The International Youth Program

“We can not always prepare the future for our youth, but we can prepare our youth for the future.” - Theodore Roosevelt

The International Award for Young People Programme aims to ensure social development through contributing to the individual and social development of the young and thus to encourage young people to strengthen their social responsibility awareness, discover and develop their skills, display physical development activities, know and learn to live with the environment and come together with other members of the society with different regional, social, cultural and educational backgrounds.

History of the International Award for Young People Programme

The International Award for Young People was set up in the United Kingdom in 1956 as “The Duke Of Edinburgh Award.”

The Award Programme was designed on the basis of the education philosophy of the German Educator Kurt Hahn and put into effect with the support of the Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. The education philosophy of Kurt Hahn contemplated that in the education of the young, social and extra-curricular activities consciously be taken into consideration at least to the extent academic work is taken into consideration. Kurt Hahn is also the founder of Atlantic College, the first international university of the world and of the International Baccalaureate programme of the Outward Bound Program that is implemented in some private schools of Turkey.

Since 1956, over 100 countries has included the International Award for Young People Programme in the education of the young and over 5 million young people worldwide have completed the programme. 

On average, 200.000 young people join the award programme every year.

Milestones of the International Award for Young People Programme in Turkey

• The International Award for Young People was introduced to Turkey in 1995. The first implementers of the Award programme in Turkey were Turkish-British Friendship Platform and a few private international schools including the Koç School.
• In 2001, Turkish Human Resources Foundation (TİKAV) included the International Award for Young People in its agenda and began its efforts for carrying the award program to a national level in cooperation with the Turkish- British Friendship Foundation.
• In May 2002, the Ministry of National Education approved by an official letter the implementation of the Award Program in high-school equivalent schools in 7 pilot provinces (Ankara, Aydın, Bursa, Elazığ, Eskişehir, Gaziantep, Kayseri).
• In September 2002, Club of Gaziantep and Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce participated in the efforts to carry the International Award for Young People programme to a national level and initiated active implementation of the award program in the province of Gaziantep.
• In September 2003, Youth Award Association was founded by educators and representatives of non-governmental organizations that internally implement the International Award for Young People Award.
• Youth Award Association was admitted as member to the International Award Association on 19 October 2003 and was declared the officially responsible body for the International Aware for Young People Programme.

Implementation of the International Award for Young People Programme in Turkey:

The award programme with a one-year National Agency history is carried out in public schools, private schools and universities in the provinces of Ankara, Istanbul, Gaziantep, Kayseri, Eskişehir and Elazığ.

These works are carried out with the support and approval of the Ministry of National Education. A group of voluntary “Award Leaders” that consists mostly of teachers conduct these voluntary works. Youth Award Association provides periodical training on Award Leadership.

Currently there are 585 active award participants and 70 Award Leaders in Turkey.

(This data is valid as of 08.09.2008.)

How is the International Award for Young People Programme Conducted?

The International Award for Young People in which over 4 million young people coming from more than 100 countries take part offers countless activity options to all young people aged between 14 and 25 years and provides them with the opportunity to reach perfection in the field they wish and within terms they define. 

The award programme consists of 4 parts. Each part has 3 categories. These are gold, silver and bronze. These awards certificate the efforts and creativity of young people. Students are entitled to win one of these awards depending on the time they devote. The working period for the bronze award is 6 months. This period is 12 months for the silver awards and 18 months for the gold award.

Those who participate in the programme in the gold category have the opportunity to reach a large number of international advantages.  

Community Services

These support social awareness and responsibility and contain social service projects. These projects cover many activities including helping the physically disabled, protection and restoration, and teaching how to read and write.

Knowing the Environment and the Nature

This part aims to support self-confidence and teamwork in addition to being environment- conscious. Young people experience success as they discover the spirit of being an adventurer and overcome challenges together when they walk in rain forests, climb mountains and walk in deserts.    

Skill Development and Entrepreneurship

This part contains various activities including those that equip young people with the skills to earn money such painting, carpentry and construction.  

Physical Development

This part aims to ensure physical development through individual sports and team games. 

These four parts form the basis of the International Award for Young People. The award offers each young person various options that suit their interests and desires and they are given the opportunity and flexibility to make a choice among them.  

The International Award for Young People Programme at The Koç School 

The Koç School has been implementing the award programme since 1995. Conducted with the full support of the school administration, the award programme provides our students with pleasant experience at national and international levels. Currently 120 students are actively involved in the programme, displaying many different activities in the fields set out in the programme.  To date, more than 200 students have received awards. List (excel file).

Nature camps are organized for the field of Adventure and Discovery at least three times a year. This activity provides our students with the opportunity to camp under supervision of experienced advisors and to complete this part. Visuals of the camps organized are available here. (Paint files). 

Please visit the international web page http://www.ugo.org.tr/ and the Turkish web page http://www.intaward.org/ for further information.