Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme

The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme is an international "leadership in action" program, available to all young people aged between fourteen and twenty-five. Being voluntary, flexible, non-competitive, balanced, progressive, challenging and most of all enjoyable, it provides an opportunity for young people to achieve personal excellence and build self-esteem, self-confidence, self-reliance, self-motivation and respect for others via their involvement in service, skill, physical recreation and expedition activities.

Participants choose their own skill and physical recreation to suit their personal abilities and interests. As a part of their service, participants at Northholm are encouraged to complete a senior first aid course during Bronze, and a bronze medallion life saving course during Silver. Expedition skills, navigation and canoe rescue training are also covered throughout the Bronze and Silver Awards. All expedition groups are supervised by experienced and qualified instructors.

Participants undertaking their Gold Award are assisted in developing an expedition of their own design. In December 2005, four participants canoed 275km of the Murray River, and in April 2006 another participant hiked to Mt Everest's Base Camp in Nepal. In addition, Gold participants undertake a residential project, spending five days away from home, either in service with a community group or carrying out personal development training.

For more information please visit the official Duke of Edinburgh's Award homepage in Australia at: www.dukeofed.org.au