Award Canada Welcomes Mark Little as New CEO

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award – Canada (Award Canada) is thrilled to announce the appointment of Mark Little as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective May 2, 2025. Mark succeeds Stephen De-Wint, who will be stepping down after a successful tenure that saw transformative changes within the organization. 

This exciting new chapter for Award Canada will see Mark, the current Chief Operating Officer, take on the CEO role as the organization continues its expansion and strategic growth. Mark’s leadership will drive the next phase of Award Canada’s mission to provide youth across Canada with the life skills and experiences that are so vital in today’s ever-changing world. 

An Experienced Leader for the Future of Award Canada 

Mark Little brings with him a wealth of experience and passion for youth development. With over 15 years in leadership roles at Scouts Canada, coupled with his over 10 years of service as an Award Leader in Calgary and Ottawa, Mark is ideally situated to lead Award Canada into an era of unprecedented growth. His extensive experience in the energy sector, combined with his work in the not-for-profit sector, gives him a diverse skill set and a strong track record of leadership. 

As a key contributor to the creation of Award Canada’s 2023 strategic plan, Mark has already played an integral role in the organization’s current direction. Mark’s dedication to the Award’s co-curricular approach and its integration into the education system across Canada highlights his deep commitment to strengthening the skills and character of young people nationwide.  

“It’s an exciting time to be part of Award Canada’s journey of transformative and impressive strategic growth. The next few years will see us expand from our strong established base to reach even more communities. Young people in high school and college today are preparing to enter post-secondary education and the job-market in a climate of profound economic, social, and technological change. Award Canada is about unlocking, catalysing and developing infinite potential. We are perfectly, even uniquely, positioned to address the current employability challenges, building in-demand skills for the jobs of tomorrow”.  

The Journey from 2018 to Now 

Stephen De-Wint’s leadership has been transformative over the last 7 years. Since joining Award Canada in 2018, Stephen has overseen a successful reorganization of the organization, aligning its structure and operations with global standards and setting it on a trajectory of sustainable growth. His work has laid the groundwork for the expansion of the Award into Canadian schools, which will be a key strategic focus for the organization under Mark’s leadership. 

A Bright Future Ahead 

The transition to Mark’s leadership comes at an exciting time for Award Canada. In December 2024, the organization achieved a major milestone with the signing of its first licenses with school boards and ministries of education to pilot the Award as an integral part of education pathways in certain regions. This project will continue to be a key focus for Award Canada over the next several years, and it is poised to expand the Award’s reach and impact across the country. “I am especially proud of our updated Award Canada Way. This simplified framework enables us to reach across the entirety of the talent development and delivery pipeline from Grade 9 through high school diploma to trades, college, university and career readiness. I look forward to serving the Award as we take on the challenge to be the leading non-formal education and learning accreditation in Canada.” Mark shared. 

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