The Duke of Edinburgh's Award

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is an exciting and flexible initiative that enables young people aged 14-25 to realise their potential. The programme gives a personal challenge to all participants with guidance from those who are knowledgeable in the chosen activities.

Age Limits

The age range for the Programme is from the 14th to the 25th birthday.

Minimum Ages

The minimum ages of entry are as follows:

• Bronze - 14 years
• Silver - 15 years
• Gold - 16 years

Subject to the above minimum ages, entry into the Programme may be at Bronze, Silver or Gold level.

About the Awards

The three levels of Award - Bronze, Silver and Gold - present increasing levels of responsibility and challenge. A participant can enter at whatever level they chose. A participant tries for one Award at a time and need not have a preceding one. Each level demands progressively more of the participants' time and commitment.

Each level of Award has four Sections, which offer opportunities to do anything from mastering computer skills to organising and doing a trek overseas:

• Service - to encourage service to individuals and the community, and a sense of responsibility to other members of the community.

• Skills - to encourage development of personal interests, and social and practical skills.

• Physical Recreation - to encourage participation and improvement in physical activity, to establish a lasting active lifestyle.

• Expeditions - to encourage a spirit of adventure and discovery, self reliance, planning, organisation, determination, shared responsibility, teamwork, leadership and presentation skills.

• Residential Project (Gold level only) - to broaden experience through the company of others who are not known to them. Build relationships and work towards shared goals, communication skills.