What is the International Award?

The International Award is an exciting self-development programme available to all young people worldwide, equipping them with life skills to make a difference to themselves, their communities and the world. To date, almost 5 million young people from over 144 countries have been motivated to undertake a variety of voluntary and challenging activities.

Who can take part?The award is designed to be flexible and accessible to individuals aged 14–25, allowing participants to complete it in their own time. Mental or physical ability, as well as social circumstances, should never be a barrier. Participants have the freedom to choose activities based on their interests and resources. For those over 25, there are still options: they can contribute by becoming award leaders, playing a crucial role in the success of the award programme.

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For many students, participating in the Duke of Edinburgh International Award can be life changing, as it gives them opportunities they never thought possible. Not only does the award give students an edge when applying for universities, it gives them the skills and confidence for a productive and prosperous future.
Nadeem Faisal, International Award Coordinator

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award is one of Doha College's largest co-curricular activities, with hundreds of students taking part in the three award levels of Bronze, Silver and Gold. With a dedicated team of staff volunteering their time, students have the opportunity to really put themselves outside their comfort zone. This is achieved by undertaking Adventurous Journeys (AJs) and acquiring new skills and experiences through other sections of the Award: Service, Physical Activity, Skills, and a Residential Project (Gold only). Expand the sections below to find out more.

Award Levels

Award Sections

Section	Details
Service	To encourage a sense of responsibility to the community. The emphasis of this section is the regular giving of a service: · Community service projects; · Conservation work; · Voluntary service in hospitals or community homes; · Specialised training such as lifesaving, first aid, or rescue services.
Adventurous journey	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 Adventurous Journey may be by foot, bicycle, boat, or on horseback, or 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. Those feeling particularly adventurous can fulfill the Adventurous Journey overseas, perhaps on an organised exchange with an award group from another country.
Skills	To encourage the development of personal interests and learn practical skills. There are over 200 hobby and vocational skills from which participants can choose, such as photography, cacti growing, cooking, magazine production, or metal work.
Physical recreation	To encourage improved performance and physical fitness, participants are required to take part in some form of organised 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.
Residential project	For Gold level only. Intended to broaden your experience through living and working with others (who are not everyday companions) over a period of five consecutive days.

How to Enrol

Students intending to take part in the Bronze Award in Year 10 can enrol in June, at the end of Year 9. Students new to Doha College can enrol at the start of the academic year in September.

Students wishing to participate in the Silver Award will have to have completed the Bronze Award if they attended the college in Year 10. Direct entry into the Silver Award may be available for 6th Form students only. Upper 6th Form students may also enter the Gold Award directly.

Detailed information and enrolment forms for the International Award are available on our parent portal.

Here are the thoughts of some of Doha College's DoE participants:

My experience with the Duke of Edinburgh Award has been extremely positive and rewarding; I've been able to achieve goals I would never have considered before. I've been given the opportunity to support my community while also making personal progress. The Award allowed me to focus in areas like physical activity, creative skill and voluntary service. Personally, I’m pleased that I signed up for such an enlightening experience, as its impact will last a lifetime.
Zainab Zaheer, Year 10

The DofE International Award was an informative yet fun experience where I explored activities and skills from a different perspective - working towards a SMART goal. This activity has enabled me to gain important organisational skills along with communication and role model-based skills from my voluntary service. In addition, I gained excellent results in the physical component (strength and endurance training), which I only obtained through the motivation brought forward by the SMART goal I was working towards. Overall, the skills I acquired during the expedition have helped me a lot in other areas of school as I have moved up the years. These skills included teamwork, leading a group, resilience and perseverance, physical stamina and mental hardship. I plan to take part in the gold award as well.
Lillian Govender 10T1

Award	Minimum Age	Minimum Participation
Bronze	14	6 months
Silver	15	12 months
Gold	16	28 months

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DofE International Award

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Award Levels

Award Sections

How to Enrol

Scroll through the gallery to see our DoE students in action