Award Awareness Week 2025 Recap

Celebrating the Award Canada Way Across the Country

From October 20–24, 2025, the Award community across Canada came together to celebrate Award Awareness Week, a vibrant, inspiring showcase of the Award’s impact and those who bring it to life. Through flag-raising ceremonies, daily sessions, digital launches, and social media storytelling, the week highlighted the transformative power of experiential learning and the strength of the Award community. 

Flag Raisings: A National Salute to Youth Achievement

The week began with a powerful gesture of recognition. In five provinces, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, Lieutenant Governors hosted official flag-raising ceremonies at their respective Government Houses. These events marked the start of Award Awareness Week and celebrated the commitment of each province to youth development. 

On Monday in Halifax, The Honourable Mike Savage, ONS, welcomed guests to Government House, reaffirming Nova Scotia’s support for the Award and its mission. In St. John’s, students from St. Bonaventure’s College joined The Honourable Joan Marie J. Aylward, alongside Alumni Engagement Cabinet members Kathleen Shea and Deidre Murphy, whose continued dedication to the Award inspired everyone present. In Regina, The Honourable Bernadette McIntyre raised the flag with pride despite brisk conditions, a testament to Saskatchewan’s enduring spirit.  

On Tuesday, in Edmonton, The Honourable Salma Lakhani, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, hosted a meaningful ceremony at Government House. Joined by the Edmonton City Police Cadets Award Centre, the event highlighted Alberta’s commitment to empowering young people and fostering leadership through the Award. And in Victoria, The Honourable Wendy and Sergio Cocchia hosted a moving ceremony attended by Award Canada’s BC Local Council members Randall Mang, Gerald Pash, and Peter Lawless, as well as Gold Award recipient Izzy W. from St. Margaret’s School and Sara Blair, CEO and Head of School. Each ceremony was a celebration of community, leadership, and the values that define the Award. 

Also on Thursday, in Quebec, Award Centre, College Saint-Joseph-de-Hull raised the Award flag in celebration of Award Awareness Week. The ceremony took place right inside the Centre, where the Award is actively being delivered to young people. Attended by Thomas Morin-Cabana, Chair of the Quebec Local Council, the event reflected the meaningful role that schools and educators play in bringing the Award to life at the local level. 

While these ceremonies marked the official start of Award Awareness Week, the celebrations didn’t end there. On October 29, a flag-raising ceremony was held in Ontario at Toronto City Hall, led by Ontario Local Council Chair Alex Li and members of the Ontario Local Council. A reception followed the ceremony, continuing the spirit of recognition and connection that defines Award Awareness Week. Though held a week later, the Toronto event was a proud extension of the week’s celebrations bringing together youth, leaders, and community to honour achievement and purpose.

Daily Virtual Sessions: Learning, Leading, and Connecting

Monday’s session set an inspiring tone for the week, as Paralympian and former Cabinet Minister Michelle Stilwell joined her longtime coach and Gold Award alum Peter Lawless for a conversation on growth mindset. Michelle’s keynote was heartfelt and powerful, offering practical strategies around visualization, perseverance, and service that deeply aligned with the Award’s mission. Her reflections reminded attendees that confidence and resilience are built through small, consistent steps. Peter’s thoughtful facilitation brought warmth and clarity to the session, guiding the conversation with ease and connecting Michelle’s insights back to the Award framework. Together, they made the session feel natural and engaging, and their shared energy left participants feeling motivated and grounded in the values of the Award 

Tuesday’s sessions celebrated the power of teamwork and the growing movement of educators bringing the Award into classrooms and co-curricular programs across Canada. Education Consultant, Laura Briscoe, led a peer-learning session that explored curriculum-linked and whole-grade delivery models. Her presentation was enriched by the voices of educators like Justin St. Pierre from the Greater Essex County District School Board in Ontario and Michael Graham from Sturgeon Public School in Saskatchewan, whose leadership and commitment to expanding access for youth were deeply appreciated. In a dedicated Francophone session, Vicky Buteau brought together French-language schools to share strategies and celebrate new developments in co-curricular implementation. As CEO Mark Little reminded us, educators are the lifeblood of the Award, the real heroes of youth development. Their passion, creativity, and care are what make integration possible, helping young people build skills, confidence, and connections across all pathways and industry sectors.

