General background

The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, a registered charity, is a voluntary, non-competitive programme of activities for anyone aged 14-25. It offers an individual challenge and encourages young people to undertake exciting, constructive, challenging and enjoyable activities in their free time. Just over 7% of those in the UK aged 14-17 participate in the Award, through Award Groups in youth clubs, voluntary organisations, Open Award Centres, schools, colleges, young offender institutes and businesses.

The Award is a four Section Programme with three progressive levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold. The Sections involve: Service (helping the community); Skills (a hobby, skill or interest); Physical Recreation (sports, dance, fitness); Expeditions (on foot, cycle, horseback, or water); Residential Project – Gold only (an enterprise with people not known to the participant). Each year, Award Participants provide over one million hours of service to the community whilst, in the expeditions section, they collectively covered over one million miles.

At any one time, around 225,000 participants are trying for an Award in the UK alone, with around 110,000 taking up its challenge each year. Approximately 70,000 volunteers share their skills, enthusiasm and time to help guide the participants through their Awards, learning new skills and making friends themselves along the way.

The award in Pembrokeshire

Pembrokeshire County Council is one of the most successful Operating Authorities of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in the UK. In 2003 over 300 young people gained Awards at Bronze, Silver and Gold level, and we regularly top the tables for having the highest numbers of Awards in Wales. All the County’s schools are involved and three Open Award Centres help with the overall provision.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s Outdoor Education Adviser co-ordinates provision of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award organises leader training, BELA courses, and Open Award expeditions, as well as other opportunities.

Since 1998 Pembrokeshire has been striving towards becoming a centre of excellence for the delivery of the Gold Award. This has coincided with a drive to promote BELA, WGLA and ML qualifications to existing leaders and Gold Award Award holders. This twin track approach has enabled us to build an excellent team of qualified and experienced Award leaders; gain an AALA licence; provide imaginative, purposeful and safe opportunities to young people; and achieve record numbers of Gold Awards. There is still plenty of work to be done but we are proud of the results thus far!