AWARD 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:

1. Age Open to all between the ages of 14 and 24.
2. Three Levels Bronze, Silver, and Gold, each progressively more challenging.
3. Four Sections Physical Recreation, Skills, Voluntary Service, Adventurous Journey, plus Gold Project (Gold Level only).
4. 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.

Voluntary Service

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
• Sports-related – sports officiating, umpiring/refereeing, maintenance
• 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.

Examples of Physical Recreation:

• Ball sports – football, soccer, volleyball, basketball, baseball, golf, tennis
• Athletics – running, jumping, throwing, triathlon, decathlon
• 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

1. Expeditions A journey with a purpose
2. 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
• Attending a conference as a youth representative