On Wednesday, alumni from Canada, Zambia, and Australia joined moderator Rochelle Prasad for a global panel that brought warmth, insight, and inspiration to Award Awareness Week. Rochelle’s empathetic and down-to-earth style made the session feel personal and connected, weaving her own reflections on resilience with those of the panelists. Bibi Hakim spoke candidly about turning challenges into advocacy, sharing how mentorship and the Virtual Award Centre helped her find strength and community. Kate Konstantinova reflected on how the Award shaped her approach to teaching and mentorship, emphasizing the importance of well-being and modeling balance for students. Sophia Parkins offered thoughtful insights into youth leadership in Australia, highlighting how inclusive government and nonprofit programs create space for young people to lead. Esanju Maseka shared his journey of building the Zambia national office and leading expeditions, showing how the Award continues to shape leadership long after completion. Together, their stories reminded us that the Award builds not only confidence and purpose but a global community of young leaders. 

Thursday was a day of gratitude and recognition, anchored by a powerful session led by Sydney Piggott from Mentor Canada. With clarity and warmth, Sydney explored inclusive mentoring strategies that resonated deeply with Award Leaders and participants across the country. Her framing reinforced the value of mentorship within the Award framework, offering practical language and tools to support both mentors and mentees. By connecting leadership and mentorship, Sydney helped participants see how relationship-building, resilience, and belonging are at the heart of youth development. Her presentation sparked meaningful reflection and left many eager to explore group and peer mentoring resources and continue the conversation beyond the session. 

The week concluded with a celebration of service, led by Lily Viggiano from Volunteer Canada. Her session on turning passion into purpose offered practical, heartfelt insights into how volunteering builds connection, leadership, and community. Lily shared Volunteer Canada’s vision for expanding engagement nationwide and framed service in a way that deeply resonated with Award Leaders and participants. Her message reinforced how Award encourages consistent, meaningful contributions and how even small acts of service can spark lifelong purpose. The conversation left many inspired to explore new ways to give back. 

You can watch many of the Award Awareness Week 2025 sessions in our YouTube playlist: Award Awareness Week 2025 | Recorded Sessions 
To see the playlist, click the three-line icon in the top right corner of the video below.

Digital Launches: Recognizing Gold Award Achievers and Award Leaders

Two major digital launches marked the week. The Gold Award Achievers Recognition Page was unveiled to celebrate young people who’ve reached the highest level of the Award. These achievers exemplify resilience, leadership, and community impact. Board Chair Amy Langhorne shared a video message reflecting on the significance of this milestone and the legacy of leadership it represents. 

Later in the week, a new digital space, the Recognition of Award Leader Milestones webpage was launched to honour mentors and leaders who go above and beyond for youth. CEO Mark Little shared a heartfelt video message reflecting on the power of mentorship and community, reminding us that behind every young person’s success is someone who believed in their potential. 

Award in Action Photo Contest: Capturing the Spirit of the Award

Throughout Award Awareness Week, the Award in Action Photo Contest brought the community together to celebrate real moments of teamwork, mentorship, and goal setting. Finalist photos were shared on Instagram and Facebook, and the public was invited to vote by commenting on their favorites. 

Each theme; Teamwork in Action, Mentorship in Action, and Goal Setting & Reflection was featured over a two-day period, with voting open for 48 hours per category. The response was incredible: more than 450 votes were cast across platforms, reflecting the enthusiasm and support of the Award community nationwide. 

Finalists included submissions from Girl Guides of Canada, Broad Reach Canada, Halifax Independent Schools, and others, each capturing the spirit of teamwork, mentorship, and goal setting. Winning Award Centres received a $300 gift card, and their stories will be featured nationally to showcase how the Award is being delivered in diverse and meaningful ways across Canada. Winners will be announced the week of November 4. 

Thank You for Making It Unforgettable

Award Awareness Week 2025 was more than a celebration; it was a call to action. It invited us to recognize the potential in every young person and to continue building a community where that potential can thrive. To everyone who participated, shared, and supported, thank you. Your energy and commitment made this week unforgettable. 

Let’s carry this momentum forward. Let’s keep sharing stories, raising flags, and making a difference together. 

Expanding Access, Empowering Youth: The Award Canada Way

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award – Canada is expanding its reach, and it’s your support that makes this possible.

We’re working to embed the Award into public education as a co-curricular experience, making it more accessible to all youth, regardless of background or circumstance. This hands-on model of learning helps young people build confidence, resilience, and a sense of purpose through real-world challenges and community engagement. 

This is the Award Canada Way: a commitment to equity, opportunity, and unlocking potential. 

Your gift helps us break down barriers and bring the Award to more schools, more communities, and more young people across Canada. 

Together, we’re shaping a future where every young person has the chance to discover what they’re capable of. 

Donate Today

Share this...