Awards For Young People
Are you aged 10-25 years? Do you want to try new things and have your personal achievements more widely recognised?
This website will help you to identify Awards that can be fun to undertake and can make a big difference to your future prospects.
Use the Awards Finder to find out more about Awards available to young people in Scotland and how they can benefit you.
What are Youth Work Awards?
An Award recognises personal achievement. It might be in the form of a certificate, an approved qualification or a badge that can be gained after successfully completing a programme of activity that normally requires personal commitment over a period of time. Awards can be achieved through spare time activities, often undertaken as part of a youth group, or through voluntary activity engaged in through a school or college.
In addition to the personal satisfaction of achieving an Award, youth Awards testify to learning, skills and experiences gained outside of a formal educational setting that are highly valued by employers, colleges and universities. Adding these to qualifications gained through formal education provides a more complete picture of a young person and can significantly boost prospects for employment and progression.
The Awards Network in Scotland includes many organisations that offer awards and qualifications. The range of activities recognised through Awards is vast. Examples include:
Planning and taking part in an outdoor expedition
Running an anti-bullying project
Making a difference to your local community or the environment through volunteering
Arts, music, drama
The length of time and location will depend on the Award chosen. Click here to try out the Award Finder. Under each Award provider there are links to further information about their Awards and what these involve.
Meet new friends and experience new things
Develop skills, aptitudes and knowledge in fun and practical ways
Improve team building, communication and leadership skills
Feel good about making a difference to your local community or to a cause or charity you are passionate about
Record and celebrate personal achievement
Add amazing things to a CV to make it stand out from the crowd to employers, universities and others
Children's University Scotland Awards
Children's University awards are all about inspiring a love of learning and celebrating achievements outside the classroom. Children collect credits for all activities that happen… more
Chief Guide's Challenge
In order to complete the Chief Guide's Challenge, you need to complete Phases 1 and 2 from all eight octants of the Look Wider programme… more
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award
Young people can participate in 3 levels of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award (DofE); Bronze, Silver and Gold. The bronze award takes a minimum of… more
Queen's Scout Award
The Queen's Scout Award is the culmination of everything that Explorer Scouts and Scout Network members have achieved in Scouting. The Queen's Scout Award is… more
Emmie - My Youth Award Journey
Emmie, a Trustee of Youth Scotland and a former MSYP, relates how completing a Youth Achievement Award led to a change of direction in learning and career. Read More
Joe was referred by his school to the Pupil Support Service in Fife due to his refusal to follow basic school rules. He had a history of multiple exclusions and was verbally abusive to staff, including threats of physical violence. The Pupil Support Service offered… Read More
Amazing Things
A Directory of Youth Awards in Scotland.
What employers say about youth work awards
A sample of quotes from employers, and case studies.
A quick guide to Apprenticeships in Scotland.
Tips on Writing a CV
Tips on CVs and applications and access to the MyWorldofWork CV builder.
UCAS Personal Statement
How to write a UCAS Undergraduate personal statement
Transferability of skills gained through youth work
Download a copy of 'Get Ahead – Scouting and employability' – an example of how to identify transferrable skills gained through youth work experiences.