THE AWARD’S WHY HAS THE AWARD BEEN

SO SUCCESSFUL?
MEMBER
DEVELOPMENT COUNTRIES
The Award continues to meet Antigua & Barbuda
FROM A SMALL BEGINNING the needs of young people Australia
TO RAPID GROWTH because it is: Bahamas
Barbados
The Award started in Britain in AVAILABLE TO ALL Belgium
1956 as The Duke of Any young person can take part Benin
Edinburgh’s Award. Today, regardless of gender, culture, Bermuda
over 120 countries run the religion, political affiliation, or Cameroon
mental or physical ability. Canada
Award under a number of
Cayman Islands
different titles. Comores
NON-COMPETITIVE
Individual improvement and Côte d’Ivoire
THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S achievement are the main Czech Republic
Dominica
AWARD INTERNATIONAL criteria for gaining an Award.
Falkland Islands
ASSOCIATION VOLUNTARY Fiji
Finland
The International Association, The Award is run by
Gabon
formed in 1988, is responsible volunteers, for young people
The Gambia
for the co-ordination and who choose to participate. Germany
development of the Award Ghana
FLEXIBLE
worldwide and meets in full Gibraltar
The Award’s international Grenada
Forum every three years. success is due to its Guinea
HRH The Duke of Edinburgh is adaptability to different Guyana
The Founder and HRH The countries, environments and Hong Kong
Earl of Wessex is an cultures. Each young person India
International Trustee and chooses which activities to Ireland
Chairman of the International pursue under each of the four Israel
Council, the Association’s Jamaica
Sections. His or her Award
decision-making body. Jordan
Programme is therefore Kenya
The International Secretariat, unique, reflecting the Lesotho
based in London, is responsible individual’s particular interests. Luxembourg
for maintaining the Association’s Macau
A PROGRAMME OF ACTIVITIES Madagascar
Mission Statement which is to: The Award is not an Malaysia
Promote the International organisation and there is no Malta
uniform. Any organisation that Mauritius
Award for Young People.
works to develop young Montserrat
Provide the Programme people can use the Award to The Netherlands
develop their work. New Zealand
worldwide, through appropriate
Nigeria
international, national and local Pakistan
organisations, to as many A BALANCED PROGRAMME
The four Sections provide a Portugal
young people as possible Russia
between the ages of 14 and 25. framework to encourage
St Helena and Dependencies
physical activity, mental St Lucia
Preserve the quality of the challenge, individual St Vincent
experience for young people by perseverance, teamwork and Senegal
assuring appropriate standards new experiences. Seychelles
of Award management. Sierra Leone
ENJOYABLE Singapore
The Award is fun - not just for South Africa
FUNDING young people, but for Sri Lanka
everyone involved in it! Swaziland
The International Award Trinidad and Tobago
Association relies on private Togo
donations and corporate Turkey
support to fund its activities. Uganda
United Kingdom

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT YOUR NAA,

OR THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION

Award House, 7-11 St Matthew Street, London SW1P 2JT

Tel: +44 (0)20 7222 4242 • Fax: +44 (0)20 7222 4141 • sect@intaward.org • www.intaward.org

