The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is the world’s leading youth achievement programme and has a fifty year history of service in Bermuda.
Throughout all levels of the Award, participants engage in activities involving community service; developing personal skills; physical recreation; and adventurous journeys that are completed in Bermuda and overseas. Award participants are encouraged to think globally and act locally. Our transformational programmes are proven to help young people discover, develop and achieve their greatest potential. The International Award serves teens and young adults between the ages of 14 up to 25, and the Bermuda Bridge Award caters to ages 12 and 13. All of the Award programmes in Bermuda are offered free of charge in order to ensure the life-changing opportunities afforded through participation in the Award remain available to everyone who wishes to participate, regardless of their socio-economic status. This is not the case throughout the rest of the world where registration and participation fees are standard practice.
There are presently 1.35 million young people in more than 140 countries and territories worldwide undertaking the challenge of completing their Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards. The Bermuda Award has mentored more than 10,000 locals over the past five decades. Our tiny island presently boasts the highest penetration rate for participation in the International Award, with more than 10% of Bermuda’s eligible population between the ages of 14 to 24 being actively engaged in the programme on an annual basis, not including the Bermuda Bridge Award participants. Last year, 622 young people from diverse backgrounds across the island took up the challenge of participating in the Award.
Participation is fun, exciting, challenging and rewarding, and contributes to the development of well-rounded global citizens who take pride in themselves and in their communities. The Award’s impact measures include increased self-confidence; enhanced communication and problem solving skills; improved academic attainment and employability; improved health and well-being; social inclusion and increased participation in civic life; care for the environment; gender equality; reduction and prevention of violence; and reduced reoffending (recidivism) rates, just to name a few.
Get involved and make a difference! Contact the Award Office for additional details on programmes, volunteering, Alumni events and 50th anniversary celebrations. T: 537.4868 | E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.