trainee Assessor, the Licensed Organisation or Assessor Network Co-ordinator or AAP Manager will send the EAAS/13 and EAAS/5 forms on to the appropriate DofE Regional/Country Office (i.e. where the Trainee Assessor’s course application was processed).

• Once received, the DofE will update the delegates’ details on the database and issue an Assessor ID card, ID card holder and certificate.

• The Assessor will be accredited for a period of five years, after which time they will need to be re-accredited.

• Expedition Assessors should be encouraged to use the Log Book Record Sheet and the Notes page in their Log Book, to record their DofE assessments and other relevant experience.

• If assessing for more than one organisation, the Assessor also needs to be registered with the additional LO/AN/AAP they assess for. Registration is completed by filling out an Expedition Assessors Registration Form (EAAS/12) for each organisation. See case study 34.

Assessing multiple teams The DofE has provided a guidance document on how many teams an Assessor should assess at any one time (the Guidance on Assessing Multiple Expedition Teams is available in the course downloads area and should be explained to Trainee Assessors). A number of different factors need to be taken into account when an LO/AN/AAP and Assessor considers whether they should assess more than one team at a time. The focus for the Assessor should always be on performing the role as effectively as possible. Case Study 11 considers this issue in practice.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (the DofE) is a Registered Charity No: 1072490, in Scotland SC038254 and a Royal Charter Corporation No: RC000806. Registered Office: Gulliver House, Madeira Walk, WINDSOR, Berkshire SL4 1EU 17/01/18

Documents

Tutor Notes - DofE · Page 2 Expedition Assessor Accreditation Scheme – Tutor Notes Handouts and case studies Case studies are an important part of the course materials – see