Growth Through Challenge: lessons from a DofE expedition

I’ve just spent three days in the Peak District assessing students from Fernwood School on their Duke of Edinburgh Silver qualifying expedition.

Me and my fellow assessors at a rather wet Edale campsite!

It was a great few days but not without its challenges.

The students had to contend with some pretty testing conditions, including a particularly wet second night camping near Edale. Not the easiest environment, especially when you’re carrying everything on your back and trying to stay organised, fed and motivated.

But what stood out, as it always does with DofE, was how they responded. What you see when things get tough. Over the course of the expedition, the students demonstrated real resilience.

There was strong teamwork, solid navigation, good campcraft, and plenty of determination. Even cooking on a basic Trangia stove, never as straightforward as it looks, became part of the experience. One team in particular stood out in the way they approached their catering. They planned well, worked together, and ended up eating far better than you might expect on an expedition like this.

It’s often the small things that reveal the most.

Unlocking potential

What I find most powerful about the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme is how effectively it unlocks potential in young people. Put them in a challenging environment, just outside their comfort zone, and something shifts.

Confidence grows.

Problem-solving improves.

Teamwork becomes real rather than theoretical.

And perhaps most importantly, they start to realise what they’re capable of. We probably underestimate young people more than we should. Give them the right environment, the right level of challenge, and the right support and they will often surprise you.

A familiar leadership lesson

It’s something I talk about a lot in leadership more generally.

Growth rarely happens when things are easy. It happens when people are stretched. Supported, but challenged.

Too much comfort, and there’s no development.

Too much pressure, and people can become overwhelmed.

The art is in finding that balance.

DofE gets that balance right.

Why it matters

Experiences like this don’t just build expedition skills.

They build confidence, resilience, independence and self-belief—qualities that will stay with these young people long after the expedition is over.

And that’s why programmes like DofE matter.

They give young people the opportunity to step outside their normal environment, take responsibility, and discover what they’re capable of.

Final thoughts

Huge congratulations to all the Fernwood students on completing their Silver expedition.

Three days in challenging conditions, working as a team, navigating, camping and looking after themselves, that’s no small achievement.

And a great reminder, for all of us, that growth comes through challenge.