How you can help
The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation is an international charity that has enabled millions of young people to take on the Award’s challenge to believe in the power of their potential, make a difference in their community and take control of their future.
But, to make the programme more accessible to those who would benefit from it most, our Foundation needs your support.
Established more than half a century ago to help young people navigate a new world, the need for The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award has never been greater.
Today, young people across the world face unprecedented challenges, as their wellbeing, access to education, and lack of decent work are all under severe pressure.
- Young people (aged 15–24) unemployment rate is three times as high as that of adults (aged 25 or more). More than one in five – 23.5 per cent – of young people are not in education, employment or training (NEET).
- Globally, one in seven 10-19-year-olds experiences a mental disorder, yet these remain largely unrecognised and untreated.
More than ever, local communities, global economies and the planet as a whole needs innovators and changemakers who are truly world-ready. While access to formal education is vital, many of life’s greatest lessons happen beyond the classroom. The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award gives young people the chance to discover exactly that.
Millions of young people have transformed their lives since His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh founded the Award in 1956.
Together, we can help millions more do the same.
There are lots of different ways that you can support the work of our charity:
Transformational Giving
Funding from our supporters has played a vital part in an incredible collective effort to support young people, including through specific projects funded by transformational level gifts. Below are some examples of the work our donors have supported at The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation.
The Award in India
At the Foundation, we raise and grant funds to where they are most needed across our global Award family to scale up their operations and increase diversity and inclusion with projects often enabling those who are most at risk or marginalised to take part in the Award. Participation in the Award at the Blind Boys’ Academy in Kolkata came after our delivery partner, known in India as The International Award for Young People (IAYP), received support from our Special Projects grant-giving fund. Supporting these young people to shape themselves and create a better future that can help them stand on their own two feet.
Supporting Displaced Young People from Ukraine
At the Foundation we scale up the ambition, impact and perception of the Award worldwide, advocating for the right socio-political climate for non-formal education and learning to thrive; actively forming partnerships with global organisations. Stand By Me is a ground-breaking partnership, which sees The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award in the Czech Republic, Romania and Slovakia partner with UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund, on a two-year project to provide vital support to young people who have been displaced or impacted by the war in Ukraine.
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