OUR AIM:

One day any young person aged between 14 and 25 who wants to do the Award will be able to do so...

OUR VISION:

For The Duke of Edinburgh's Award to be universally recognised and widely adopted as the best programme for the personal development of young people.

OUR MISSION:

The Duke of Edinburgh's Award is committed to providing for young people an enjoyable, challenging and rewarding programme of personal development, which is of the highest quality and the widest reach.

The Award is a four-Section programme with three levels:

Bronze (for those aged 14 and over)

Silver (for those aged 15 and over) and

Gold (for those aged 16 and over).

The Sections involve:

Service (helping people in the community)

Skills (covering almost any hobby, skill or interest)

Physical Recreation (sport, dance and fitness)

Expeditions (training for, planning and completing a journey on foot or horseback, by boat or cycle)

The delivery of the Award is entrusted to over 400 organisations (Operating Authorities) in the UK licensed to run the Programme through Award Groups in, for example, youth clubs, voluntary organisations, Open Award Centres, schools, colleges, young offender institutes and businesses. Operating Authorities include local authorities and national voluntary organisations and they authorise Awards once applicable conditions have been met.

Award Groups are run by adults, many of whom are volunteers, including youth workers, teachers, employers, trainers, Instructors, Assessors and individuals from the community, all of whom wish to share their skills, enthusiasm and organising abilities to help young people reach their potential.

It would usually take a participant between 6-12 months to complete a Bronze Award; 12-18 months for a Silver Award and 18-24 months for a Gold Award. It may take less time for completion of the Silver or Gold Awards if the participant holds the preceding Award. All Awards must be completed by the participant's 25th birthday.

The Ten Key Principles of The Duke of Edinburgh's Award:

1. Non-Competitive: The Award is a personal challenge and not a competition against others. Each participant's programme is tailor-made to reflect the individual starting point, abilities and interests.

2. Available to All: With a commitment to equal opportunities, the Award Programme is available to all young people who choose to take up its challenge.

3. Voluntary: Young people make a free choice to enter the programme and commit their own time to undertake the activities.

4. Flexible: Young people design their own programme, which can be geared to their choice and personal circumstances and also to local provision. They may enter for whichever level of Award best suits them, and may take as long as they wish to complete an Award.

5. Balanced: By choosing activities in each of four different Sections (five at Gold), participants undertake a balanced and wide ranging programme.

6. Progressive: At each level, the Award Programme demands more time and an increasing degree of commitment and responsibility from the participant.

7. Achievement Focused: Before starting an activity, young people are encouraged to set their own goals. If they aim for those goals and show improvement, they will achieve their Award.

8. Marathon, not a Sprint: The Award demands persistence and commitment and cannot be completed in a short burst of enthusiasm. Participants may want to continue with activities beyond the minimum time requirements set out for each level of the Award.

9. Personal Development: The Award is a programme of personal and social development. The value to young people is dependent on personal commitment, the learning process and the quality of the experience.

10. Enjoyable: Young people and helpers should find participation enjoyable and satisfying.