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Awards Aware

Being Awards Aware

Introduction

Join the community of individuals and organisations that are registering to become Awards Aware to demonstrate the value that non-formal learning brings to young people, those that support them in learning and achievement, parents and carers as well as employers.

Learn more about the value of Non-Formal Learning

Increasing take-up of youth awards that complement or provide an alternative to formal qualifications is challenging traditional understanding of learning and learning outcomes, blurring the distinction between attainment and achievement. Awareness of youth awards, along with understanding what they entail and the outcomes they can deliver, is essential to developing recognition of the whole young person who presents for employment or higher education destinations.

Demonstrate your awareness by becoming Awards Aware today!

Read more about why we created Awards Aware.

Awards Aware Scheme sign-up

Organisations and individuals subscribing to the Awards Aware scheme are declaring that they agree to a core set of principles in their interactions and relationships with young people. Awards Aware organisations are permitted, and encouraged, to use the Awards Aware brand mark on their signage, stationery and digital properties.

In its Pilot Phase, becoming Awards Aware is a straightforward 4-step on-line process.

To secure Awards Aware recognition subscribers must

  1. accept the Core Principles;
  2. aspire to achieving the actions described in one of the four categories of Awards Aware registrants: 
    Schools (and Colleges); 
    Employers; 
    Youth workers/organisations; or 
    Young people/parents/others;
  3. register subscriber / organisation contact details.

1. Core Principles

  • Young people’s learning is shaped by a combination of experiences within formal and non-formal learning settings, including local communities, youth groups and families
  • Assessing the competences and capabilities of young people requires recognising the totality of attainment and achievement gained within and outside formal learning settings
  • Youth awards are recognised and accepted as evidence of achievement and attainment through non-formal learning
  • It is recognised that youth awards complement and supplement formal learning and for some young people provide valid alternative learning pathways
  • Youth awards put individuals at the centre of planning their learner journey
  • Youth awards help young people develop knowledge, competences and skills for life and for work
  • Participation in youth award programmes is encouraged into working life as part of a life-long learner journey

2. Awards Intelligence

  • Be aware of the Awards Network
  • Knowledge of awards is refreshed through use of the Awards Network website www.awardsnetwork.org
  • Obtain a copy of Amazing Things online or by ordering a hard copy
  • Subscribe to Awards Network news updates (complete box at foot of page)

3. Choose your Awards Aware category

Choose the category that most closely applies to you. Your chosen category will present a list of actions that you should aspire to deliver.

I/we aspire to:

  • Promote awareness of youth awards to young people and encourage participation
  • Value youth awards, whether school-led or independently pursued
  • Include youth awards in curriculum options for young people
  • Adopt an equalities approach to facilitating opportunities for all pupils to pursue youth awards as part of their learner pathways
  • Develop intelligence of youth awards available in the local learning community and seek to capture the outside school achievements of young people
  • Celebrate achievement of youth awards e.g. at Assemblies or end-of-year prize-giving ceremonies
  • Develop understanding of opportunities available through youth awards to raising attainment for all
  • Promote recording of non-academic achievements in pupil profiles
  • Appoint an Awards Aware Champion

I/we aspire to:

  • Recognise non-formal awards within our recruitment practice as a normal and bona fide element of a candidate’s qualifications portfolio
  • Recognise the value of soft-skills, relationship-skills and other intangible personality features as part of a candidate’s employment potential
  • Encourage young candidates to demonstrate their employment potential by reference to the totality of their learning
  • Offer opportunities for our young employees to (continue to) work towards achievement of youth awards, to their mutual benefit
  • Promote the value of youth awards as learner pathways in our engagement with schools / colleges

I/we aspire to:

  • Develop awareness of youth awards that might be achieved directly and indirectly through participation in your youth programmes and highlight these to your participants
  • Encourage achievement of youth awards as evidence of positive learning outcomes
  • Celebrate achievement of youth awards
  • Encourage young people to report and record their achievements as appropriate externally (e.g. school profiles; higher education / job applications)

I/we aspire to:

  • Value youth awards as evidence of learning and achievement
  • Recognise the benefits of youth awards to CV-building
  • Encourage recording and celebration of achievement
  • Promote youth awards as challenging and fun routes to positive destinations

4. Registration

Register today to start becoming Awards Aware and learning the distinctive difference of non-formal Awards.

Awards Aware certificate

Current Scheme Member?

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Recent Scheme Members

We're delighted to welcome all our recent Awards Aware scheme members — thanks for playing your part.

  • Orkney Youth Cafe
  • Voluntary Action North Lanarkshire
  • Airport House, Caithness I.S.V.T.U.
  • Lasswade High School (POD)
  • liveArgyll Youth Work

Accreditation Process

  • Register Today
  • Progress, self-paced, through online learning programme
  • Self-certify your understanding
  • Download logo, certificate and charter
  • Promote Awards Aware accreditation on your website, signs and stationery

Benefits

 Understand more about non-formal awards the young people who hold them
Recognise soft-skills such as leadership, teamwork, and enterprise
Engage a motivated and effective workforce
Recognise and develop potential in young people