The Duke of Edinburgh Award Young Canadians Challenge is the most prestigious achievement award available for youth today. SMUS Standards of Service are designed to work well with the application process for the Duke of Edinburgh. It is an exciting self-development Program which ultimately equips the participants with life skills to make a difference to themselves, their communities and their country. This is a fabulous award for our students as the Award is flexible and can be done by anyone aged 14-25 in their own time, mental or physical ability or social circumstances. Moreover, the individual chooses what activities to do depending on his/her interests and resources. By taking part in the Award the student works alongside 30,000 other participants, helpers and support personnel all across Canada. There is no competition between participants.
Requirements
To qualify, a student must register, obtain a Record Book and then satisfy the requirements for each of the four sections (5 for Gold level):
- The Service Section is intended to develop a sense of community and social responsibility.
- The Adventurous Journey Section aims to cultivate a spirit of adventure and discovery and an understanding of the environment.
- The Skills Section develops cultural, vocational and practical skills.
- The Physical Recreation Section encourages improved performance and fitness.
- The Residential Project can be undertaken any time during participation in the Award, but is only submitted at the Gold level.
Participants must qualify in all these sections, one level at a time. There are three levels of the Award: Bronze, Silver and Gold. With each successive level the demand and commitment increases. You do not have to start at the Bronze level. If you are over 15 you can join directly at the Silver level or if you are over 16, directly at Gold.
- Bronze – for those over 14. The minimum period of participation to gain this Award is 6 months;
- Silver – for those over 15. The minimum period of participation to gain this Award is 12 months (or 6 months if you have completed Bronze);
- Gold – for those over 16. The minimum period of participation to gain this Award is 18 months (or 12 months if you have completed Silver).
To gain an award, all four sections (plus an additional requirement of a residential project at Gold Level only) must be tackled for the specified minimum period of time. The sections are:
1. Service: To encourage a sense of responsibility to the community through:
Voluntary Service may be a variety of different activates. The emphasis being regular giving of a service.
- community service projects
- conservation work
- voluntary service in hospitals or community homes or
- more specialized training such as lifesaving, first aid or rescue services
For more details see http://www.dukeofed.org/home.aspx
2. Adventurous Journey (Expedition, Exploration or Adventurous Project):
An enjoyable experience designed to cultivate a spirit of adventure and discovery; an understanding of the environment, and the importance of working together in a team with a common purpose. The expedition may be by foot, bicycle, boat or horseback, or alternatively it may be an equally challenging adventurous journey. Proper training and preparation, self sufficiency, self-reliance and the exploration of new surroundings are the key elements. If you are feeling particularly adventurous then the Adventurous Journey section could be fulfilled overseas, perhaps on an organized exchange with an Award group from another country.
For more details see http://www.dukeofed.org/home.aspx
3. Skills: To encourage the development of personal interests and learn practical skills
There are over 200 hobby and vocational skills from which you can choose, such as photography, cacti growing, magazine production, music, and metal work. The skill (hobby) is one activity and should not be a Physical Recreation/Fitness activity.
For more details see http://www.dukeofed.org/home.aspx
4. Physical Recreation: To encourage improved performance and physical fitness
Participants are required to take part in some form of organized physical recreation and show individual progress. Most team and individual sports are included, such as football, athletics, archery, swimming and canoeing. The list is endless, depending on what appeals to you.
For more details see http://www.dukeofed.org/home.aspx
5. Residential Project: (for Gold level only).
This project is intended to broaden your experience through living and working with others (who are not your everyday companions) over a period of five consecutive days.
Note: This is a Gold level requirement, but it is the only section which can be done any time after you register in the Program. i.e. whether you are working on bronze, silver or gold.
