Dorset Award and Dorset Award Plus

These awards are available for free to any young person in school in Dorset. They recognise the achievements a young person has made during their contact with a youth project such as:

• personal development, such as a change in behaviour, building self-esteem or leadership skills
• making a positive contribution to their local community
• learning a new skill
• organising an activity or event

Anyone working with young people on projects in settings such as youth clubs, schools, libraries or churches can deliver these awards.

Dorset Award: 10 hour programme 

This free award is for anyone at school in Dorset in year 7 or over.

Registration

The project worker:

• identifies a young person or a group of young people who are eligible for the Dorset Award
• works with the young person/s to identify their learning outcomes (if you're working with a group, the learning outcomes need to be specific for each person in the group)
• plans the activity with the young person to achieve these outcomes over a minimum of 10 hours
• registers for the award by completing the Dorset Award form A
• scans and emails or posts them to the Training and Development Youth Worker at this address

Activity

The young person takes part in the activity and gathers appropriate evidence with support from the project worker.

Completion

Once the young person has completed the activity:

• the project worker and the young person discuss the outcomes they have achieved
• the project worker completes the Dorset Award nomination form B
• the young person completes the Dorset Award reflections form C

Scan and email or post them to the Dorset Award co-ordinator at  this address.

Once we've assessed and approved the evidence provided, we'll send a certificate to the project worker for them to present to the young person.

Dorset Award Plus: 20 hour programme 

This free award is for anyone at school in Dorset in year 9 or over.

Registration

The project worker:

• identifies a young person or a group of young people eligible for the Dorset Award Plus (school year 9 or above)
• works with the young person/s to identify their learning outcomes (if you're working with a group, the learning outcomes need to be specific for each person in the group)
• plans the activity with the young person to achieve these outcomes over a minimum of 20 hours
• registers for the award by completing the Dorset Award form A and ticking the Dorset Award Plus (DA+) box

Activity

The young person:

• participates in the activity and gathers appropriate evidence
• completes the relevant parts of their evidence log book

The project worker supports them to achieve their goals.

Completion

Once the young person has completed their activity, they:

• discuss the outcomes they have achieved with the project worker
• make sure they've logged all their evidence in the evidence log book

The project worker asks another member of staff to verify the project and complete the appropriate section of the log book.

Send the log book and any other evidence by post, or scan and email to the Dorset Award co-ordinator at this address.

Once we've assessed and approved the evidence you've provided, we will send a certificate to the project worker for them to present to the young person.