Award SMART Goals

Explore our collection of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Smart Goals and find your next challenge

Achieve an A grade in the A level exams within the award duration, by diligently practicing accounting skills at least once a week for the next 3 months.

Life and Vocational Skills, Accounting

As part of my silver level award in The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, my goal is to complete the Pool Lifeguard course, which provides comprehensive lifesaving training for individuals who regularly interact with water in their professional roles. By undertaking this training, I aim to enhance my skills and knowledge in water safety and rescue techniques, contributing to a safer environment in aquatic settings.

Life and Vocational Skills, Develop and volunteer first aid skills, Skills

Goal: Improve my event planning and organising skills by completing a project-based course/workshop on event planning/organising within 6 months, while also attending at least two seminars/workshops related to the topic over the same period of time. I will also do weekly research and attend webinars to expand my knowledge of the field, and will complete a portfolio of my learning by the end of the 6 months.

Skills, Life and Vocational Skills, Engineering

Goal for Committee Skills in Life and Vocational Skills under the Skills category for teenagers aged 14-18 years old to complete within 3 months: I will improve the skills required to effectively lead and manage a committee by attending 3 virtual workshops for 1 hour each month and practicing these skills for 1 hour twice a week. I will also complete an independent research project and present my findings to my committee. At the end of the 3 months, I will evaluate and reflect on the progress I have made.

Skills, Life and Vocational Skills, Bible Study

My goal for Woodwork in Life and Vocational Skills under Skills Category for teenagers aged 14 to 18 years of age is to construct a wooden project with precision and accuracy from a supplied design within 3 months. I will acquire appropriate training through attending a woodwork course two times a week for 1.5 hours for the first 6 weeks and 1 hour a week for the remainder of the 3 months. Additionally, I will practice 1 hour a week at home to complete my project. I will track and document my progress to benchmark my own woodwork skills.

Skills, Life and Vocational Skills, Vehicle Restoration

I will also attend additional 2 Body Attack technique classes each month. Goal: Within the next 3 months, I will improve my overall driving in life and vocational skills by successfully completing a local driver’s education program designed for teenagers aged 14-18. I will commit to enrolling in a program within the next 7 days and attending all class sessions. I will complete the program within 3 months and attend the driver’s test for certification. I will practice a minimum of 2 hours each week with a licensed driver to ensure that I fully understand the nuances of driving and can pass the test.

Skills, Life and Vocational Skills, Democracy and Political Studies

My goal for Hairdressing in Life and Vocational Skills under Skills category is to learn and demonstrate advanced hairdressing techniques and become certified as a hairdresser within 3 months. I will attend a hairdressing class at least three times a week for 2 hours each session and complete at least 4 advanced hairdressing projects outside of class. During the course of the 3 months, I will review and practice hairdressing theory and demonstrate the skills through the completion of written and practical assessments.

Skills, Life and Vocational Skills, Furniture Restoration

Goal: To acquire proficiency in metal work and fabrication techniques by completing at least 1 independent metal fabrication project within 12 months. I will attend metal work classes every week for 1 hour and practice at home for an additional 2 hour per week, while working towards my chosen project. Upon completion of the project, I will share the project with 3 family members, and discuss the techniques I used to fabricate it.

Skills, Life and Vocational Skills, Maoritanga

My goal is to learn to drive in Life and Vocational Skills within 3 months. I will set aside at least 15 hours each week to practice driving with a licensed family member or instructor. I will develop my confidence, understanding and knowledge of the rules of the road by reading relevant safety materials and attending my state’s driver’s education program. Additionally, I will develop a safe driving plan to ensure I always practice situational awareness.

Skills, Life and Vocational Skills, Leadership

Goal for Community and School in Life and Vocational Skills: Within the next 12 months, I will improve my life and vocational skills by completing an internship, pursuing a leadership role in a club or organization, or volunteering with a community organization. I will practice and build my skills weekly and prepare for an online assessment every 3 months. I will also receive professional and peer feedback about my performance and attendance.

Skills, Life and Vocational Skills, Committee Skills

My goal for Furniture Restoration in Life and Vocational Skills under Skills category is: To create an original piece of furniture that meets professional requirements within 3 months, by attending a furniture restoration workshop twice a week for 1 hour and practicing for additional 2 hours outside of the workshop each week. I will have an instructor assess the quality of my final product and provide feedback and suggestions for improvement.

