— Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Bronze Expedition
CHANGING LIVES community services
A group of young people referred by Changing Lives Community Services embarked on a 2 day/1 night expedition as part of their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, taking place outside Colchester in the beautiful Essex countryside. Changing Lives’ objective is to create social, sporting and work experiences that will install confidence and motivation for children providing them with opportunities and pathways towards a positive future.
Client
Changing Lives Community Services
Date
August, 2025
Duration
2 training sessions and 2 days/1night on expedition
Focus
Confidence and resilience building
Nature has this calming and enchanting effect. Walking in the woods, smelling the fresh forest air, or sitting on a rock watching a bird. Magical. Mental Health Foundation
The group collectively had ADHD and autism diagnosis’ and struggled with their confidence, resilience and social skills.
Expedition activities can provide a framework for the creation of a safe space. Youth may be more likely to open up in a structured activity where the focus is on a challenge than if they are sat if a circle ‘tell us about your feelings’. Group
engagement in a structured setting are instrumental in overcoming adolescents’ difficulties that
stem from limited verbal abilities, emotional and cognitive openness, and sharing personal thoughts
(Hill, 2007).
young people
miles walked
marshmallows eaten
opportunity
— The Challenge
Challenge & opportunity
This group lacked confidence, personal resilience and conviction that they could achieve the expedition. Instead of the focus being about expedition completion, it took a different path. One of exploration, socialising, up-skilling and confidence building. By the end of the days spent together, the group had developed more confidence, initiative and personal responsibility. They were thinking individually and collectively about the expedition and camp tasks that needed doing. They are connecting more freely with each other and trust of themselves and each other had grown. Individuals were self selecting their areas of strength – map reading, cooking or taking on a leadership role. And then supporting each other with the parts their peers were finding difficult.
The possibility to actively help another person via group work
serves to increase one’s self‐efficacy and self‐esteem (Yalom & Leszcz, 2005).
Let’s Start A Project
Office
Colchester, Essex, UK
Contact
rachel@thegreatoutdoors.org.uk
07917766175