The Award Sections:
Residential

"The aim of this part of the award is "to broaden young people's experience through involvement with others in a residential setting".*

Spending four consecutive nights and five days away is a great time to experience new challenges in a new environment, it is up to you what sort of thing you want to do on your project, some people choose to do conservation work, others choose to care for people, and some prefer to help at camps or hostels for children, as examples. Choosing where you complete this section is up to you, some people like to go abroad, other to stay within the UK, all you have to remember is that the work must be unpaid and you must fund yourself so if you do choose to do something in an exotic location, you may have a little fund-raising to do! There are a few suggestions on our opportunities page if you are not sure what to do for this section. Once you are on your residential project, you will be assessed on how well you interact with others, your personal standards, ability to take on responsibility and general progress.

Although the idea of being away from home for a week may seem daunting to some, you soon forget any anxieties when you arrive because there is plenty to do, and don't forget - you choose what you are doing! It is a chance to build new relationships, work as part of a team working towards shared goals, show initiative and develop communication skills.

*Quotation and section benefits from The Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award entrance pack.

Case Study - Laura Calaby

I went to Sheringham Youth Hostel to complete the Residential Section of my Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award on the 12th August, staying there for 5 days. I went with my friend Lucia and we both thoroughly enjoyed our time there. The team were lovely and we both got on with them really well, hoping to stay in touch with a few of them. We met and worked with people of different backgrounds and lifestyles to us. The people there came from not only across the county but from across the world. I worked on many occasions with a young girl from Sweden who had come to England to improve her English. I enjoyed working with her and even helped her learn some English, which I found a privilege to do. There also was a young man from South Africa who both Lucia and I enjoyed working with both in the kitchen and around the hostel.

The work involved working split shifts. We had a few days working a breakfast shift which involved working in the kitchen doing things such as serving food, helping to cook and prepare food, washing up and cleaning the kitchen and dining area. We then went on to do housekeeping which involved cleaning the rooms within the hostel and the toilets and showers around the hostel. We worked with someone called Katie who we both found a pleasure to work with; she taught us what to do for each room and how to clean the showers and toilets correctly. I was grateful for this as I’d never cleaned a toilet or a shower in my life until then! It was fun to work together with her and also with other members of staff doing this.

We also had an evening shift which involved preparing breakfast for the morning and then setting up the dining room for the evening. Then, when guests started to arrive, we had the task of helping to cook food, washing up, serving food, looking after guests and clearing tables. We also were required to clean the kitchen once the dining room was closed. During my evening shifts I leant many skills in cooking. The chefs showed me how to correctly use the different knives in the kitchen and I was shown how to make things such as garlic butter and apple crumble.

I really enjoyed the week we spent at the hostel and I speak on behalf of me and Lucia. It was a lot more enjoyable than we both thought it would be, mainly because the staff were such a pleasure to work with. It was valuable experience and one never to be forgotten and I have no regrets on choosing Sheringham Youth Hostel to complete the Residential Section of my D of E Award. I would recommend it to others doing the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award or to anyone else wanting to volunteer for any other reason.