2030 (Elmdon & Yardley) Squadron Air Training Corps TAVR Centre Barrows Lane Sheldon Birmingham B26

3BE Tel: 0121 722 3931

IMPORTANT Duke of Edinburgh Award UPDATE

At present the D of E award is run on the Squadron at all three levels (Bronze, Silver and Gold). Candidates can complete three sections during parade nights with the fourth section the Expedition Practice then Actual needing to take place on an organised weekend, usually Rough Close and the Peak District camps. At this point we fill in the Award book, backdating their work and send away for the award to be validated. This is due to change. As of 1 April 2013 it is compulsory that all candidates complete their award electronically which is known as eDofE and so there will be no book. This system now requires a candidate to register for the award BEFORE they begin, any work done before the registration date will not count. This is true also of the three sections that are usually undertaken on the Squadron, Skills, Volunteering and Physical. The sooner they register then the sooner they can start counting work towards their award. It is essential therefore that all candidates wishing to participate in the award now pay for their registration BEFORE they begin the award. Please see registration fees and minimum start ages below for the year 2013. Example: J.Bloggs has been attending cadets (Volunteering) since he was 14 Years old, when he is 14 years and 6 months he decides that he wants to go on the Bronze Practice Camp and so pays for the camp and registers for the award. IMPORTANT - Previously we were able to backdate his Volunteering section for the last 6 months. With the internet system, eDofE, this is not possible and J.Bloggs would have to complete 6 months of Cadets (Volunteering) from the eDofE registration date as it can no longer be backdated meaning the earliest he could gain his award would be when he was 15 years old. Solution: Register for the award as soon as possible to avoid additional commitment time. Bronze 14 14+ Years Silver 14 15+ Years Gold 20 16+ Years http://www.dofe.org/go/cost/ http://www.dofe.org/go/timescales/ In the past we have urged parents to wait until the cadet has completed everything before purchasing the book, however with the move to an internet based system from the Duke of Edinburgh Award the books now need to be purchased at the start of each level as we are no longer able to back date the books. As this is an electronic system it will require the use of the candidates e-mail address to log in and so a parent consent form will need to be filled in by the legal guardian and returned to the squadron along with registration payment amount before they can be registered to begin the award. This form can be found on the WBW website under Administration then Forms Tab entitled EDofE Participant Enrolment form a link can be found below. http://www.aircadets-wbw.org/admin_forms_lib.htm
Parade Times Officer Commanding Flt Lt T Bennett RAFVR(T) Monday & Wednesday 1930 2130 hrs
st

Once registered for the eDofE, participants can then log in by accessing from the D of E website following the links for the log in page for eDofE. A link has been attached below for reference. https://www.edofe.org/Profile/LogUser.aspx Please note: For any cadets participating in the upcoming Bronze D of E to Rough Close 2-3 March 2013 then this is the last camp that is exempt before the rule change and so are not affected. In addition the Squadron still has enough books left which have been subsidised by Head Quarters Air Cadets and so the cost of registration for this Bronze Camp has already been covered and so the 20 camp cost covers the registration cost also. Please note that if a candidate has started under the old system, which is all those cadets nd rd who are going on the Rough Close camp 2 -3 March 2013 for example, then they will be allowed to finish under the old system. Cheques for registration to be made payable to 2030 (Elmdon and Yardley) Squadron. For more information on the eDofE please use the following link: http://www.dofe.org/en/content/cms/doing-your-dofe/edofe/
rd

Many Thanks Norman Wakeman Duke of Edinburgh Award Officer 2030 SQN

Parade Times Officer Commanding Flt Lt T Bennett RAFVR(T) Monday & Wednesday 1930 2130 hrs