THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH'S INTERNATIONAL AWARD

Understanding the Framework

The framework has three levels—Bronze, Silver, and Gold—each with four core sections: Physical Recreation, Skills, Voluntary Service, and Adventurous Journey. Gold also includes a Residential Project. Students can start at any level however, those entering directly at Silver or Gold are required to complete an extra six months in either Voluntary Service, Physical Recreation, or Skills.

A ‘major’ must be chosen for each level if a student has not completed their previous level. This applies to all Bronze registered users, Silver registered users who have not completed their Bronze level, and Gold registered users who have not completed their Silver level. The major section requires a longer commitment, and students can select their major from Voluntary Service, Physical Recreation, or Skills. The duration varies depending on the level. 

Design your Framework

To get started, select activities that meet the guidelines for each section: Physical Recreation, Skills, Voluntary Service, Adventurous Journey, and, at Gold level, the Residential Project. Examples include participating in sports for Physical Recreation, learning a new skill for Skills, and volunteering in your community for Voluntary Service. You may work on all sections simultaneously, but the Online Record Book (ORB) will only recognise an average of one hour per week for each section, and the majority of activities must be completed outside school hours.

• Physical Recreation: Choose activities that enhance your fitness and well-being, such as football, swimming, martial arts, cycling, or dance.

• Skills: Develop non-physical talents with activities like music, arts and crafts, languages, writing, or website development.

• Voluntary Service: Contribute to your community by volunteering in care homes, supporting charities, coaching, or taking part in local initiatives.

• Adventurous Journey: Plan, train for, and complete an outdoor expedition with up to seven of your peers. This could involve bushwalking, cycling, canoeing, or another group journey in a challenging environment. You will take part in both a practice and qualifying journey, focusing on planning, teamwork, and developing self-reliance.

At Gold level, there is an additional requirement:

• Residential Project (Gold only): Take part in a shared, purposeful experience away from home with people you do not already know. This project must last at least five days and four nights and can involve activities such as community service, environmental work, or an arts or leadership program.

Pymble runs many in-house options at each year level that can count towards both Adventurous Journeys and Residential Projects. For more information about these opportunities and which co-curricular programs are suitable, please speak to your Duke of Ed Coordinator.

Use the Duke of Ed User Activity Plan, available in the 'Downloadable Resources section, to help set up your activities in the ORB and ensure you have everything ready before you begin.

Assessors

For each section, students must select a qualified assessor with relevant skills and experience. Assessors must be approved by the Duke of Ed Coordinator, be at least 18 years old, hold a valid Working with Children Clearance (WWCC), and must not be an immediate family member. All assessors are required to complete a Volunteer Commencement Guide (VCG) form—this can be downloaded from the 'Downloadable Resources' section. Assessors must be able to monitor and report on student progress, and provide an assessor report at the end. Completed VCG forms should be sent directly to the Duke of Ed Coordinator at dukes@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au.

Goals 

Goal setting is an essential part of the Duke of Ed journey, helping students stay motivated, focused, and able to track their progress. For each activity, students need to set S.M.A.R.T. goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-bound). Goals should include your current ability, what you want to achieve, why it matters, the actions and resources you’ll use, and how your progress will be measured. Take time to reflect on your motivation, create a vision, assess your current reality, plan your actions and commitment, and then set a clear timeframe.

Example of a S.M.A.R.T. Goal:

I can currently run 8 km in 45 minutes. By the end of my hours, I aim to be able to run 10 km in less than 45 minutes to improve my fitness, endurance, and stamina. I will run twice a week and attend athletics training before school each Tuesday to receive feedback on my technique from my coach. Additionally, I will measure my progress using my Apple Watch.

Setting up the ORB

The Online Record Book (ORB) is an intuitive digital platform that allows students to set goals, log activities, track their progress, and reflect on their Duke of Ed journey. With helpful features such as reminders, comprehensive progress tracking, and options to upload evidence, the ORB makes managing your Award experience straightforward and organised.

Once you have selected your activities and chosen your assessors, enter these details into your ORB account. Please note that each activity and assessor must be approved in the ORB before you begin logging hours or sessions. This approval process ensures that all activities meet the Award’s requirements, setting you up for success from the very beginning.

For step-by-step guidance, consult the tutorials available in the 'Downloadable Resources' section.

Logging Framework Hours

Logging your activities is important not only for tracking hours but also for measuring your progress, developing self-awareness, and ensuring your activities meets Duke of Ed requirements. Detailed logs help prevent sections from being rejected and are now closely reviewed by the NSW Duke of Ed Office.

• What to Include:
  Logs should be specific and detailed—1–2 sentences per entry for Bronze and Silver, and 3+ sentences for Gold. Include information on what you did, what you learned, what went well, areas for improvement, and how the session contributed to your goals. Add photos or supporting evidence where possible.

• Home-Based Activities:
  If your activity is done at home and not directly supervised, provide comprehensive logs and upload evidence such as photos or tracking app screenshots to demonstrate your effort and progress.

• Commitment Patterns:
  The ORB only counts a set maximum each week (e.g. 1 hour per week, 2 hours per fortnight). Extra hours logged above the maximum pattern will not count towards your total.

Regular, thoughtful logs support your journey, aid your assessors, and help you celebrate progress.

Example of an activity log:

11.11.2022 – 1 hour

Today, I ran for an hour, covering 8.5 km. This is a slight regression from last week, which I attribute to a lack of sleep and insufficient breakfast, as well as my general lack of enthusiasm for the run this morning. If I don’t improve by next week, I will consider discussing my situation with my assessor, Mr. Run Fast.

Logging an Adventurous Journey

Students must keep a log during both their practice and qualifying journeys. For the practice journey, students should write at least one paragraph summarising their experiences, enter this in the ‘Journey Observations’ section of the ORB, and submit it for assessor approval. If you don’t receive assessment within a week, follow up with your Duke of Ed Coordinator.

For the qualifying journey, use the designated report template for Bronze, Silver, or Gold, which can be downloaded from the 'Downloadable Resources' section. Upload your completed report to the ORB for approval. Sample reports for each level are available to guide you, and helpful videos can be found in the Tutorials section. If you don’t receive assessment within a week, follow up with your Duke of Ed Coordinator.

Logging a Residential Project (Gold only) 

A five-day Residential Project is a requirement only at the Gold level. For this component compile your reflections and logs into a project report using the designated template, available in the 'Downloadable Resources' section. Review the sample report provided for guidance on expectations. Upload your completed report to the ORB and submit it for assessor approval. If your assessment is not received within a week, follow up with your Duke of Ed Coordinator.