GENERAL CONDITIONS

1. Entry into the Program is open to all young people and is made by registering with a recognized participating group, or with an Award office. This marks the starting point in the Program. No activities undertaken before the entry date may count towards an Award. Entry may be for any level, subject to the age requirements below.
2. For each Award, those taking part must complete activities in the four sections, namely:
   1. Service,
   2. Adventurous Journey,
   3. Skills, and
   4. Physical Recreation

   Gold Award participants must also complete a Residential Project (see paragraph 13).

3. A participant may not use the same activity to qualify for more than one section of the Program. For example, dancing may not be used both as a Skill and as a Physical Recreation activity.
4. There are three Awards, which may be attempted at any time after the ages shown:
   • Bronze.....14th birthday
   • Silver.......15th birthday
   • Gold........16th birthday

   Participants may start on the next Award level as soon as they have completed all the work required on their present level. The minimum time and age for completing the Silver and Gold levels is unchanged.

   The upper age limit for all Awards is the 25th birthday, and all activities to be counted for an Award must be completed by this time.

5. The minimum time requirement for each level of the Award is:
   1. for Bronze......six months
   2. for Silver.........twelve months, or a minimum of six months if you have achieved the Bronze Award.
   3. for Gold...........eighteen months, or a minimum of twelve months if you have achieved the Silver Award.
6. Young people may enter directly into the Silver or Gold Awards provided that they satisfy the age requirements.
7. Candidates who qualify for certain badges or awards in youth organizations may count these qualifications towards the respective section of the Program provided that:
   1. the activity is the same,
   2. the conditions of the activity are the same, and
   3. the standards for the badge or award in question are not less than that required for the same activity in the Program.
8. Participation in the Program is a voluntary choice of the participant. Work that forms part of a school curriculum may generally not be counted towards the Award. Participants receiving pay at organized camps may not use camp activities for qualification in The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Young Canadians Challenge (a training bonus for cadets at a summer camp does not constitute pay).
9. Instruction must be given by suitably experienced or qualified persons, as required by the separate conditions for each Award.
10. Assessment is to be undertaken by qualified persons approved by participating groups in accordance with the separate conditions for each Award. An assessor is any adult in the community who is knowledgeable and experienced in the particular Skill or activity to be evaluated.
11. The Record Book is to be used to record successful progress through the Program. The appropriate space in the Record Book should be completed and signed by the assessor.
12. Participants with disabilities should attempt as much of the Program as possible under the conditions as outlined, but modifications may be made in consultation with the Divisional Director.
13. The Residential Project is an extra requirement for the Gold Award. However, participants may take part in, and qualify for, the Residential Project regardless of the Award level they are currently working on, as long as they have passed their fourteenth birthday.
14. Careful records of all activities should be kept. This includes a record of Service hours, Physical Recreation hours, and a log report for each Expedition. Also monitor frequency of involvement with Skills.
15. Once a participant has successfully completed all requirements for any Award level, he or she may begin to count activities immediately for the next Award level, provided the age requirement has been met.
16. The detailed conditions are given separately for each Award in the following chapters. Please note that these are minimum requirements to qualify for an Award.
17. A concerted effort should be made by participants to have different assessors for each of the 4 sections.