The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is committed to providing for 14-25 year olds an enjoyable, challenging and rewarding programme of personal development. They can take part through schools, colleges, youth clubs, voluntary organisations, pupil referral units, young offenders institutions and businesses, to name but a few. It helps instil citizenship qualities within young people such as self-belief, perseverance and leadership skills.
Over 138,000 young people take up the challenge of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award every year with around 225,000 participating at any one time. Since it began in 1956, over 3 million young people have entered the Programme and almost 2 million Awards achieved.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a registered charity and as such relies on the generous support of volunteers, local authorities, businesses, individuals and trustees to meet its commitment to help all young people realise their full potential.
- Over 500,000 participants are trying for an Award at any one time, with over 225,000 of these in the UK
- There were over 145,000 new entrants last year in the UK, and over 58,000 achieved their Bronze, Silver or Gold Award
- Ethnic minority new entrants increased by 35% between 2003/2004 and 2004/2005
- The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a registered charity run with the support of over 50,000 volunteers and 10,000 partner organisations
- Since 1956, over 3.5 million young people have participated in the UK Award.
- Currently almost 7% of 14-17 year olds in the UK are taking part through Award Groups in youth clubs, voluntary organisations, Open Award Centres, schools, colleges, young offender institutes and businesses
- In 1988 The International Award Association was established to co-ordinate and develop the Award worldwide and since 1956, over 5 million young people in over 100 countries have taken up the challenge
- The Award was founded by the Patron, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. TRH The Duke of Edinburgh and The Earl of Wessex continue to be involved with the organisation to this date.
Further information can be found at The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award website
