D of E Gold Expedition Competencies

 

Team Building

Leadership   Develops team members' inherent strengths and commits them to the group
Tolerance
Able to put aside differences for the period of the exercise
Cooperation  
Willing to compromise personal positions to achieve the group objective
Organisation  
Able to identify efficient and effective ways of deploying group resources
Facilitation 
Quickly identifies and helps members to overcome obstacles to progress
Commitment
  Demonstrates complete commitment to the group objective

  Awareness of risk and health & safety procedures      

Terrain
Able to describe nature of terrain
Identifies risks posed by terrain and how to reduce them
Clothing     
 Selects items appropriate to the exercise and conditions.
Uses them correctly.
Fitness 
Carries a quarter of  body weight over rough terrain for 20Km per day
Route cards Knows why people need his plan.

Creates usable tracings.

Ensures Route Card is complete and legible.

Stays on planned route, regardless of delays

Camps 'wild' if benighted, rises early to reach camp site at planned start time

Weather   
  Obtains, interprets and acts upon forecasts

Proficiency in mode of travel (walking)

Routefinding Selects the optimal route. 
Hazards 
Positions self/team to minimise hazards (including road safety).
Comfort
Checks condition of feet, shoulders, etc. and applies appropriate treatment
Keeping together 
Stays within 5m of navigator.
Watches for and rounds up 'singletons'.

First aid and emergency procedures

Accidents/Emergencies Takes appropriate action to deal with the incident
Fetching help
Gets the appropriate help in a safe and efficient manner
Basic First Aid  
Carries kit to treat these ailments assuming a 4 hour response.
Treatment 
  Applies appropriate treatment as specified in handbook, for:

Blisters                    

Foreign bodies in eye, nose and ear

Recognition of sprains, dislocations and fractures

Stopping bleeding

Heat exhaustion

Hypothermia

Treatment for shock

Resuscitation

Cuts

Abrasions

Minor burns and scalds

Headaches

Insect bites

Sunburn

Splinters

Country, highway and other relevant codes

Country Code 
Can recite key words.
Minimises impact on environment, property and living conditions.
Highway Code
Can recite relevant information (Pages 3-9)
Acts in a safe manner when on/near roads.

Observation, recording and purpose

Planning  
Decides on and researches purpose in advance.
Defines necessary observations.
Devises efficient recording process.
Observing  
Looks out for relevant info throughout exped.
Recording
Makes and retains a record of all observations.
Analysis Manipulates records to support purpose report.

Navigation and Route Planning           

Preparatory Map Skills

Nature of maps Describes as a scale model.
Map direction 
Can define Grid, True, Magnetic North
Scale, distance, time
Applies scale and Naismith.
Conventional signs 
Knows them and/or where to check them.
Marginal information
Knows survey date and adjoining sheets.
Grid references
Derives and applies them correctly.
Contours and gradients
Identifies intervals, steepness, spurs/valleys.
Routes 
Accurately describes terrain of route.
Features 
Identifies point and line features from map.

Compass Skills

Cardinal/inter-cardinal Can recite/identify position between.
Measuring direction  
Gives bearings/reciprocals in degrees.
Setting the map
Can orientate the map by compass
Magnetic variation Understands and can apply.
Taking bearings
Keeps compass to hand and uses to give 'sense checks'
Can extract bearing from map or terrain.
Applying bearings Can correct for use on terrain or map.
Walking on bearings Uses 'distant' objects and leap frogging effectively
Care
Protects from physical damage and magnetic interference.

  Practical Map Skills   

Setting the map (1)
Aligns map with point features.
Setting the map (2)  
Aligns the map with line feature(s).
Directions from map   Uses set map to identify general directions and line of route.
Position Uses features to estimate position

Routes

Planning 
Understands general nature of area.
Understands Scheme requirements
Has defined a purpose.
Climbs early, minimises climbing
Optimises underfoot conditions.
Wherever possible selects unambiguous features as checkpoints.
Identifies: 'handrails', 'aiming off' situations, 'attack points', 'collecting features'
Plans for foul weather and emergency escapes.
Produces usable tracing.
Transfers information legibly to Route Card
Following a route
Assesses each leg before starting (direction, terrain, distance, time)
Uses: 'handrails', 'aiming off', 'attack points', 'collecting features'
Ticks off features
Reviews each leg at end.

Camp Craft, Equipment and Hygiene

Selection of kit
Kit is sufficiently robust and light.
Care 
 Keeps kit clean and in good repair.
 Uses bivi-bag under tent.
Pitches and packs tent to minimise creasing and spread of dirt.
Packing rucsacs 
Uses robust waterproof liner.
Optimises weight distribution.
Keeps waterproofs, water, food accessible.
Selection of campsites 
Avoids overhangs (trees, rocks) and visibility (yobs).
Seeks shelter from prevailing wind.
Seeks level site with smooth surface and good grip for pegs
Seeks a source of water and conditions for hygienic disposal of waste.
Hygiene Washes up after meal (not before next one)
Digs 'wet pit' and carries solid rubbish
Washes face, hands, feet and teeth daily.
Selects 'uncampable' place for latrine, cuts turf, and buries 20cm deep.

Food and cooking

Food  
Understands merits and demerits of dehydrates.
Plans menu to: provide required energy, maximise carbohydrates, 
minimise weight, optimise use of Trangia, minimise washing up.
Cooking     
Prepares food as per instructions
Regulates burner to adjust heat/conserve fuel
Removes burner to top up fuel.

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