Furniture Making, Skills, Life and Vocational Skills

Goal for Money Management in Life and Vocational Skills under Skills Category: To develop financial literacy and financial freedom by creating a budget to track my income and expenses, and saving a goal of 10% of all income for emergency savings in the next 12 months. To achieve this, I will attend financial literacy classes twice a month for 1 hour and will spend 15 minutes every day for 6 months reviewing and track my income and expenses. I will be monitoring monthly my financial progress and will increase my savings rate when feasible.

Skills, Life and Vocational Skills, Metal Work

My goal as a DJ in Music is to learn how to construct and drop an 8-bar rap instrumental beat in 12 months. I will increase my understanding of the foundation aspects of being a successful DJ by attending DJ tutorials twice a week for 1 hour and practicing an additional 2 hours per week at home. I will attend at least one event with a live DJ set within the 12 months to experience the different techniques, strategies, and the ability to read the crowd.

Skills, Life and Vocational Skills, Other

Goal for Vehicle Restoration: To increase my automotive knowledge and restoration skills by completing a full restoration of a classic car within 12 months. I will attend an automotive restoration class twice a week for 1 hour and will spend at least 4 hours a week researching any additional knowledge and completing the restoration process. I will document the progress and will complete the full restoration by attending car shows and leveraging the skills and knowledge of experts in the field.

Vehicle Mechanics, Skills, Life and Vocational Skills

My goal for Furniture Making in Life and Vocational Skills under Skills Category is to increase my skills in building and crafting furniture by constructing three pieces of furniture from start to finish within 12 months. I will attend a carpentry class twice a week for 1 hour and use my free time to practice carpentry for an additional 1 hour per week. I plan to use YouTube tutorials and guidance from qualified professionals to ensure that the furniture I build is safe and of a high standard.

Skills, Life and Vocational Skills, Event Planning and Organising

I want to complete my private pilot license (PPL) theory training over the next 18 months by studying at least 4 hours per week, attending all scheduled ground school classes, and completing all required exams with a passing grade. By the end of the 18 months, I will have completed all required PPL theory training and will be eligible to begin flight training towards my PPL.

Skills, Life and Vocational Skills, Other

My goal for Upholstery in Life and Vocational Skills under the Skills Category is to construct a full size chair within 6 months. I will attend upholstery classes once a week and will also practice at home for an additional 1 hour per week. I will read and research different materials, tools, and techniques available to help me complete the project. By the end of this time period, I will have a finished, full size chair with upholstered fabric.

Skills, Life and Vocational Skills, Tailoring / Dressmaking

My goal is to improve my life and vocational skills by researching and applying a new set of job and college preparation skills within 3 months. I will research career options and job requirements, learn the basics of job applications and resumes, and practice developing interview strategies and professional communication strategies. I will also research college requirements, prepare applications, and practice writing college essays. I will use online resources and personal connections to help me gain more insight into the job and college processes. In the end, I will be equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to make informed decisions about my future.

Skills, Life and Vocational Skills, Driving

My goal for Vehicle Mechanics in Life and Vocational Skills under Skills Category is to become proficient in performing automotive maintenance tasks such as oil changes, tire rotation, checking and replacing battery and wiper fluid, and brake pad and tire inspections within 3 months. I will attend a Vehicle Mechanics course twice a week for 2 hours and will practice at home for an additional 2 hours per week. At the end of the 3-month period, I will be tested on the core principles of vehicle mechanics.

Skills, Life and Vocational Skills, Upholstery

Goal for Peer Education in Life and Vocational Skills under Skills Category for teenagers aged 14-18: To complete the certification process for Peer Education in Life and Vocational Skills within 3 months, I will attend one workshop per week and watch two instructional videos related to Peer Education in Life and Vocational Skills every week. I will review relevant materials to enhance my knowledge and practice what I have learned in the workshop by engaging in skill-building activities (e.g. discussions, role-play, games, etc…) with my peers at least twice a week for 1 hour. At the end of 3 months, I will complete the certification process and will receive an official certificate.

Skills, Life and Vocational Skills, Money Management

My goal for Democracy and Political Studies in Life and Vocational Skills under Skills Category is to increase my knowledge of the historical and current development of the US political and electoral system by reading an in-depth book on the topic and writing an essay on the most important aspects of the US democracy and electoral system within 6 months. I will read at least one chapter of the book per week and dedicate 3 hours of focused study and research to write my essay. I will also create a presentation and present my essay to a group of my peers.

