DELIVERING THE AWARD
Delivering the Award
The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award is delivered globally. Any organization that works directly with young people can deliver the Award.
The Award can be delivered by schools, prisons, by Scout and Guide groups, in business or in youth clubs, as well as by governments. It offers organizations a way of gaining accreditation for development activities with young people.
Organizational benefits of delivering the Award
Delivering the Award brings your organization many benefits, not least the opportunity to help develop young people and support them on their journey to a better future. By delivering the Award your organization will:
- Support your organization’s strategy and specific goals
- Greatly help to develop the lives of young people and their communities
- Become part of an international network of Award Centers, Award Leaders and like-minded individuals and organizations
- Complement existing extra-curricular activities that you provide and receive recognition for them
- Give young people the opportunity to achieve the world’s leading youth Award
Structure
The governance structure of the Award is based on a social franchise model using a multi-tier set of licenses. As an international organization, The International Award Foundation, governed by its Trustees has the overall responsibility of the Award. The International Award Association is a member organization that facilitates the delivery of the Award through it member countries.
Delivering the Award in Kenya
There are two levels of license:
- National Award Operator (NAO)
- Award Centers
National Award Operator (NAO)
The National Award Operator Known as the President’s Award – Kenya is an Organization with the sole object of managing the Award in Kenya.
Award Centers
Award Centers are licensed by their National Award Operator to deliver the Award to young people in their organization or in their local community.
These Award Centers nominate a key point of contact, known as an Award Leader, to run the Award.
Award Leaders
Award Leaders help Participants with their Award by monitoring, discussing, encouraging and motivating them to reach their goals!
Award Leaders are assisted in this role with:
- Training: face to face and tele-conference
- An Online Record Book (ORB) to manage participant records and monitor their Award activity
- Phone and onsite support
AWARD CENTRES
Award Centres
What is an Award Centre?
Each National Award Operator (NAO) licenses Award Centers to deliver the Award. They are commonly known as ACs and are responsible for delivering the Award to Participants.
Award Centers can be:
- Schools
- Colleges
- Tertiary Institutions
- Community Organizations
- Sporting or Social Clubs
- Companies
- A group of interested parents who form their own association
Award Centers then appoint Award Leaders who become the main contact and the ones who guide Participants on their Duke of Ed journey. (The Award Centre must ensure that relevant Child Protection Legislation requirements are observed for each adult who may work with an Award Participant under the age of 18 years.)
Become an Award Centre
Being an Award Centre means that you are forming a partnership with the largest international pursuit of youth development in the world!
The flexibility and sustainability of The Duke of Ed has allowed for steady growth over the 60 years. It is now run in more than 130 countries and has touched the lives of more than 8 million young people.
So what are the benefits to my organization?
- The Duke of Ed can be used to support your organization’s strategies and objects.
- The Award provides tangible support in terms of experience, promotional materials, equipment and training. The choice of activities that the Participants can undertake can be defined by the Award Centre.
- The structure often complements programs and activities schools and various groups already offer to young people and provides a way of recognizing these efforts and at the same time without consuming resources.
- The Duke of Ed offers a balanced framework to develop the important skills and qualities that our wider society believe young people should definitely have, including skill development, group participation, confidence, self-esteem, leadership, fitness, and community connection.
- Being an Award Centre also allows you the opportunity to connect with other organizations, schools and community groups in your area and around Kenya, through national events, social media sites Twitter and Facebook, and a monthly newsletter detailing the latest news and stories.
- There are Program officers for every region in Kenya, offering local support and assistance where possible, so no Award Centre is left isolated.
- The Duke of Ed offers a volunteering framework for staff, and offers the opportunity for young people to connect with other adults within the community in a productive way
- You will be able to connect with our international network and open up opportunities for professional development and the exchange of information
- As an Award Centre, The Duke of Ed allows a framework to create an environment of social inclusion for your Participants. This enhances The Duke of Ed experience for your young people and impacts positively on their personal development.
And what do I get out of it personally?
Award Leaders are the adult volunteers who manage The Duke of Ed on behalf of the Award Centre.
