Participation in the award is voluntary. The award serves to challenge the individual both physically and mentally while encouraging personal discovery, self-reliance, perseverance and responsibility to both oneself and the community.

The award was first introduced in the UK in 1956 by the Duke of Edinburgh, Dr Kurt Hahn and Lord Hunt who believed that young people needed some encouragement to participate in the activity, learn new skills and get involved in their community through voluntary service.  They also believed it was important for young people to experience adventure and to be challenged outside of their comfort zones.

The aims of the Programme are to develop:

• Self-belief and self-confidence
• Independence and self-motivation
• A sense of responsibility to others
• A willingness to try new things
• New friends and interests
• An appreciation of the natural environment

Today young people in over 100 countries around the world participate in this award.

The Outdoor Department guides the participants with the Skills, Physical Activity and Service sections of the Award, and helps the students organise the Adventurous Journeys. The Bronze Award Journeys are in the mountains off of the Carretera Central, hiking to camps next to beautiful waterfalls. The locations of the Silver Award journeys change each year: the mystical Marcahuasi rock forest, the pre-Incan ruin of Kuelap in the Northern Highlands, the barren southern deserts and treks to famous Incan ruins. The Gold Award sees the participants' practice journey from Olleros to Chavin, in the Cordillera Blanca neat Huaraz; the Assessed Journey is on the global classic trek of Santa Cruz!