Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award – MLC School 2025 Year in Review

2025 has been a landmark year for the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award at MLC School. With our largest ever cohort across Bronze, Silver and Gold, the enthusiasm from our students has been matched only by their determination to challenge themselves, support their communities, and grow in ways that extend far beyond the classroom.

This year’s achievements at MLC School closely mirror the recently released 2024 Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Impact and Outcomes Survey (DofE Australia, 2025), which highlighted the Award’s powerful influence on young people worldwide. The global survey –featuring responses from 3,794 participants across 37 countries, including 793 from Australia – confirmed what we see every day in our own students: the Award builds confidence, resilience and leadership that lasts a lifetime.

At MLC School, we watched students demonstrate exactly the qualities reflected in the national data, where 76% reported increased confidence, 80% greater determination, and 83% improved resilience. Whether students were developing new skills, taking weekly fitness sessions in rain or shine, or tackling the challenge of their Adventurous Journeys, the transformation in their self-belief was unmistakable. Many echoed the survey’s sentiment that the Award helped them ‘push their limits, set goals, and achieve them.’

Our students also embodied the Award’s emphasis on active citizenship. In line with Australia-wide outcomes – where 75% intend to volunteer regularly and 84% recognise the importance of contributing to their community – MLC School participants devoted hundreds of hours to service. From peer mentoring to community sport, environmental work and charity engagement, their impact was felt widely.

As they planned, problem-solved, and collaborated through every section of the Award, our students strengthened the very skills the survey identifies as critical for employability and post-school success: goal setting (96%), teamwork (86%), adaptability, and communication. Many students told us that their confidence in unfamiliar situations – and their willingness to try new things – grew dramatically.

Most importantly, the spirit of the Award flourished here at MLC School: courage, compassion, curiosity, and persistence. Our participants showed us what it means to see challenges as opportunities, not obstacles.

And now, a call to arms for 2026:

To our Year 9 2026 students – get ready. The Duke of Ed Bronze Award will open to you early in Term 1, and we encourage every one of you to step forward. Say yes to challenge, yes to adventure, and yes to discovering strengths you don’t yet know you have.

And if you’re in Year 10–Year 11 – it is never too late to join. Many of our most successful participants began later, bringing maturity, leadership and life experience that enrich the entire Award community.

I would like to invite every student to consider taking part in the Award: make 2026 the year you take the first step. Your journey awaits.

– Glen Mole
Duke of Ed Award Leader