For more details see http://www.dukeofed.org/home.aspx
Summary of requirements with sections and levels
| Award Level | Service | Expeditions & Explorations | Skills | Physical Fitness |
| BRONZE Minimum age to start: 14 Maximum age to finish: 25. Qualify in four sections as indicated. |
Choose one or more forms of service, undertake training, and give practical service to others. A minimum of 15 hours of service over a period of 6 months. | Undertake basic training, carry out a practice journey, and then complete an Expedition OR an Exploration. A minimum of two days out is required including one night camping, and an average of 6 hours activity a day. | Follow a Skills program for a minimum of 6 months. Activity may be changed once during this period. | Take part in physical activities and benefit from participation, effort, and improvement. A minimum of 30 hours of activity over a period of 15 weeks is required. |
| SILVER Minimum age to start: 15 Maximum age to finish: 25 Qualify in four sections as indicated. |
Choose one or more forms of service, undertake training, and give practical service to others. A minimum of 30 hours of service over a period of 6 months for those who have achieved their Bronze Award; 45 hours over 12 months for direct Silver entrants. | Undertake basic training, carry out a practice journey, and then complete an Expedition OR an Exploration, OR an Adventurous Project. A minimum of three days out is required including two nights camping, and an average of 7 hours of activity a day. | Follow a Skills program for a minimum of 6 months for those who have achieved their Bronze Award, 12 months for direct Silver entrants. Activity may be changed once during this period. | Take part in physical activities and benefit from participation, effort, and improvement. A minimum of 40 hours of activity over a period of 20 weeks is required. |
| GOLD Minimum age to start: 16 Maximum age to finish: 25 Qualify in four sections as indicated and complete the Residential Qualification* |
Choose one or more forms of service, undertake training, and give practical service to others. A minimum of 60 hours of service over a period of 12 months for those who have achieved their Silver Award; 90 hours over 18 months for direct Gold entrants. | Undertake basic training, carry out a practice journey, and then complete an Expedition OR an Exploration, OR and Adventurous Project. A minimum of four days out is required including three nights camping, and an average of 8 hours activity a day. | Follow a Skills program for a minimum of 12 months for those who have achieved their Silver Award, 18 months for direct Gold entrants. Activity may be changed once during this period. | Take part in physical activities and benefit from participation, effort, and improvement. A minimum of 50 hours of activity over a period of 25 weeks is required. |
* Residential Project (May be undertaken at any time, but must be submitted at Gold level):
Undertake some shared activity in the company of their peers, either through voluntary service or training away from home over a period of not less than 5 consecutive days (4 nights away).
You can obtain the Record Book; “The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Young Canadians Challenge – Participant’s Record Book”, from the Outdoor Leadership, Service Office or Volunteer Coordinator’s Office or upon registration. Your aim is to choose what you want to do and to set some goals and challenges for yourself. This book contains the basic guidelines and requirements, as well as provides the participant a place to record all activities. The Record Book is the participant’s personal responsibility and must be used to record the progress through the various requirements.
- When picking up your Record book from the school, make sure they register you with them and pay the required $20.00
- The Award is unique in that you decide what you want to do within the guidelines offered. The end result is an achievement which is entirely your own. It is our hope that you will decide what you would like to do and then challenge yourself to meet the goals that you have set for yourself. Don’t forget to set the goals.
- Contact Pete McLeod, Laurie Parker or Kevin Cook should you need any guidance. They also provide an instructor or assessor for your assistance. An instructor is someone who will guide you through the learning steps of your chosen activity. An assessor is someone who will evaluate your progress or the finished project. An instructor can be an assessor.
- Keep careful records of all your activities in the Record Book. Keep it up to date. Keep it safe as this Log represents a considerable investment of time and effort. The importance of the completeness of an Award Application submission cannot be overemphasized as, with very few exceptions, the material submitted is the only source upon which the Award Standards Committee can base its approval or rejection.
- When planning and carrying out your Expedition, keep your log up to date. It is easier to complete if it is fresh in your mind.
- Remember the initiative, motivation, and responsibility for completion of any Award level is designed to come from you.
- When you have completed an Award level, submit the appropriate application form along with your Record Book and Expedition Report to Pete McLeod in the Outdoor Ed. Office, where it will be reviewed and signed before the materials are forwarded to the Division Office for approval.
- The completion date of one Award level marks the start date of the next. A participant may immediately commence work on the next Award level (if they meet the minimum age requirements). However it should be noted that if the Award Application is not approved, then any work performed toward the next level cannot be used to qualify for that next level.
The following Award Application materials should be submitted to the Award Office:
- Participant’s Record Book
- Award Application Form – this must be prepared by the participant and signed by the participant and SMUS representative. Care should be taken to ensure that all dates on the Application Form correspond to those in the Record Book, that all necessary signatures have been obtained, and that the personal Sketch is completed.
- Expedition/Exploration/Adventurous Project Log
- Any other material that relates to any aspect of the Award.
- All material submitted must bear the Participant, and the SMUS Group name