Not all learning happens in the classroom. We are equipping young Americans for life.
AWARDÂ PROGRAM
The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award is the world’s leading youth achievement award, equipping young people for life. The Award is available for all young people aged 14 to 24, regardless of their background, culture, physical ability, skills, and interests. It is a fully inclusive program and has no social, political, or religious affiliations.
How is an Award achieved?
The Award is a program of activities. Each young person who takes part in the Award learns a skill, improves their physical fitness, volunteers in their community, and experiences a team adventure in a new environment. Success in the Award is measured by regular participation over a fixed period of time while showing commitment and progress in each activity. All participants are supported by a network of adult mentors called Award Leaders, Assessors, and Coordinators.
The key elements of our program:
Age Open to all between the ages of 14 and 24.
Three Levels Bronze, Silver, and Gold, each progressively more challenging.
Four Sections Physical Recreation, Skills, Voluntary Service, Adventurous Journey, plus Gold Project (Gold Level only).
Impact Achieving an Award recognizes individual goal setting and self-improvement through persistence and achievement.
The fundamentals of the Award
Requires regular participation in activities to meet the time requirements of each Award Section and Level.
Focuses on capacity building by encouraging all young people to make independent decisions and to negotiate priorities through participation.
Provides a framework that works with all young people including those at risk, marginalized, in regional and remote communities, and with disabilities.
Assists with the provision of social infrastructure in the community and draws together and connects people, institutions, and generations with the common purpose of youth development and inclusion.
The Award Framework
The Award is comprised of three levels and four sections. Participants complete all four Sections at each level in order to achieve either their Bronze, Silver or Gold Award. At Gold level, Participants also complete a Residential Project.
Service
The Service Section encourages young people to volunteer their time to understand the benefits of service to their community.
Averaging at least one hour per week each. Plus an extra 3 months in one of either Service, Skills, or Physical Recreation sections as the ‘Major’ section.
2 days/1 night
Plus training and at least one practice journey.
N/A GOLD AWARD ONLY
Silver
For those 15 years of age or older.
6 Months
Averaging at least one hour per week each. Plus an extra 6 months in one of either Service, Skills, or Physical Recreation sections as the ‘Major’ section if Bronze Award not previously completed.
3 days/2 nights
Plus training and at least one practice journey.
N/A GOLD AWARD ONLY
Gold
For those 16 years of age or older.
12 Months
Averaging at least one hour per week each. Plus an extra 12 months in one of either Service, Skills, or Physical Recreation sections as the ‘Major’ section if Silver Award not previously completed.
4 days/3 nights
Plus training and at least one practice journey.
5 days/4 nights
Three Levels
Bronze
For those 14 years of age or older.
Silver
For those 15 years of age or older.
Gold
For those 16 years of age or older.
The Sections
There are four Sections of activities for all Award levels, plus a Residential Project for the Gold Award only:
Service
The Service Section encourages young people to volunteer their time to understand the benefits of service to their community.
Participants are required to volunteer for community service over a set period of time that enables them to experience the benefits that their service provides to others and the benefits to their own well-being that is found in providing service.
Examples of Service:
Visiting and supporting people in need, such as the elderly, or disabled
Volunteering at a hospital or local care home
Sports coaching
Helping with a local charity
Teaching or tutoring
Skills
Providing the opportunity for a Participant to either improve on an existing skill or to try something new, the Skills Section requires a commitment over time to progress a skill. Participants experience a sense of achievement and well-being, and possibly improved employability through the development of life and vocational skills.
Examples of Skills:
Music – singing, learning to play an instrument
Arts and crafts – ceramics, embroidery, drawing, photography
Nature and the environment – agriculture, astronomy, fishing, gardening
Communication – film and video, languages, public speaking, journalism
Physical Recreation
Encouraging healthy behavior has benefits, not only for Participants but also for their communities, whether through improved health, or active participation in team activities. This Section specifically aims to improve the health, team skills, self-esteem and confidence of Participants.
Water sports – surfing, canoeing, kayaking, swimming, polo, diving, rowing
Martial arts – karate, judo, kickboxing, boxing, taekwondo, kendo
Animal sports – horse riding, polo
Other Activities including dancing, gymnastics, cycling
Adventurous Journey
The Adventurous Journey can be an exploration or an expedition, but must be a challenge. The Adventurous Journey provides Participants with the opportunity to learn more about the wider environment, as well as to develop their self-confidence, team work and health. Participants are taken out of their comfort zone through journeying through in an unfamiliar environment but are suitably trained and supervised to remain safe and secure.
Examples of Adventurous Journeys:
Exploring the natural world: flora, fauna, erosion, geology, coastal studies
Exploring river valleys, plant studies, exploring human impact: visitors in national parks
Completing a demanding journey by foot, cycle, canoe or kayak
Kayaking the entire navigable stretch of a river
Climbing mountainous peaks
Cycling from one part of a state to another
Two Types of Adventurous Journeys
Expeditions A journey with a purpose
Explorations A purpose with a journey
Gold Project
The Gold Project, only required at the Gold Level, gives Participants the chance to work with people from different backgrounds and build confidence living in new environments. Participants choose a unique project in a residential setting that does not include their everyday peer group.
Examples of Gold Projects:
White water rafting through mountains
Taking part in historical reenactment
Building new hiking trails in a national park
Being a leader at a children’s camp
Learning a new language at a foreign language immersion camp