Agree the activity
The student shares the proposed Bravory plan, goal, timescale and Assessor with their DofE Leader before starting.
Confidence and life skills
Build skills for your DofE. Keep them for life.
A structured way for young people to develop confidence, communication, resilience and self-leadership—with learning, action and evidence that can be adapted to support the Skills section of a Bronze or Silver DofE Award.
✓ Structured learning
✓ Regular practical action
✓ Progress evidence
✓ Skills beyond the Award
Please read this first
Designed to suit the requirements—not presented as officially approved
The young person must speak to their DofE Leader and gain approval before enrolling or recording Bravory as their Skills activity.
The DofE Skills section is about developing personal interests and practical or social skills, continuing to learn and improving over time. Bravory has been adapted around those principles, but the final decision about whether the activity is suitable—and what duration is required—belongs to the participant’s DofE Leader or Licensed Organisation.
Bravory is independently provided and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or currently registered as an Approved Activity Provider of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. DofE and The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award are trademarks of their respective owner. No DofE logo is used on this page.
How Bravory has been adapted
More than watching a six-week course
The original Bravory programme provides six weeks of core learning. A DofE-adapted route extends that learning into a regular, goal-led programme of practice and reflection for the participant’s agreed Skills timescale.
Learn the foundations
Complete the six-week Bravory learning journey covering belief, resilience, action, voice and evidence.
Practise regularly
Continue with planned confidence actions, personal challenges and reflection across the full approved period.
Show development
Use the journal and final reflection to demonstrate effort, perseverance, improvement and progress towards the goal.
The programme evidence
Built around learning, doing and showing progress
The adapted materials help the young person turn personal development into a clear programme their DofE Leader and Assessor can understand.
A personal goal
A challenging but achievable confidence or communication goal agreed at the beginning.
Regular activity
Planned learning and real-world practice, normally averaging around one hour a week across the approved period.
A progress journal
A record of activities, reflections, challenges, feedback and examples of how the skill is improving.
A final review
A structured summary that helps the participant discuss their growth and gives the Assessor useful evidence.
Bronze and Silver timescales
Which route could the young person need?
The exact period depends on the Award level and which section the participant chooses to complete for longer. Their DofE Leader must confirm the correct route.
Bronze Skills
13 or 26 weeksSkills is normally completed for at least 3 months/13 weeks. The participant must extend one of Volunteering, Physical or Skills to 6 months/26 weeks. If Skills is chosen as the extended section, the longer Bravory plan will be required.
Silver Skills
13 or 26 weeks*Physical and Skills are split between 3 months/13 weeks and 6 months/26 weeks. *A direct Silver entrant may need a longer section of 12 months/52 weeks if Skills is selected for the additional time. Confirm this before starting.
DofE timescales can be updated. Always check the participant’s current programme requirements with their DofE Leader and the official DofE website.
The BRAVE Method
Five connected life skills
Each young person can choose a specific goal while developing a broader set of skills they can use at school, at home and in the next stage of life.
BeliefUnderstand strengths and challenge unhelpful self-talk.
ResilienceRespond to setbacks and keep moving forward.
ActionTake manageable brave steps instead of waiting.
VoiceCommunicate clearly, speak up and ask for help.
EvidenceNotice progress and build trust in personal ability.
Who needs to know what?
Clear information for everyone involved
For the young person
You will choose something specific you want to improve, complete regular activities, try your skills in real situations and keep honest evidence of your progress. You do not have to become the loudest person in the room—you are learning to trust yourself and take action.
For parents and carers
Bravory gives your young person structure without asking you to become their Assessor. You can encourage consistency and celebrate progress, while an eligible independent adult reviews their development. For under-18s, the usual Bravory parental consent arrangements apply.
For teachers and DofE Leaders
The proposed plan makes the activity, personal goal, timescale, regular practice and evidence clear. You retain responsibility for approving suitability under your organisation’s DofE arrangements and can request adjustments before the young person begins.
Experience behind the programme
Meet Bravory founder Adrian Close
Adrian Close has volunteered as a DofE Supervisor and Instructor for more than 12 years, supporting young people as they face challenges, take responsibility and discover what they are capable of.
He is also an experienced leadership and management training consultant with Ultimate Leadership Training. Adrian launched Bravory with the ambition of making a dent in society by helping young people develop the confidence and practical life skills that can shape their future.
Drawing on his experience of youth development, leadership training and the outdoors, Adrian recently launched these extended, DofE-adapted versions of Bravory. They give young people enough structure, continued practice and evidence-building activity to propose the programme for their Bronze or Silver Skills section, subject to their DofE Leader’s approval.
12+ yearsVolunteering as a DofE Supervisor and Instructor
Real expedition experienceCompleted the Tour du Mont Blanc and climbed Kilimanjaro
Adrian is a highly experienced mountain hiker who understands that worthwhile progress rarely comes in one giant leap. Whether completing the Tour du Mont Blanc, climbing Kilimanjaro or helping a young person find their voice, his approach is the same: set a meaningful goal, take one manageable step at a time and build evidence that you can keep going.