Registered Charity in the UK, Number 1072453 • Company Limited by Guarantee, Number 3666389
 THE
THE DUKE OF
EDINBURGH’S
AWARD
INTERNATIONAL
ASSOCIATION
 CHALLENGING
YO U N G P E O P L E
E V E RY W H E R E
THE AWARD
The International Award
is an exciting self-
development Programme
available to all young
people worldwide
equipping them with life
skills to make a
difference to themselves,
their communities and
the world. To date, over
6 million young people
from over 120 countries
have been motivated to
undertake a variety of
voluntary and
challenging activities
which encourage:
- personal discovery and
growth;
- life skills;
- perseverance;
- responsibility; and
- service to the community.
HOW TO GET
INVOLVED
HOW IS THE AWARD
OPERATED?
The Award is operated by a
National Award Authority (NAA),
and any institution or
organisation concerned with
young people may apply to run
the Programme. Schools,
youth organisations and clubs,
companies, sports clubs, young
offender institutions and other
agencies all make use of the
Award to provide a balanced
programme of activities.
If there is no NAA in a country
then an organisation can apply
to run the Award as an
Independent Operator.
THE AWARD’S
STRUCTURE AND
PROGRAMME
THE STRUCTURE
There are three attainment levels:
BRONZE, for those over 14. The
minimum period of participation
to gain this Award is six months;
SILVER, for those over 15. The
minimum period of participation
to gain this Award is 12 months;
SERVICE
GOLD, for those over 16. The
Aim: to learn how to give useful
minimum period of participation
service to others through:
to gain this Award is 18 months.
• community service projects;
Each level is completely separate
from the others. Young people • conservation work;
can choose to join the
Programme at the level which • voluntary service in hospitals
best suits them, with each or community homes; and
successive level demanding
• more specialised training such
increased commitment and
as lifesaving, first aid or rescue
determination.
services.
The emphasis of this Section is
THE PROGRAMME on the regular giving of service.
There are four Sections. To gain
an Award, all four Sections must
be tackled for the specified
minimum period of time.
VOLUNTEERS services in this worthwhile way
often combining it with their role
The Award is delivered with the as youth club leaders, teachers
help of volunteer Award leaders. or sports-team coaches.
The role of the leaders is: Thousands more get involved
as activity coaches, helping
• to help young people choose participants with one specific
their individual programme activity, providing instruction,
and set and achieve guidance and supervision.
challenging goals;
The International Award
• to help them research the Handbook provides
resources and facilities which comprehensive guidelines on
will enable them to follow the Programme.
their chosen activities;
• to monitor their progress and
act as mentors and
motivators; and
• to deal with simple Award
administration.
Thousands of adults have
already volunteered their
ADVENTUROUS JOURNEY
Aim: to encourage a spirit of
adventure and discovery whilst
undertaking a journey in a group.
The journey may be an
exploration, expedition or an
other adventurous journey and
can be done by foot, bicycle,
boat, horseback etc. Proper
training and preparation, self-
reliance and the exploration of
new surroundings are the key
elements.
HOW CAN YOUNG PEOPLE
JOIN THE PROGRAMME?
To participate, a young person
must first contact their local
Award Authority and acquire a
Record Book to log their Award
achievements. No activity
undertaken prior to receiving
the Record Book may be
counted towards the Award.
On joining the Programme,
participants work with an adult
mentor (the Award leader) to set
their challenges within the four
Sections (plus an additional
requirement at Gold). For each
activity they need an activity coach
who will share their knowledge
and supervise and guide them.
After the minimum time period,
the young person’s progress is
SKILLS
Aim: to encourage the
development of personal interests
and practical skills.
There is an almost unlimited
choice of skills, including: arts
and craft, computing, vocational
skills, hobbies or music.
Sustained effort and general
improvement over a period of
time is required, challenging,
improving and broadening
personal interests.
assessed, to verify they have
shown commitment and
improvement. Once all four
Sections have been
successfully completed (plus
Residential Project at Gold
Level), and the Record Book is
signed and approved, the
Award is achieved. The Award
leader will arrange the
necessary authorisation and
presentation of the Award
badge and certificate.
THE REWARD
For participants, the main
reward is a great sense of
personal achievement. They will
gain new skills and experiences;
make new friends, and build all-
round character. More tangibly
they will receive a prestigious
PHYSICAL RECREATION
Aim: to encourage improved
performance and physical fitness.
Participants are required to
take part in some form of
organised physical recreation
and show individual progress,
including team and individual
sports, such as ball sports,
water sports, martial arts and
athletics. Other physical
activities include rock-climbing,
dancing and yoga.
In addition, young people are
required to undertake a
Residential Project at Gold Level.
This is intended to broaden their
experience through involvement
with others (who are not their
everyday companions) in a
residential setting over a period
of five consecutive days.
badge and certificate to mark
their achievement.
For adult volunteers, there is
the satisfaction of knowing
they helped young people to
develop themselves and
contribute in a worthwhile way
to the community.
Lives are changed for both
young people and adult
volunteers.