Completing your Gold DofE Award around the world!
Volunteer Experiences / 09 September 2024
Here at Pod Volunteer, we have teamed up with the Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Award to offer people doing their Gold Award the opportunity to complete their Residential placement whilst volunteering on one of our trips around the world! Pod Volunteer is an Approved Activity Provider (AAP) for the Gold DofE Award. Lots of people choose to complete their Gold Residential DofE Award whilst at a Pod Volunteer project.
How old do I have to be to join a trip?
To join a Pod Volunteer trip you need to be 16 years or older. We run a special Turtle and Marine Conservation project in Greece each summer which is for 16-17 year olds.
If you are 17 years old you can join our Turtle and Wildlife Conservation in Costa Rica, Elephant Care and Research in South Africa, Elephant and Wildlife Conservation in Sri Lanka or Big 5 Conservation in South Africa. If you are 18 years old then you can join many of our projects in Belize, Costa Rica, Greece, Namibia, Peru, Sri Lanka, South Africa or Thailand!
How long do I have to join the project for to gain my Gold Residential?
“A 'residential' for Gold DofE means a programme that spends 5 days and 4 nights away from home on a shared activity with people that you have never met before.” Therefore all of our projects meet these requirements since you can volunteer for either 1 week, 10 days or 2 weeks + at the different Pod placements abroad.
How can I join a Pod Volunteer trip for my DofE Gold Residential?
Simply choose from one of our DofE approved placements and tick DofE on your booking form. We will be here to help you plan your trip step by step and will complete your online assessor report once you have completed your volunteer trip.
Hear stories and experience from some of our volunteers who have completed their Gold DofE Residential Award with us this summer:
Harry joined our Big 5 Conservation project in South Africa
“Throughout the past 9 months since I booked my recent trip to South Africa with Pod Volunteer they have been nothing but amazing. There was constant communication from Pod to us with good information about the trip, and if we ever asked something, responses were very quick, typically in the same day. When I eventually got close to going on the trip, again communication was great telling me exactly what I needed to do when I got there. The trip itself was incredible, with everyone there being very helpful, and all activities being very well organised and ran by some amazing people who obviously knew what they were doing and how to run the projects properly and effectively, while still providing an entertainment factor. It was also nice that us volunteers were listened to when we asked for food items we needed or when we were planning activities for the weekends. The accommodation I stayed in while there was also great, being very well kept by a group of cleaners, and having some nice places around to chill out or bond with fellow volunteers. Finally, the journey back was again very well organised and communication afterwards has been excellent again. I will certainly be using Pod for more trips in the future, and have and will continue to recommend them to others.”
Kyla joined our Under 18 Turtle and Marine Conservation trip to Greece
“I recently had an amazing experience volunteering for the Turtle Conservation Trip in Kefalonia, Greece, organized by Pod Volunteer. The opportunity to contribute to the conservation efforts for loggerhead sea turtles was truly inspiring. The team at Pod Volunteer provided exceptional support and guidance throughout the trip, ensuring that every volunteer felt prepared and valued. Our days were spent monitoring nesting sites, learning about the turtles' behavior, and assisting with beach clean-ups, all of which provided valuable insights into marine conservation. The accommodations and facilities were comfortable, and the local cuisine was a delightful addition to the experience. I highly recommend this trip to anyone passionate about wildlife and conservation, as it offers a meaningful way to make a positive impact while exploring the beautiful island of Kefalonia.”
Myles joined our Amazon Conservation project in Peru
“Had an amazing, once in a lifetime trip out in the Amazon doing a conservation volunteering course. Was with a great group and staff were all amazing, would really recommend!”
August joined our Horse Rehabilitation project in South Africa
“I had SUCH an amazing time volunteering with Georgie, Penny, all their extended family, and also the amazing horses! I will definitely be returning next year and I was so gutted to leave. The love that these guys have for their horses is so evident in their actions and thoughts, and I have never felt welcomed as quickly as I did in their house. Horses are everything to them, and I would so recommend volunteering with Georgie and Penny if horses are your thing! POD volunteer we’re just an email away the whole time and we’re so quick to reply and very helpful, particularly Alex! Thank you everyone who helped to make my time as enjoyable as it was, I was so gutted to leave!”
Matthew joined our Turtle and Wildlife Conservation project in Costa Rica
“I had an amazing time at the Turtle and Wildlife project in Costa Rica. I really enjoyed helping out with all the wildlife tasks. The people there were very friendly and everything was well organised.”
