Training Opportunities

A group of adults on high moorland dressed in outdoor clothing being led towards the peak of Bennachie in the distance

Upcoming courses which support the delivery of Duke Of Edinburgh within Aberdeenshire Council. To make a booking please email awards@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

2 day Lowhills course

Next course will be held over 2 Sundays on 8th & 22nd March 2026.

The Lowhills training scheme is aimed at Morayshire, Aberdeen City & Aberdeenshire Council staff & formally enrolled volunteers who wish to take groups of up to 8 hillwalking & back-packing in NE Scotland beyond 300m height, up to a maximum of 600m. The prerequisite for the course is submission of a log of hillwalking experience listing 20 hillwalks.  More details can be found here.

Contact awards@aberdeenshire.gov.uk asap to be sent a blank logbook or to discuss the prerequisites with a tutor.

Cost: £165 Locations: Sir Arthur Grant Outdoor Centre, Monymusk & on Bennachie

1 day Lowhills Update course

Next course will be Sunday 15th March 2026

This 1 day course is required every 5 years after completing the initial 2 day Lowhills course. This practical course takes place on the hill and is an opportunity to share best practise, review emergency procedures and practise advanced navigation skills.

Cost: £85 Location: Sir Arthur Grant Outdoor Centre, Monymusk & on Bennachie

1 day Lowhills Gateway course

Early summer 2026- contact awards@aberdeenshire.gov.uk to express an interest

The Lowhills Gateway is open to the general public. This course is an introduction to hillwalking- topics covered include basic navigation, equipment & clothing, lightweight camping skills and emergency procedures.

The course is also aimed at those Aberdeenshire staff & formally recruited volunteers who wish to lead a group walking & or camping in terrain below 300m, and those who aspire to join Aberdeenshire Council’s Lowhills Scheme but lack the hill experience & navigation skills to confidently accrue the required 20 days hill walking experience. 

Cost: £85 Location: in the hills around Glen Dye

2 day BASP 1st Aid courses

Courses arranged as required- contact awards@aberdeenshire.gov.uk to express an interest

Outdoor emergency first aid training suitable for UK National Governing Body awards. Delivered by the British Association of Ski Patrols, valid for 3 years

Cost: £160.00 per person for 2 day course. Location: Sir Arthur Grant Outdoor Centre, Monymusk

To join or express an interest in any of these courses, please contact awards@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

Silver Sailing Expedition Opportunity- Oct 2025

Ocean Youth Trust Scotland (OYTS) offer sail-based DofE expedition opportunities in the North East of Scotland.

OYTS have been running sail-based DofE Expeditions for a number of years – OYTS is an approved expedition provider.

In the past our expeditions have been based around self-contained groups (schools, scout groups, etc). However, it has become increasingly apparent that some individuals have an interest in sailing expeditions without having access to a full group.

For this reason, the OYTS North East Support Group have provisionally booked a Silver Expedition slot over 20-26 October 2025 for any interested Silver DofE participants in the Shire.

This would be available to individuals who have completed Bronze and also to those who are interested in Silver direct entry. The OYTS North East Support Group would manage all the associated expedition support (training, etc) so there would be no burden on your normal group leaders.

The cost of participation is a maximum of £600 per person – there is some scope for individual financial support from OYTS North East in order to reduce this cost.

You can find more information about OYTS at their website –  https://oytscotland.org.uk/

Any interest/questions should be communicated directly to:

northeastshoregroup@oytscotland.org.uk

TALL SHIPS ABERDEEN

Volunteer vacancy for the role of Chief Liaison Officer (CLO).

Aberdeen is getting ready to welcome back the exhilarating Tall Ships Races once again in 2025. The position is open to anyone 18 years and older, and starts from August / September 2024, initially 1-2 days a month, ramping up to a full-time commitment during July 2025. Please note, this is a volunteer role. 

Click here to find out more & apply for the exciting volunteer vacancy for the role of Chief Liaison Officer (CLO).

Apply to become a Tall Ships Youth Ambassador!

‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Not displaying properly? ‌ ‌Click here
   
Set sail on the adventure of a lifetime!  
Do you want to experience the freedom of the high seas, visit new places, and forge friendships from across the globe? Are you a hashtag hero? Or a meme maestro?    
Apply today to become a Youth Ambassador!
Join us as one of two Youth Ambassadors aboard the majestic ‘Roald Amundsen’ Tall Ship. Sail from the historic city of Tallinn, Estonia, to the picturesque shores of Turku, Finland, on an all-expenses-paid journey from July 13 to July 20, 2024. No sailing experience is required! As a Youth Ambassador, you will have a key role in using the power of social media to promote The Tall Ships Races Aberdeen 2025 (TS2025) and engaging local young people to be part of this spectacular event. Watch this video to find about more about the sailing experience!    
How do I apply?
In no more than 500 words, tell us about: Your passion for social media and storytelling. How you would promote TS2025 to local young people. Your experience of outdoor activities. Your experience of working as part of a team. Submit your application and up to two supporting documents or images to tallships@portofaberdeen.co.uk by noon on Sunday 28 April. The application process outcomes will be communicated by the end of May.
   
Am I eligible to apply?
To be eligible, you must:
Live in an AB postcode.
Be aged 18 to 24 in July 2024.
Have a valid passport inclusive of travel dates.
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DofE Live

DofE Live: Shaping Our Future- online events 8th-12th March 2021.

Instead of a single day conference in a venue, a week’s online exploration of “overcoming obstacles, creating opportunities” 

An opportunity for existing, new and potential DofE Leaders, education professionals (including headteachers) and CLD practitioners. In fact, anyone with an interest in helping young people be the best they can be.

Click on the link to be part of a fascinating, thoughtful and positive week  – https://live.dofe.org/ and starting following #DofELIVE on social media to find out more.

If you have any questions, please email Scotland@dofe.org or contact your Operations Officer.

RSPB Youth Council Volunteering Opportunity

RSPB is looking for volunteers ages 12 to 17 who would like to join their Youth Council

The Youth Council is an advisory committee comprised of 10 representatives of the RSPB’s teenage membership, that provides a youth perspective and a youth voice on projects and issues that the RSPB is working on. As a council member you’ll have the chance to make your ideas a reality; influence RSPB projects; speak publicly at a variety of events; hone your writing skills by contributing to Wingbeat magazine; get hands-on at RSPB conservation camps; and gain a host of CV-boosting skills along the way. If the idea of joining the Youth Council gets you excited, we’d love to hear from you. You don’t need any experience of campaigning or conservation to get involved in the council, just a love for nature.

What’s involved: We would like you to write your own 200 word manifestos, which will be reviewed and voted on by a youth judging panel.

Dates: Please send us your manifesto by 31 July 2020. For full details: www.rspb.org.uk/youthcouncil

RSPB

Volunteers’ Week

Messages from HRH The Earl of Wessex, among others!

A thank you message to DofE volunteers from HRH The Earl of Wessex. Aberdeenshire’s Lord Provost has also posted a thank you video. There’s also been a flurry of activity from some of our participants- see below and click for messages from Ona and Holly

Hi there, my name as Erin and I am former pupil of Meldrum Academy. In my 6th year I decided to undergo the Gold Duke of Edinburgh scheme which improved my self confidence and enhanced my character as a whole. This experience wouldn’t have been possible without the great help and support from the volnteers who worked alongside this programme. I would like to thank Penny, Duncan and all staff at Meldrum Academy who shared their time to help make my goal possible! Thank you!