Duke of Edinburgh's Award

The Aim of the Award

The Duke of Edinburgh's Award aims to provide for young people an enjoyable, challenging and rewarding programme of personal development, which is of the highest quality and the widest reach.

Adventure.....

You're half way up a mountain. It's raining. You're hungry. And somebody forgot to bring the can opener. Doh! Adventure? It's probably not what you'd call it at the time, but getting through these sorts of dilemmas makes for great stories in the future. It's often the Expeditions Sections of the Award that people enjoy most. Whether you're hitting the highlands on foot or taking a major waterway on by canoe, there's always going to be a sense of adventure involved. Some people even use the Award as an opportunity to take in more exotic excursions - Indonesia, Uganda, Pakistan, Namibia, Bolivia... There has even been a camel expedition through the wilds of Morocco. You don't have to be a rugged out-doors-type person to do the Award, but don't be surprised if you develop a taste for Adventure.

New Skills and Interests.....

Cacti growing or egg decorating? Fly fishing or map making? The Duke of Edinburgh's Award is the perfect platform for learning new skills or discovering new interests. There are Award Programmes in place for over 200 activities and if you find your chosen interest isn't one of them, don't fear: a new Programme can be created especially for you and your passion. Many people use the Award as an opportunity to take the plunge and try something they would never have thought of doing before. Some people even discover they've got talents they never knew they had. Despite the blisters, the tent blowing away in a storm and the strange animal howlings on the moors ('Kevin? What are you doing out there?'), Award Holders always feel damn good about having finished their Awards. After all, you've planned and organised everything, made the contacts with the right people, and finally met the requirements of the various Sections.

A Career......

No doubt about it: an Award looks pretty damn fine on your CV. Bosses often notice when a person applying for a job has an Award. It sounds corny, but all those skills and qualities associated with the Award - teamwork, drive, dedication, perseverance, problem-solving abilities and communication skills - are just what employers are looking for. So it's no wonder how many people say that the Award helped their career, and it's no surprise more and more businesses are encouraging their workers to take up the Award.

An Award.....

Yep, you get an Award. Okay, so we're stating the obvious here, but what does getting an Award actually mean? Well, for a start it is seen by educational institutions, employers and governments all over the world as a pretty impressive achievement. And if you complete your Gold, you will get to rub shoulders with Royalty itself. Presentations take place in the Royal Palaces and you receive your Award in the presence of The Duke of Edinburgh himself. Flash, huh?

Tir-y-Cwm is situated in the Brecon Beacons, one of Britain's most beautiful National Parks