How do I start with the program?
- Complete our registration form and ask your parent or guardian to sign it if you are under 18. If you can’t download or print the form, you can get it directly from your school. Give the form, signed by your parent or guardian if applicable, to your Award Leader, along with your registration fee.
- Register online via the Online Record Book (ORB) and confirm your email address when prompted.
- Wait for your Award Leader to confirm your registration.
- Select your activities in the ORB and set a personal target for each activity. Your Award Leader will help you to put together a challenging program that suits you perfectly. It is important that you enjoy all the activities and that they include something you have wanted to do for a long time! Remember that you will also need a supervisor for each activity. For example, in the fitness section, if you play football in a club, this can be your coach. In the engagement section, if you work at a homeless charity, this could be a contact person there. If a neighbor teaches you chess, this could be your assessor.
- Once you have chosen an activity, set a target and given us your assessor’s email, you need to wait for your Award Leader to confirm your choice via the ORB.
- Now you can really get going: start your activities and enjoy them! Very important: Don’t forget to document what you do by uploading a log in each section every week!
- When you have completed a section of the program, send it to your assessor. This person must confirm that you have completed your activity.
- As soon as your appraisal is finished, you will receive a message. Now you send your completed program part to your Award Leader. He/she can now confirm that you have successfully completed this part. Congratulations!
- When you have completed all parts, ask your Award Leader to confirm that you have successfully completed your Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award at your chosen level. Well done!
- The next step is to receive your award.
How do I find an assessor?
Assessors confirm that you have successfully completed a part of the program. They must be independent, so they cannot be family members.
Any person who is interested in supporting you and knows a little about your activity can be your assessor. This could be a football coach, the head of a charity, a neighbour who knows web design or a teacher who teaches you how to fish.
Here you can find templates for the report that you can give to your assessor. If you know their email address and are allowed to enter it in the ORB, your assessor will automatically receive a report template.
Report Engagement Report Talent Report FitnessWhat happens if I change the school?
If you leave your school before you have finished your award, you can still complete it. Even if you change schools, you can continue with the Duke Award exactly where you are.
Your current teachers may be willing to continue to supervise you until you have achieved your award. Otherwise, we as an association will take over your supervision.
And if you move to another country, chances are good that you can continue your Award there as well. Contact us or contact The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation directly.
Can I participate as an Azubi or student?
Yes, even during vocational training or at university, it’s not all about classes, lectures, assignments and exams. It’s also about growing personally, making friends, trying new things, living actively and healthily and taking responsibility for others.
For over 18 months of self-selected activities, you will gain experience, build your confidence and self-esteem, develop resilience, perseverance and special skills, while having an interesting and fun time together with like-minded people.
Employers value participation in the Duke Award highly, so your award may open doors for you. Many of the skills you gain can be used in your education or training as well as for your personal and social development.
If you can’t find a program provider, you can enter the Duke Award on your own through Duke Direct and be supported directly by our organization.
Application form Duke Direct (for independent participants)What do I do if my school does not offer the Duke Award?
Then you can participate directly through our association under certain conditions. We will support you via video, email and/or telephone. Your Award Leader will meet with you virtually to accompany you during your participation.
For the expeditions part of the program, however, a self-organised cooperation with an external provider such as Outward Bound, Natur bewegt or 4Elements is required, as we cannot offer expeditions for participants who run the program independently of a school/organisation.
If you would like to participate as an independent participant, please send us an email with a proposed date for an online meeting.
Participation fees for independent participants:
- 50 euros (Bronze level)
- 100 Euro (Silver level)
- 150 Euro (Gold level)
