The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award is a global, non-competitive, youth centric, experiential learning framework for young people to develop essential life skills, enhance employability, and gain a sense of achievement. The Award is delivered by adults who work with young people and is used to enhance existing curriculum or programming. It supports the work done to build young people’s skills and develop the confidence they need to take their future in stride.
Elements of the Award Framework:
Award Levels Award Activity Sections Award Canada Way Summary of Award Requirements
Award Levels: Journey to Growth
The Award is designed as a progressive experience, guiding young people through increasingly meaningful challenges that foster personal development, resilience, and leadership. Each level, Bronze, Silver, and Gold builds on the last, offering deeper engagement and broader opportunities for growth. The Award levels are designed as a sustained-commitment challenge to develop healthy habits and the minimum times cannot be skipped or shortened.
13-26 weeks, Age 14+
26-52 weeks, Age 15+
52-78 weeks, Age 16+
Starting the Award at Bronze allows participants to:
Build foundational skills in goal-setting and time management
Explore new interests and activities
Develop confidence through early achievements
Build empathy and awareness of community needs
Building on the momentum from Bronze, progressing to Silver enables participants to:
Strengthen perseverance and self-discipline
Enhance teamwork and leadership through more complex challenges
Showcase commitment,, sustained effort and responsibility
Build stronger connections with mentors and peers
Taking on the ultimate challenge at the Gold level empowers participants to:
Demonstrate long-term commitment and achievement
Learn from transformative experiences through the Gold Project
Build advanced leadership, planning, and reflection skills
Gain international recognition to include in resumes, applications and interviews
Award Sections: Holistic Approach to Personal Development
The Award is built around four sections (five at Gold), each fostering a different aspect of personal development. From giving back to the community to exploring interests, staying active, and embracing adventure, these sections create a well-rounded experience that builds confidence, resilience, and independence.
Young people set and achieve goals in 4 or 5 activity sections:
Voluntary Service
Participants volunteer in their communities, making a positive contribution to society and demonstrating social responsibility. Meeting people within their community whom they might not otherwise engage with helps young people to improve skills such as team work, communication and self-confidence.
Skill Development
Participants develop their talents, broadening their abilities, increasing their self confidence and improving their employability. Through learning something new and getting better at it, young people feel a sense of achievement.
Physical Recreation
Young people improve their fitness and performance, and build a healthy lifestyle which encourages good mental health and physical well-being. Through regular exercise young people feel healthy and happy, build valuable team skills, self-esteem and confidence.
Adventurous Journey
Young people discover a spirit of adventure and discovery while planning and undertaking a journey with a peer group. By engaging in outdoor adventurous activities, young people learn more about their environment, the impact their activities can have, and enhance their confidence, health and wellness, teamwork, and leadership.
Gold Project
The Gold Project gives young people a shared, purposeful experience with others outside of their social circle, enhancing communication skills, developing initiative, and civic and intercultural competence. Broadening their experience by staying in an unfamiliar environment with other young people, taking part in a purposeful project and building new relationships
Skills and Growth in Every Section:
Develop empathy, civic responsibility, and leadership
Become active citizens through community involvement
Build interpersonal and organizational skills
Develop a sense of purpose and contribution
Cultivate talents and lifelong learning
Develop creativity, focus, and personal growth
Build confidence through mastery and progress
Explore new passions and career interests
Improve health, resilience, and mental well-being
Enhance physical fitness and stress management
Build discipline and motivation
Develop emotional balance and self-esteem
Develop resilience, teamwork, and a spirit of adventure
Develop problem-solving and planning skills
Strengthen collaboration and leadership
Build appreciation for nature and environmental stewardship
Gain independence and leadership, experience cultural exchanges
Develop adaptability and global awareness
Build confidence in unfamiliar settings
Create lasting friendships and meaningful experiences
The Award Canada Way: Driving Growth and Positive Impact
At the heart of the Award’s experience in Canada is a commitment to personal growth that goes beyond activities and achievements. The Award Canada Way provides a guiding philosophy that ensures every participant can develop the skills, mindset, and confidence they need to thrive in life.
7 Elements of the Award Canada Way
Each element of the Award Canada Way reflects key principles of positive youth development, helping young people build confidence, competence, and connection through purposeful experience.
The structure of the Award provides a clear pathway for growth. Through the progressive Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels, young people learn to set goals, commit to long-term effort, and experience the satisfaction of achievement.
Goal setting builds agency and self-belief. By setting Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound goals, participants learn how to plan effectively, stay motivated, and celebrate progress skills that carry into education, career, and life.
When young people have voice and choice, they engage more deeply. The Award encourages them to pursue activities that reflect their interests, strengths, and aspirations fostering a sense of ownership, purpose, and personal relevance.
Every activity has meaning. The Award encourages participants to connect what they do to why it matters building empathy, values, and a sense of contribution to something larger than themselves.
Support and encouragement matter. Mentorship helps youth navigate challenges, reflect on experiences, and develop confidence in their decisions. A trusted mentor provides not just guidance, but connection a cornerstone of resilience and belonging.
Growth comes from challenge. As participants advance through the Award, they’re encouraged to take on new experiences that stretch their comfort zones, building persistence and a lifelong mindset of learning and improvement.
Reflection turns experience into learning. By thinking critically about their goals, successes, and setbacks, participants develop self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and the ability to adapt essential skills for adulthood.
