Adventure starts here with Havant ODC

Havant ODC: an official Open DofE Centre.

Young people on a DofE expedition, hiking with backpacks
Youth Without Limits:Energetic, celebratory, can-do — DofE for every young person.
Young people kayaking
Group camping in the woods
Climbing an outdoor rock face
Friends laughing on an expedition

Why Havant ODC

Real challenge, real friendship, real achievement

As an official Open DofE Centre under Hampshire County Council, we support young people through every stage of their Award.

Expedition training & supervision

Qualified leaders plan and supervise practice and assessed expeditions, on foot or by other approved modes.

Open to any young person

As an Open Centre, you don't need to be at a specific school or youth group to take part — DofE for anyone in the area.

Bronze, Silver & Gold

Support at every level, from a first Bronze expedition through to a Gold residential.

Skills & physical sections

Guidance and signposting for the Skills, Physical and Volunteering sections of the Award.

Safety first

Risk-assessed activities and DofE-approved leadership, so parents and participants can trust the process.

Licensed under Hampshire County Council

Havant ODC operates under Hampshire County Council's DofE Licensed Organisation.

Your DofE journey with Havant ODC

Bronze: fun with friends

An accessible first step — build confidence with a supported first expedition.

Silver: a bigger challenge

More independence and a longer expedition, building on what you learned at Bronze.

Gold: going further

The top tier of the Award — a residential, an extended expedition, and real depth of achievement.

Achieve!

Young person reaching a summit

Expeditions

What a Havant ODC expedition looks like

Built for young people

Every route, every risk assessment, every session is designed around participants' safety and growth.

Practice, then assessment

Every group builds up through supervised practice before their assessed expedition.

Small, supported teams

Groups are kept small so every participant gets real leadership experience.

Local routes, real countryside

Routes make the most of the South Downs and the wider Hampshire countryside.

What participants say

" Doing my Bronze expedition with Havant ODC was the first time I'd properly navigated for myself — it was terrifying and brilliant. "


Placeholder participant

Bronze Award, 2026

" The leaders made sure everyone felt properly prepared before we set off. I went on to do my Silver the next year. "


Placeholder participant

Silver Award, 2026

News from Havant ODC

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Updates on upcoming expeditions, training dates and DofE news.

AstroWind template in depth

AstroWind template in depth

While easy to get started, Astrowind is quite complex internally. This page provides documentation on some of the more intricate parts.

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about doing your DofE Award with Havant ODC.

What is an Open DofE Centre?

An Open Centre lets young people take part in DofE even if their school or youth group doesn't run it themselves — you register directly with us.

How do I sign up?

Get in touch via the contact page and we'll talk you through registering and choosing an Award level.

Do I need experience to start?

No — Bronze is designed as an accessible first step, and we run practice sessions before any assessed expedition.

Who runs Havant ODC?

Havant ODC is an official Open DofE Centre operating under Hampshire County Council's DofE Licensed Organisation.

Ready to start your DofE Award?

Get in touch with Havant ODC to register or ask a question.