What We Do
Auckland Challenge is Aotearoa’s oldest and most experienced Open Award Center.
Find out what we do, and how we can help!
Who We Are
We are coordinators of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award for the greater Auckland Region. We coordinate The Award on behalf of several schools as well as providing an opportunity to do The Award for youth who have left school, home schoolers and those attending schools where The Award isn’t run.
Our role is to guide you through The Award, help you find activities, approve and verify your activities, mentor you through, and sign off your Award.
Can’t do DofE at Your School?
Auckland Challenge is an Open Award Center for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. This means anyone can sign up to do their Award through us!
If your school doesn’t run DofE, you can’t do DofE through your school, or your existing Award Unit isn’t working out for you, you can sign up to do your Award through Auckland Challenge!
Leaving School?
If you are leaving school and still have some more work left on your Award it doesn’t mean you have to stop!
You can transfer to Auckland Challenge to continue your Award once you leave, there is no charge for this service.
To transfer your Award to us you need to email the National Office and request your Award is transferred
Choose Your Challenge
Pick the challenge that suits you.
With three levels to complete there is something for everyone!
Bronze
From the year you turn 14 | Minimum 6 months to complete
Bronze is the first level of The Award, for your Bronze Award you need to complete 13 hours of two sections and 26 hours of one section.
Silver
Ages 15+ | Minimum 6 months to complete
Silver is the second level of the Award, for Silver you need to complete 26 hours of each section if you have completed Bronze and an additional 13 hours if you haven’t.
Gold
Ages 16+ | Minimum 12 months to complete
For Gold you need to complete 12 months of each section if you have completed silver and an additional 26 hours if you haven’t. You also need to complete the Residential Project.
Choose Your Pathway
Want to extend your Award with something different?
The Award offers three pathways to build your Award around to make it uniquely yours!
Traditional
Choose activities that challenge you
This pathway is great for anyone wanting to follow the classic Award Pathway, build their challenge and gain their Award.
Kākāriki Journey
Choose activities with an environmental focus.
The Kākāriki Journey is an Award endorsement for those who focus their Skill, Service and Journey sections around the environment!
He Aratūtahi
Choose activities with a focus on te ao Māori
Embracing the holistic concept of whanaungatanga. This is an endorsement for those who focus their Service, Skill and Journeys around te ao Māori concepts
Choose Your Activities
The Award is your Award, for each section pick activities that will challenge you and help you to grow.
Depending on your level you can use up to three activities per section.
Skill
Find Your Genius
For the skill section you can use any hobby or mental activity that is non athletic; games, music, arts and building are just some of the many activities you can use. Use something you already do or take up something new!
Physical Recreation
Break a Sweat
For the Physical Recreation section you can use any activity that is for your physical wellbeing such as individual or team sports. Ball sports, athletics, martial arts and water sports are just a few of the may activities you can do. As a general rule, if it raises your heart rate – it counts
Voluntary Service
Give Back
The Voluntary service section must meet a genuine need and is anything you do to help others; environmental service, youth work and charity service are a few examples. Anything unpaid you do to help people outside of your family will probably count.
Adventurous Journey
Get Wild and Explore
For the Adventurous Journey Section you will complete training for your journey followed by two 2-4 day camps depending on your Award Level. There are many types of camps to go on – biking, kayaking, horse riding, urban or bush to name a few! Find out more about the Adventurous Journey section here.
(Gold) Residential Project
Leave Your Comfort Zone
For the Residential Project you will go on a 5 day trip, with a purpose, away from home with people you don’t know; this could be an environmental, service or educational trip.
Get Started!
You’ve seen The Award, now it’s time to get going!
Join the thousands of youth around Aotearoa who have already completed their Awards!
Getting started with The Award is easy!
1. Visit the enrolment page above to get instructions to register in The Award’s Online Record Book and pay
2. Read the DofE Handbook for your level to understand what you need to do (Bronze, Silver, Gold)
3. Set up a meeting or call with Kathryn to help you get started
4. Set up your activities and go!
Award Enrolment with Auckland Challenge is $150 per level and includes Award registration fees, unlimited support, and the first year of administration fees.
Not completely sure about enrolling? Get in touch with us to find out how the Award can help you!
Contact Us
We are here to help!
With dedicated Award Leaders available whenever you need, you can get the answers you need in a way that suits you.
Award Support
For general Award enquiries please email dofe@aucklandchallenge.org.nz
You can also give Kathryn our coordinator a call on 0274916618
Adventurous Journeys
For information about the Adventurous Journey section, Plan Your Own Journeys, or Journey options please email expeditions@aucklandchallenge.org.nz
You can also find out more about Adventurous Journeys
Administration
For finance and admin enquiries please email admin@aucklandchallenge.org.nz
For IT Services, and ACORN technical support please email it@aucklandchallenge.org.nz