International Award for Young People (IAYP) Program at Vidhyashram

At Vidhyashram, we have taken education beyond the conventional chalk and talk model. To pave the way for the young minds for a bright future, we have the IAYP program in place. This program is one of the factors making Vidhyashram the best English medium school in Jodhpur.

IAYP or International Award for Young People is a global self-development program for students that aims to foster innovation, open doors to other nations and cultures, as well as bring new and international opportunities for the students.

Let’s learn more about the IAYP program, its benefits for students, and why we are promoting it.

What is International Award for Young People (IAYP) program?

IAYP is a globally recognized self-development program for students aged between 14 to 25. This program aims to offer young people new skills, make them experience new challenges, find new friends, and access new cultures around the world. These things are a great deal for the students to live their full potential and become responsible citizens in the future. 

There are four compulsory sections in the program:

1. Voluntary Service

It is aimed to help students learn how to help needy people, like the disabled or elders. They will be volunteering in hospitals, care and detention centres, and similar places during the program.

Voluntary service also includes sports coaching, helping local newspapers, acting in a leadership role, carrying out health surveys, providing first aids, etc. 

2. Adventurous Journey

The adventurous journey encourages learners to explore the natural world of adventure, historical places, find dynamics of groups in difficult situations, and go on a purposeful journey. 

3. Skills 

The skills section in the International Award for Young People program develops several practical skills and interests. These include music, crafts, arts, games, life skills, vocational skills, etc. 

This section significantly helps students to discover their interests, develop new skills, and enhance their existing skills.

4. Physical Recreation

The objective of including physical activities in the program is to keep students physically active and improve their performance in the sports of their choice. They get to participate in various sports and physical activities, such as ball sports, water sports, winter sports, martial arts, dancing, fitness activities, etc. 

History and Significance of IAYP

The International Award for Young People (IAYP) was started in 1956 in the United Kingdom. Initially, it was known as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. The founders of the program wanted young people between adolescence and adulthood to participate in balanced and self-development activities.

Since it offered various benefits to students, it became popular over the years and was adopted on a global level. Currently, it is present in over 143 countries. More than 8 million students and young people aged between 14 to 15 have been involved in it and taken up the challenge. 

Levels of Awards

IAYP has three different levels for awards- Bronze, Silver, and Gold. To achieve the award, the participants need to enrol in all four sections- voluntary service, adventurous journey, skills, and physical recreation.

The minimum duration to win an award is six months. Successful participants get Bronze after six months. To achieve Silver and Gold awards, the period is twelve months and eighteen months, respectively. For the Gold award, the students also have to take up a Residential Project. 

Benefits of IAYP for Students

There are several benefits of the International Award for Young People program for students. As the best CBSE school in Jodhpur, we are working on bringing all these benefits to our students: 

1. Participation in extracurricular activities and recognition for the same. 
2. Building confidence by working on new skills and things.
3. Practising the activities that help students while applying for college, university, or job.
4. Development of personality by learning interpersonal skills like teamwork, time management, problem-solving, etc. 
5. Knowing the importance of empathy and the art of giving by volunteering.
6. Gain exposure to the global culture, new outlook on the world, and unique themes.
7. Skills that help in finding better opportunities in the future.

How is Vidhyashram Promoting IAYP to Benefit Students?

As one of the top schools of Jodhpur, we realize the importance of skills and globally recognized programs like IAYP. That is why we have got the license and certification to operate the International Award for Young People as a Youth Engaging Society (YES) Centre in India. 

The IAYP certification and license also show our credibility and authenticity at a global level. By promoting it, we are helping our students at Vidhyashram to develop new skills, see a new world of opportunities, get recognition, and gain all the benefits of the IAYP program.