Safety is always paramount with Applied Expeditions Ltd and several standard operating policies are in force to maintain a safe system of training. It should be noted though that the expeditions are conducted in unfamiliar areas which at Gold will be classed as wild county or equivalent if travelling by open canoe. Our safe system of training ensures that the participants are as safe as possible without removing the unique quality of DofE Expeditions.
DofE Expeditions are designed to be tough and challenging. Participants might find themselves in challenging terrain, in poor weather or tired due to hard physical effort. Most participants may experience some discomfort during their expedition.
Approved Activity Provider
The DofE Head Office insists that all expedition providers are scrutinised before becoming Approved Activity Providers. This ensures that providers are working to the correct standard and that certain conditions are met. These conditions include AALA licence (when working with young people under the age of 18 in licensable terrain), insurance and a suitable programme to maintain the standards of the Award.
We at Applied Expeditions Ltd are proud to maintain the high standards of the Award and will continue to pass these standards onto our participants. All of our assessors have been accredited by the DofE Award and most of our supervisors have passed the Expedition Supervisors course.
Adventure Activities Licensing Authority
“The aim of adventure activities licensing is to provide assurances to the public about the safety of those activity providers who have been granted a licence. In this way it is expected that young people will be able to continue to enjoy exciting and stimulating activities outdoors without being exposed to avoidable risks of death or disabling injury.
A licence indicates that the provider has been inspected by the Adventure Activities Licensing Service on behalf of the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority, with particular attention being paid to their safety management systems with young people, and has been able to demonstrate compliance with nationally accepted standards of good practice in the delivery of adventure activities to young people, with due regard to the benefits and risks of the activity.”
Our Licence number is L11272/R1250. Applied Expeditions Ltd is registered with The Adventure Activities Licensing Service as licensed to provide specific activities under the following headings:
- Climbing
- Trekking
- Watersports
Licence details can be confirmed by calling The Licensing Service. Tel 029 2075 5715
Staff Qualifications
All the instructors at Applied Expeditions Ltd hold National Governing Body qualifications and are very experienced. For Bronze and Silver expeditions the minimum qualifications we use are Walking Group Leader WGL or Level 2 Coach. For Gold expeditions the minimum qualifications are Mountain Leader or Level 3 Coach.
All our assessors are accredited by the DofE and most of the staff have completed the Expedition Supervisors course.
Risk Assessments
All the activities at Applied Expeditions Ltd are risk assessed. The generic risk assessments are provided to schools in the teacher pack. Daily and dynamic risk assessments are carried out by the instructor/supervisor on the ground.
Site specific risk assessments will be prepared if there is anything out of the ordinary and not covered by the generic risk assessment at a venue.
First Aid
All of our instructors are qualified and current in First Aid as required by the National Governing Bodies.
All participants will be taught some First Aid and Emergency Actions as part of their expedition training. Participants are recommended to spend more time training for a First Aid qualification. This could be counted towards the Skills Section – further details are available at www.DofE.org