As a volunteer, the opportunity to enhance the lives of young people is endless. If you sign up your group/organization to become an Award Centre, you might decide to become the Award Leader
How can my organization become an Award Centre?
To run The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award in your school/organization you will need to apply to become an Award Centre and nominate an Award Leader.
If you’d like to know how to become an Award Centre, you need to contact your National Award Operator – Register your interest in becoming an Award Centre by completing the Award Centre Registration (register a new account as an “Award Centre”) via the Online Record Book
AWARD LEADERS
Award Leaders
What is an Award Coordinator and an Award Leader?
Each Award Centre must appoint at least one Award Leader who is the contact person and mentor for Award Participants. An Award Coordinator is an Award Leader who is the main contact for the Award Centre and is responsible for running the award in that organization. In large organizations, there may be other volunteers who assist in the running of the Award – these people are usually called Assistant Leaders. As an Award Coordinator or Award Leader, you play a crucial role in the success of the Award. Without you, there would be no Award.
Your role is to engage young people in the program, and encourage and inspire Participants throughout their Award journey. Typically an Award Centre will have two or more Award Leaders to spread the workload and to ensure continuity as the Award is usually completed over a 12 month period.
Award Leaders and Coordinators are the frontline of the Award, playing one of the most fundamental roles – that of developing the Participants with whom they are actively involved. Without them there simply would be no Award!
Who can be an Award Leader?
Award Leaders could be anyone from a teacher to a sporting coach to a Cadet leader!
As long as they are appointed by an Award Centre. They play one of the biggest roles in the delivery of The Award!
After being trained in the features and requirements of the Award, the role of an Award Leader is to guide and mentor Participants, helping to translate the Award, set achievable goals and to offer encouragement! They are the support system for Participants who offer motivation and inspiration.
You need to have a positive attitude, a great relationship with young people and meet the requirements of being an Award Leader.
Remember, it is not a sprint, but a marathon, and while many young people can complete The Award program through effort over consecutive months, others may take longer and that’s OK. Just stand by them and provide regular support.
ASSESSORS AND SUPERVISORS
Assessors & Supervisors
What is an Assessor?
Assessors are a suitably skilled, experienced and/or qualified Volunteer who can assist with and assess an activity being undertaken for a Section (Physical Recreation, Skills, etc), of a Participant’s Award and completes a report in the Participant’s Records to verify that they have achieved the requirements for their nominated Section of The Award program. In most circumstances an Assessor must not be a family member. Internationally, an Assessor is also referred to as an Activity Coach. In some instances, a Participant will require more than one Assessor per Section to ensure that each activity has been completed.
Who can be an Assessor?
Assessors must have experience and/or qualifications in the activity chosen by the young person. They must be suitably skilled to assess a Participant’s activity, write a report at the completion of that activity, and sign off the Participant’s records to verify that the Participant has achieved the requirements of the award.
In most circumstances, an Assessor should not be a family member. An Assessor can assess more than one Participant. They may also be qualified to assess across multiple activities and/or sections. Please note that an Award Leader can also be an Assessor.
All assessors working with young people under the age of 18 must comply with national legislation concerning Working with Children.
All Assessors are approved by the Participant’s Award Centre before they can commence working with the Participant. Generally Participants and Award Leaders are jointly involved in finding Assessors, however it is the responsibility of Award Leaders to check all Assessors, ensure they are suitable and then to approve them. In some circumstances, an Award Leader, on behalf of their Award Centre, may create an approved pool of approved Assessors for popular activities previously undertaken by their Participants.
As an Award Assessor, you play a crucial role in the success of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award. Your role is to engage with Participants of Award, and offer guidance, mentoring and encouragement as they undertake the Section of Award that you are assessing.
Supervisors
Supervisors are volunteers who play a critical role in implementing and overseeing the arrangements concerning the safety of Participants when they are undertaking their Adventurous Journeys.
The Supervisor can be a different person for each journey, and there can also be more than one Supervisor for each journey. In most circumstances, a Supervisor should not be a family member.
Please contact your National Award Operator (PA-K) for further information and specific requirements in relation to undertaking Adventurous Journeys. It is the responsibility of The Award Leader, on behalf of their Award Centre, to approve Supervisors and ensure they are suitable.