Three levels of support
Choose how much guidance feels right
All three routes develop the same core skills. The difference is how independently the young person works and how much personal support they receive from Bravory.
Bronze Bravory routes
Use the 13- or 26-week plan approved by the DofE LeaderBronze Essentials
Independent journey
£79
One-off programme price
- Six-week core confidence programme
- 30-Day Confidence Challenge
- Bronze continuation activity plan
- Confidence and DofE evidence journal
- Goal-setting and final reflection tools
- Best for a motivated self-guided learner
Bronze Supported
Guidance and accountability
£149
One-off programme price
- Everything in Bronze Essentials
- Welcome and orientation support
- Regular group Q&A opportunities
- Encouragement through the challenge
- End-of-programme reflection support
- Certificate of Bravory completion
Bronze Plus
Personal one-to-one support
£299
Add the confirmed Plus price
- Everything in Bronze Supported
- Private welcome planning session
- Personal confidence baseline
- Individual action and development plan
- Private progress and review sessions
- Personalised future growth plan
Silver Bravory routes
Use the 13-, 26- or, where applicable, 52-week plan approved by the DofE LeaderSilver Essentials
Independent journey
£79
One-off programme price
- Six-week core confidence programme
- 30-Day Confidence Challenge
- Silver continuation activity plan
- Confidence and DofE evidence journal
- Goal-setting and final reflection tools
- Best for a motivated self-guided learner
Silver Supported
Guidance and accountability
£149
One-off programme price
- Everything in Silver Essentials
- Welcome and orientation support
- Regular group Q&A opportunities
- Encouragement through the challenge
- End-of-programme reflection support
- Certificate of Bravory completion
Silver Plus
Personal one-to-one support
£299
Add the confirmed Plus price
- Everything in Silver Supported
- Private welcome planning session
- Personal confidence baseline
- Individual action and development plan
- Private progress and review sessions
- Personalised future growth plan
The Assessor
Who can assess the Skills section?
The Assessor looks at the young person’s progress and decides whether the agreed section requirements have been met. This could be a teacher, DofE Leader or another suitable supervisor—but the person must meet the DofE rules.
- They must be over 18.
- They must be independent and not a family member.
- They should understand the chosen activity and goal.
- They need to be available across the activity period.
- They should be able to comment on effort, perseverance, improvement and progress.
The bigger return
This is not just about completing a DofE section
Award evidence is valuable. The deeper return is a young person who has practised speaking up, making decisions, responding to setbacks and taking action when something feels uncomfortable.
Education helps prepare young people for exams. Confidence helps prepare them for life.
At school
Ask questions, contribute ideas and handle pressure.
Ask questions, contribute ideas and handle pressure.
With people
Communicate, make connections and set boundaries.
Communicate, make connections and set boundaries.
At the next step
Approach college, apprenticeships and interviews with more belief.
Approach college, apprenticeships and interviews with more belief.
For the future
Use resilience, self-awareness and initiative long after the Award.
Use resilience, self-awareness and initiative long after the Award.
Frequently asked questions
Questions from students, parents and schools
Is Bravory officially DofE approved?
No. Bravory is an independent confidence and personal-development programme and is not currently a DofE Approved Activity Provider. It has been adapted so a young person can propose it as a Skills activity, but their DofE Leader must approve it before they start.
Does the original six-week Bravory course meet the full timescale?
Not by itself. Bronze and Silver Skills sections normally require at least 13 weeks, with some participants needing 26 weeks and some direct Silver entrants potentially needing 52 weeks if Skills is selected for their additional time. The DofE-adapted version combines the six-week core with continued skill practice, evidence and reflection for the agreed period.
How much time should a participant spend each week?
Official guidance says participants need to work on each section for an average of about one hour a week. The precise pattern and any permitted condensed activity should be agreed with the DofE Leader. Bravory mixes short learning, practical action and reflection rather than asking a young person to sit in front of a screen for an hour.
What could a young person choose as their goal?
Examples include becoming more confident when speaking in groups, communicating more clearly, making decisions with less overthinking, recovering more constructively from setbacks or developing self-leadership. The goal should be personal, measurable enough to show development and agreed with the DofE Leader.
Can a parent be the Assessor?
No. DofE guidance says the Assessor must be independent and not a family member. A suitable teacher, DofE Leader, supervisor, coach or other adult may be able to take the role if they are over 18, understand the activity and can follow progress over time.
Is Bravory therapy or mental-health treatment?
No. Bravory is confidence and personal-development training, not therapy and not a replacement for professional mental-health or safeguarding support. If a young person is experiencing significant anxiety, depression, self-harm thoughts, bullying or another safeguarding concern, contact the school safeguarding lead, GP or an appropriately qualified professional.
Can a school use Bravory with several DofE students?
Yes, please contact Adrian to discuss a school or group arrangement. Each participant should still have an individual goal, approved activity plan, regular participation evidence and an eligible Assessor.
The first step
Speak to the DofE Leader before choosing a route
Share this page, confirm whether Bravory is suitable for the young person’s Skills section, agree the goal and required timescale, then choose the level of support that suits them best.
