About the Award

The International Award is an exciting self-development programme available to all 14 to 25 year olds. Launched in the UK in 1956 as The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, the Programme has now spread to 126 countries. Over 6 million young people worldwide have taken up the Award challenge.

The Award is tough but it is about individual challenge, not about reaching specific standards set by someone else. Young people design their own Award Programme, set their own goals, and record their own progress. The only person they compete against is themselves, by challenging their own beliefs about what they can achieve.

Young people who do the Award:

• Discover what they are made of
• Make an impact on their community
• Develop a set of life skills.
• Most of all, they have fun!

But don’t take our word for it: read some testimonials to find out what participants, volunteers and supporters have to say about it.

The Award is not an organisation, but a programme – any group working with young people can run the Award. This is the great strength of the Programme, as it means that it can be used in prisons, by Scout and Guide groups, or in youth clubs.

Watch our film to see the Award in action: