Your step-by-step guide to managing the Award at your organization.
Dedicated Account Manager to guide onboarding and implementation.
Regular check-ins tailored to your goals.
Access to tools, resources, and strategies for successful integration.
Sharing data collection and reporting to demonstrate impact.
Develop a plan to integrate the Award into curriculum or programming.
Create meaningful experiential learning opportunities that engage youth and adults.
Participate in tracking progress and impact data to measure success.
Foster a positive environment and celebrate achievements along the way.
Award Management Timeline
Stage 1: Promotion & Registration
Overview: Set-up your Award delivery team, complete required training and establish your annual plan. Confirm roles, responsibilities and key goals to ensure a smooth year.
Suggested Timing: Before participants begin. Many organizations plan in the spring or summer for a September start.
Stage 1: Key Action List
Confirm how the Award will be delivered at your organization
Identify your delivery team and have each person sign up as an Award Leader
Sign your license & review the annual fee structure
Build your annual Award plan (goals, budget, timelines, and key dates)
- Award Centre Management Manual : This manual provides information on all subjects relevant for an Award Centre to set up and manage an efficient and sustainable Award operation. It includes different templates for annual planning.
- Award Delivery Handbook: This handbook is available for those who want more detailed information beyond the playbooks. It provides guidance for Award Leaders and other adults involved in delivery.
- Award Delivery Playbook: This Playbook is your primary resource for delivering the Award. It’s been designed to guide you through the elements necessary to deliver the Award within your organization, tailored for the academic year.
- Award Leader Registration Form: All new Award Coordinators/Leaders start by registering here.
- Becoming an Adult Mentor in the Award: A step-by-step guide on becoming an Award Coordinator, Leader or volunteer.
- Organization Information Form: Should be completed by Award Centre Administrator (Authorizing Contact) to ensure organization information is up to date.
- Safeguarding Policies
- Participant Transfer Form: This form is to be completed by the Award Centre that the participant is joining.
“The observable growth in confidence students experience as they progress through the Award is, for me, what teaching is all about. Embrace the opportunity. you’ll see your students in a whole new light and help them unlock talents they didn’t even know they had.”
– Peter Himmelman: Teacher
Shelburne Regional High School, Nova Scotia
Stage 2: Award Office Check-in & Launch
Overview: Connect with your Account Manager to confirm annual fees, review your delivery plan, and share any organizational updates. This ensures your Award Centre is prepared and aligned before full delivery begins.
Suggested Timing: Within the first month of your delivery cycle (often September or October).
Stage 2: Key Action List
Ensure all organization contact information is up to date, submit updated Organization Information Form if needed.
Approve annual fees and pay invoice (if applicable)
Update your website to include Award information (e.g. registration info, overview of what the Award is, support resources etc).
Schedule your check-in with your Account Manager early to confirm expectations, ask questions, and access support.
Ensure you and your team are ready to launch and begin delivering the Award to participants.
- Award Delivery Playbook – This Playbook is your primary resource for delivering the Award. It’s been designed to guide you through the elements necessary to deliver the Award within your organization, tailored for the academic year.
- ORB Leader Guide – How to use the ORB from the web browser as an Award Leader. You can find the guide for app usage on your Online Record Book account under Guides as well.
- Brand Package – find Award logos, icons, and information on using Award branding
- Participant Playbook – A step-by-step guide that helps young people plan their Award, set SMART goals, and track their. It includes a suggested timeline plus stage checklists and tips to help participants stay on track and complete their Award.
“We used reflection and goal-setting as a kind of scaffold, it helped me meet my goals as a new teacher, to get kids out of the city, to see things differently, to push themselves. A lot of them hadn’t even left the 416 in Toronto. So getting that new perspective really mattered.”
– Daniel Oster: Senior Biology Teacher
Toronto District School Board
Stage 3: Mid-Point Review
Overview: Check in with your delivery team, review ORB activity, and confirm that your organization is on track with its annual Award plan. Use this stage to identify where support is needed and make adjustments for the remainder of the cycle.
Suggested Timing: Midway through your delivery cycle. Many organizations complete this review between late fall and early winter (November to February).
Stage 3: Key Action List
Meet with Award Leaders to review what is going well and where additional support may be needed.
Connect with your Account Manager to discuss questions, concerns, or emerging needs.
Ensure Adventurous Journey plans are in place and aligned with your timelines.
Review organizational goals and ensure you are on track for participant completions.
Register for Level Two Training. We recommend completing it after at least 3 months of Award delivery experience and ideally within your first year.
- Adventurous Journey Navigator – On this platform you will find everything you and your participants need to successfully and safely complete each stage of the Adventurous Journey.
- Level Two Training Registration
- ORB Leader Guide – How to use the ORB from the web browser as an Award Leader. You can find the guide for app usage on your Online Record Book account under Guides as well.
- ORB Participant Progress Tracker – Video – Get an overview of tracking your participants’ progress in the ORB platform.
“Using the Award as an assessment tool gives me real-time insight into my students’ learning. Their daily reflections show me not only whether they grasped the skills we covered, but also if they enjoyed the work. It’s a simple way to connect classroom content with their personal growth, and it helps me adjust my teaching on the spot.”
Award Leader
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Stage 4: Completion & Celebration Planning
Overview: Plan how your organization will recognize Award achievers. Confirm submission readiness, finalize timelines, and organize your celebration activities.
Suggested Timing: Months 6 to 8 of your delivery cycle, starting 6 to 8 weeks before your planned submission window and celebration date (often April to June for a September start).
Stage 4: Key Action List
Confirm that participants are ready for submission and support Award Leaders in reviewing requirements.
Review and approve ORB entries.
Plan your celebration event and order the pins you need for Award achievers.
- Award Completion Checklist – A checklist to reference when reviewing participants’ completed Awards to ensure Award requirements have been met.
- Celebration Planning Guide – If you need support planning a celebration, this document provides helpful guidance.
“The biggest highlight of delivering the Award would have to be when we went swimming. Two of our participants in wheelchairs had not been in the water in years. In particular, one participant had gone six years without swimming due to the accessible access required to get in the water. The day we went, coincidentally, was her birthday. She was so excited to be in the water that she cried. This activity helped expose students to new activities. We were able to add accessible materials and learned a lot that we can problem solve around to make future activities even more accessible and engaging.”
– Raelene Butt: Teacher
Queen Elizabeth Regional High School, Newfoundland
Stage 5: Recognition & Next-Year Planning
Overview: Celebrate participants and staff, wrap up administrative tasks in the ORB, and begin planning for the next delivery cycle
Suggested timing: End of your delivery cycle (often May to June), once most completions and celebrations are underway.
Stage 5: Key Action List
Confirm all remaining participant submissions and update ORB as needed.
Check in with your Account Manager to review the year, discuss upcoming needs, and confirm delivery plans for the next cycle.
Ensure you have enough pins for Award achievers, print certificates as needed, and host your celebration event.
Review your delivery approach and begin planning for the next cycle, including identifying and training new or returning Award Leaders.
- Award Delivery Playbook – Use the playbook as you begin planning for next year.
- Share Your Story – Don’t forget to share highlights and stories from your Award Centre with us and celebrate your achievements
Need help or have questions? Contact your Account Manager or reach out to [email protected]
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