International Award
The International Award is an exciting self-development programme available to all 14 to 25 year olds. It began in the United Kingdom in 1956 as The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. The Programme has now spread to 126 countries. Over 6 million young people worldwide have taken up the International Award challenge.
The International Award is a non-academic qualification that shares similarities with the CAS component of the IB. It is renowned around the world and is a valuable addition to any job or university application.
The International Award is about individual challenge, not about reaching specific standards set by someone else. Students design their own award programme, set their own goals, and record their own progress. The only person they compete against is themselves, by challenging their own beliefs about what they can achieve.
Students need to complete four or five different components to attain the International Award: Service, Expeditions, Skills, Physical Recreation, and Residential Project. There are three separate Awards – Bronze, Silver and Gold with different minimum starting ages and periods of participation.
Service
- Bronze: at least 15 hours, spread over 3 months
- Silver: at least 30 hours, spread over 6 months
- Gold: at least 60 hours, spread over 12 months
Expeditions
- Bronze (Expedition): 2 days, with a minimum of 6 hours of planned activity each day
- Silver (Expedition or Exploration): 3 days, with a minimum of 7 hours of planned activity each day
- Gold (Expedition, Exploration or Adventurous Project): 4 days, with a minimum of 8 hours of planned activity each day
Skills
- Bronze: minimum period 6 months
- Silver: a minimum period 12 months (Bronze Award Holder: 6 months)
- Gold: minimum period 18 months (Silver Award Holder: 12 months)
Physical Recreation
- Bronze: minimum period 3 months
- Silver: a minimum period 4 months
- Gold: minimum period 5 months
Residential Project (additional requirement for the Gold Award)
- 5 days and 4 nights
In the Service, Skills and Physical Recreation Sections, the minimum time requirements are expressed in months, during which there should be regular commitment averaging at least one hour a week.
In December 2009 all BBIS grade 9 students took part in a “Taster” session where they experienced a variety of activities relevant to the International Award such as how to read a map, put up a tent, cook on a camping stove and pack a backpack.
In January 2010 the International Award programme was launched at BBIS. Since then, BBIS has offered an International Award after school club on Mondays to provide guidance, assist with the process and provide training for the expeditions
