The Duke of Edinburgh Prize is a prestigious award of British descent, which is presented to young people from 14 to 24 years of age for active social work and the manifestation of extraordinary abilities. It operates in more than 144 countries and has special value in the field of education.
In this article you will find answers to all questions related to this award - how and when it appeared, which gives its owner how to become a candidate for receiving.
Duke of Edinburgh Prize - History
The history of the award begins in 1956 in the UK - Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, became its founder, hence the name Duke of Edinburgh Award (abbreviated DofE). The main objective of the award is to give young people the opportunity to undergo studying for adulthood and work, to fully demonstrate their abilities from the intellectual, physical, personal side.
The award has the status of an international award, but it has received the greatest distribution in its homeland: in the United Kingdom, more than 11 thousand educational institutions have a special license and permission to undergo the program. About 275 thousand students take part in it annually (including foreign students who have come to Britain for education).
The Duke of Edinburgh Prize has special support and assistance from the royal family: the presentation of the award usually takes place in a government residence from the hands of a representative of the royal family. In 2006, on the 50th anniversary of the prize, Queen Elizabeth II granted the program foundation royal status in recognition of her high service to the community.
The opportunity to take part in the Duke of Edinburgh Prize program is one of the indicators of the prestige and high status of the institution itself. The participants are young people with pronounced leadership qualities, a desire for self-development, the ability to work in a team and an active lifestyle.
What is the Duke of Edinburgh Prize?
The very structure of the Duke of Edinburgh Prize consists of several levels - each of them corresponds to a certain age and has its own period of passage:
| Type of award | Age | Duration |
| Bronze level | Members from 14 years old | 3-6 months |
| Silver level | Participants from 15 years old | 6-9 months |
| Gold level | Members from 16 years old | Not less than 12 months |
The listed stages include several sections, the fulfillment of tasks on which will allow those who wish to receive the coveted prize:
- Volunteering. In this section, program participants need to organize fundraising for the needy, help the sick and the poor, etc. This allows young people to gain new life experiences and start the process of interacting with the public. Voluntary public work on the program should be devoted to at least one hour of time per week.
- Travels. At this stage, program participants join hiking, expeditions, and other types of physical activity that will help them develop useful skills - the ability to navigate the terrain, live in harsh conditions in nature, and provide first aid.
- Physical development. The participants of the program are offered various sports to maintain good physical shape: fitness, dancing, athletics, etc. It is recommended that you use at least one hour per week to develop this aspect.
- Talents and personal development. Here young people gain new life skills outside the classroom and choose the most interesting type of activity for themselves in the context of applying talents: art, music, drama, cooking, debate, driving lessons, sign language and other sections.
- Living out. In another way, the level is called Residential. It is mandatory only for students who wish to receive a gold award. The participants of this stage are far from home (usually on the territory of the educational institution) and work on a socially useful project, developing independent living skills, personal responsibility, and decision-making skills.
All tests of students on the DofE program are under the supervision of professionals, so you can not worry about the safety of participants.
Duke of Edinburgh Award for Education
Why is the Duke of Edinburgh Prize attractive to British or foreign students from different countries? The owner of DofE automatically receives the status of a socially active young man with a high level of physical and spiritual development, becomes the pride of his family and school. However, this Duke of Edinburgh Award, in addition to emotional perception, gives the owner more material advantages:
- Its laureates are actively encouraged by educational institutions of secondary or higher education
- Participation in the DofE program opens the doors for students to the most prestigious higher schools in Britain: with its help it is impossible to get additional UCAS points, but mentioning the candidate in the CV will give significant advantages for admission
- UCAS also recognizes the high status of this award (especially for the gold level)
- The owners of the Duke of Edinburgh Prize pay close attention to employers of well-known companies, because it is important for them to find specialists with the list of qualities that just develops during the passage of the DofE program.
SMAOSE experts told you why this prize is so valuable, and it’s your decision to go through the Duke of Edinburgh Prize program. Do not forget: as statistics show, the guys who became participants in the program better understand the importance of setting and achieving goals, and therefore in the future they will more successfully build a career and organize adult life.
