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Duke of Edinburgh's Award voyages
Many people sail in John Laing as part of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme - especially for the Gold Award Residential Project.
A voyage in John Laing allows you to cover all the essential areas for your Residential Project, all conducted within a relaxed, informal environment. You will learn a great deal - but you will also have a fantastic time!
Doing your Residential Project on board a voyage in John Laing will give you the opportunity to:
- meet new people
- experience an unfamiliar environment
- build new relationships and show concern for others
- work as part of a team towards shared goals
- accept responsibility for self and others
- develop communication skills
- show initiative
- enjoy living and working with others
All OYT South voyages lasting at least four nights are suitable for your Residential Project, but most of our Duke of Edinburgh Award participants prefer to choose one of our more ambitious voyages. Look for voyages of four nights or longer on the 2012 voyage programme.
At the start of the voyage, you should tell the skipper or first mate that you want to use the voyage as your Residential Project. They can then watch your progress during the voyage and ensure that you are given every opportunity to show what you can do to achieve a really positive report in your Record Book at the end of the voyage.
Award guidelines say that you should be assessed on:
- personal standards
- relationships with others
- responsibility
- initiative
- development of skills
- knowledge and general progress
Please note that a Duke of Edinburgh's Gold Award is not something you can simply pay for. Very occasionally we have had young people on board who believe that "I have paid for the voyage, therefore you have to sign my residential". OYT South reserves the right not to complete the Record Book for a crew member who does not put in a certain amount of energy, enthusiasm, commitment and co-operation. Any young person who is in danger of falling into this category should receive a debrief midway through the voyage while there is still time to turn things round. Keen Duke of Edinburgh Award participants have nothing to fear - we simply don't wish to devalue your achievement by signing off people who haven't put in anything like as much effort as most participants normally do!
Want to sail but can't afford it? - Further help with funding
How to book a voyage
2012 voyage programme
Booking form (pdf) - print out, complete and return