Skills, Life and Vocational Skills, Community and School

In addition, I will do a 30 minutes warm-up routine before each class and will track my progress over time to identify areas where I need more work. Goal: I will improve my overall Life and Vocational Skills by attending weekly online classes focused on the topic for a minimum of 3 hours per week over 3 months. I will watch educational videos, research available resources, and keep track of my results to assess my progress and monitor areas for improvement. Furthermore, I will participate in two online forums for skill development by discussing my goals for the month with a certified professional and identify at least 3 areas to focus on for future growth.

Skills, Life and Vocational Skills, Hairdressing

Goal for Information Technology in Life and Vocational Skills under Skills Category for teenagers 14-18 years old within 3 months: To improve my Information Technology (IT) skills by completing at least 6 online IT courses within 3 months. My goal is to acquire basic IT knowledge and skills to construct a basic website and be able to troubleshoot basic computer problems. I will use an online IT platform to complete 6 courses, and practice my IT knowledge and skills for 2 hours per week.

Skills, Life and Vocational Skills, Home Science

Goal for Tailoring / Dressmaking in Life and Vocational Skills under Skills Category: To master basic sewing techniques by making at least one clothing item within three months. I will attend a tailoring course twice a week for 1.5 hours and will practice at home for an additional 1 hour per week. I will document my progress with pictures and videos before, during and after I complete my sewing project.

Life and Vocational Skills, Peer Education, Skills

My goal for Home Science in Life and Vocational Skills under Skills Category is to prepare a meal for 4 people from scratch within 3 months. To achieve my goal I will research simple meal recipes online which are suitable for the time I have available. I will read and follow instructions step-by-step. Finally, I will evaluate and adjust my cooking skills prior to challenging myself to prepare the meal for a group of people. I will need to involve other people for assistance, such as friends or family, to help me out when necessary.

Skills, Life and Vocational Skills, Health Awareness

Goal: I will improve my life and vocational skills within 3 months by attending two educational/career-oriented sessions per week for 1 hour and engaging in an additional 2 hours of self-study/research each week. I will document and track my progress by creating and completing at least one project related to the educational/career-oriented sessions per month, and will measure my success by attending an educational/career-oriented workshop to present my project findings.

Skills, Life and Vocational Skills, Woodwork

My goal for Leadership in Life and Vocational Skills under the Skills category is to develop my leadership capabilities by training in leadership-building skills for 3 months. I will attend at least 3 workshops focused on topics like problem-solving, conflict resolution, decision-making, public speaking, and group dynamics to develop my leadership competencies. I will also participate in a mentor-mentee relationship and complete an internship to apply the knowledge acquired from the workshops. Additionally, I will conduct a personal project to demonstrate my leadership skills within 6 months.

Skills, Life and Vocational Skills, Information Technology

Goal: To increase my knowledge of Beauty Therapy in Life and Vocational Skills by successfully completing a 3 month curriculum by an accredited institution within the next 6 months. I will attend a weekly 1-hour class and dedicate at least 2 hours of practice a week leading up to the completion of the curriculum.

Life and Vocational Skills, Accounting, Skills

My goal for Parkour in Outdoor Recreation under Physical Recreation is to improve my overall Parkour skills by competing in at least one local parkour event within 6 months. My goal is to demonstrate my successes and to improve my technical prowess and mental fortitude. I will attend a local parkour class twice a week for 1 hour and will practice at home for an additional 2 hours per week.

Skills, Life and Vocational Skills, Other

My goal for Bible Study in Life and Vocational Skills under Skills category is to improve my Bible Study knowledge to become an expert in Biblical history and vocabulary over the next 3 months. I will attend a Bible Study class once a week for one hour and will read for an additional 4 hours per week. By the end of the 3 months, I will be able to read and understand several Bible stories and verses, as well as make comparisons between different stories, identify themes and analyze the meaning of phrases and words.

Skills, Life and Vocational Skills, Beauty Therapy

My goal is to develop an understanding of and appreciation for Maori culture, language, and traditions by engaging in at least one traditional Maori activity a week for six months. I will attend a dedicated language class twice a week, practice te reo at home and participate in other activities such as visiting a Maori marae, attending a Maori cultural event or workshop, or going to a Maori concert. I will also research online or use other resources to supplement my knowledge of Maori culture.

Learning to drive, Skills, Life and Vocational Skills