Training Opportunities

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

The following courses have been arranged for the provision of BASP 1st Aid courses within Aberdeenshire Council:

21-22 July 2022 – Alford Community Campus

24-25 September 2022 – Huntly Nordic Centre – FULL

15-16 October 2022 – Alford Community Campus – spaces available

19-20 November 2022 – Alford Community Campus – spaces available

Cost: £150.00 per person for 2 day full course.

Lowhills Gateway course

  • 1 day course 11th September, in the hills around Glen Dye

The new Lowhills Gateway course is 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 the Lowhills Scheme but lack the hill experience & navigation skills to confidently accrue the required 20 days hill walking experience.  Topics covered include basic navigation, equipment & clothing, lightweight camping skills and emergency procedures

Cost: £85

To express an interest in the next series of Lowhills & Lowhills Update courses, please contact awards@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

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!

You can now do our Hi5 Award at Home

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The Hi5 Award at Home is an exciting SCQF level 2 award for young people that records and recognises wider achievement.  This could count towards your Skill section of the DofE Award.  Just make sure you update any change on your eDofE, your plans fulfil the DofE criteria and gain approval from your Leader or Coordinator.  Full details here

Quoich Bridge Replaced and Car Park Reopened

News from Mar Lodge Estate: Following floods in 2015 which changed the course of the Quoich, the replacement Allanaquoich Bridge has now been completed. The bridge is located 50m upstream from the site of the previous bridge. The car park is on the west side of the river as before. The bridge is for the use of walkers, cyclists and horses. Vehicle access is for estate use only