Youth Achievement


The Youth Challenges and the Youth Achievement Awards are an activity-based approach to peer education. The Awards are designed to help develop more effective participative practice by encouraging young people to progressively take more responsibility in selecting, planning and leading activities that are based on their interests. The peer group model encourages the development of a wide range of life skills through a flexible and informal approach.

The Youth Achievement Awards were introduced nationally in 1997 and are already well established in a wide range of youth organisations, schools and educational projects. Building on their success, the Youth Challenges were launched in 2002 meeting the demand for a similar award for the lower age group. In all levels of the Awards young people are encouraged to take on progressive levels of responsibility through involvement in a wide range of self-identified activities.

The Youth Achievement Awards were initially established in the youth work sector as a means of recognising and accrediting young people's achievements through a peer group approach. More recently, schools, colleges, national charities, youth offender institutions, youth offending teams, Connexions partnerships and training providers are finding them an equally valuable tool in motivating and engaging their young people.

The Youth Challenges are internally certificated and are aimed at young people aged 11 to 14, although they may be appropriate for people older, or even slightly younger. The Bronze to Gold Youth Achievement Awards are aimed at young people who are 14 plus, with the Platinum young leaders award being appropriate for young people of 16 plus.

The youth achievement awards and the youth challenges are structured as to encourage the development of the following social skills

The award is divided into four different levels:

Bronze

Young people take part in activities that have been organised by other people.

Silver

Young people are involved in helping to plan and organise activities where their contribution and responsibilities within the challenge are clearly defined.

Gold

Young people take complete responsibility for planning, organising and leading activities. Young people will also need to give a presentation on their award.

Platinum

A leadership or peer educators award. Young people take complete responsibility for planning, organising and leading activities. It is different from the other awards because the challenges are set and include a personal development plan, undertaking training, a placement working with young people, an evaluation and a presentation.