Deliver the Award Programme
How you can bring the Award to your community
Everything starts with a simple question: What would your community look like if every young person had the courage to push beyond their limits and the wisdom to inspire others to do the same?
The Award programme is a concrete response to this question — a framework through which schools, institutions, NGOs and companies become places where potential takes shape and dreams turn into real plans. As an institution or organisation, you become the host of this journey. It is the starting point of an experience that carries young people from their first ideas to projects that leave a mark on the community. You get to see how they grow, how they learn to work in a team, how they gain confidence in their own strengths, and how they discover resources they did not know they had.
- To create a safe and motivating space for young people, where challenges are seen as opportunities.
- To appoint dedicated adults who become Award Leaders – mentors who guide and support each participant.
- To integrate the programme’s activities into the rhythm and culture of your organisation, whether it is a school, an NGO or a company.
The Award Romania Foundation offers you training, resources and continuous support, so that you can focus on what matters: the experience of young people.
- Initial conversation – we get to know each other, present the programme structure and find out what you want to bring to your community.
- Collaboration agreement – we put the roles of each party in writing, for a clear and effective partnership.
- Appointing a Coordinator – this person will look after the team and coordinate the programme’s implementation within the institution, acting as the main contact with DofE Romania.
- Training Award Leaders – members of your team take part in an interactive course where they learn how to guide participants.
- Action Plan – each institution delivering the programme can create its own implementation design, and we support it through calendar management and counselling so that implementation and attracting young people to the programme work efficiently.
- Training of Supervisors & Assessors – team members take part in an interactive course where they learn how to prepare… (text continues exactly as the original)
- Implementation & formation of partnerships & working systems – whether the activities of the three longer sections take place at school or externally, partnerships are extremely valuable for offering young people the best experiences.
- Celebration – at the end of the school year or during other agreed periods, recognition ceremonies are held within the institution for the Bronze and Silver levels. The Gold-level ceremony is organised nationally by the DofE Romania team and traditionally takes place at Elisabeta Palace in Bucharest.
The Award Romania Foundation offers ongoing training, resources and support so that you can focus on what matters: the experience of young people.
- Access to a personal development methodology for young people, tested in over 130 countries.
- A set of tools and ready-to-use resources that can give your organisation effective structure.
- Training and continuous support from the DofE Romania team.
- Visibility as a member of a recognised international network.
- Opportunities for collaboration and exchange of experience with other international organisations.
- You invest in the future of young people and contribute to making the world a better place for everyone.
- A space and platform where young people can be creative and express themselves.
- A team of people imagining the future and guiding the younger generations.
- Human resources and time invested in community programmes and projects through the volunteering section.
Adult roles in the Award
Behind every young person who discovers their courage, perseverance, and passion through The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award programme are dedicated adults – teachers, leaders, parents, volunteers, and supporters. They are the ones who guide them, inspire them, and create the context in which experiences become life lessons.
Every role matters. From the teacher who encourages the first step, to the coordinator who organises activities, to the parent who offers emotional support, and the sponsor who makes a new opportunity possible – they all form a support network that makes the difference.
This page shows you how adults get involved in the Award and how they contribute, each in their own way, to shaping a more confident, courageous generation that is better prepared for the future.
The Award Coordinator has a key role regarding the running of the Award programme. They represent the main point of contact between the Foundation and the organisation licensed as an Award Unit (Award Operating Unit or Operating Authority) and are primarily responsible for managing the delivery of the Award programme to the young people within the organisation.
The Award Leader has a key role regarding the delivery of the Award programme in their organisation. They are the adult within the Award unit who works directly with the young people. The Leader guides and offers support to participants and works with them on documenting activities on the Online Record Book (ORB) platform.
Activity Instructors are adult volunteers who provide specialised training to participants within each section of the Award programme. They must have relevant experience in the field of the chosen activity to guide participants in setting the SMART goals with which each section begins and in the methodology for measuring progress.
The Award Leader and the Activity Instructor must ensure that the participant carries out the activity regularly over the minimum required period and demonstrates progress in achieving the proposed goals. At the end of the process, depending on the context, they will be responsible for approving the activities completed by the participant and for the official validation of the respective section.
The Supervisor’s role within the Adventurous Journey section is crucial, both regarding the safety of participants during their journey and in maintaining Award standards. All Adventurous Journeys, including practice journeys, must be supervised by an experienced adult who is competent in choosing the mode of travel and who is familiar with the location where the journey will take place. The Supervisor accepts responsibility for the safety and well-being of the team on behalf of the organisation.
Additionally, the supervisor will be familiar with the team, their individual strengths and weaknesses, and their knowledge of the chosen route.
All qualifying journeys within The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award must be assessed by a competent adult who is approved by the organisation licensed as an Award Centre and by the National Award Foundation. Assessors within the Adventurous Journey section have the task of maintaining the high standards of the Award. The function of the Assessor is to confirm that all section conditions have been met. The Assessor is an objective observer of the team and will determine whether or not they meet the conditions of the section.
The operational team of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Romania Foundation provides appropriate training for adults involved in delivering the Award programme, offers consultancy to Award Centres, provides learning and development opportunities for Award Participants, and ensures that the programme’s implementation standards are successfully maintained.