The Duke of Edinburgh's Hillary Award

What The Duke of Edinburgh's Hillary Award does

The Duke of Edinburgh's Hillary Award is the New Zealand national operator of The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award, a globally recognized youth development programme established in 1956. Founded in 1963 and operating as a registered charity (CC26585) with a lean team of 12 employees, the organization delivers a structured extracurricular framework to young people aged 14-25 across New Zealand. The programme is organized around three progressive award levels (Bronze, Silver, Gold) and five core activity sections (Voluntary Service, Physical Recreation, Skills, Adventurous Journey, and Gold Residential Project), with two inclusive pathways (Kākāriki for participants with intellectual disabilities and He Aratūtahi for additional flexibility) extending reach to underserved youth.

The Award's operational backbone is the Online Record Book (ORB), a web-based platform where participants register, log activities, submit evidence, and receive Award Leader approvals. ORB also supports Award Leader administration, Adventurous Journey management, and completion reporting. Alumni-facing tools include a CV Builder and Digital Badges, enabling former participants to translate Award achievements into professional credentials and verifiable digital badges.

Commercially, the organization does not operate on conventional for-profit mechanics. Revenue is generated through participant registration fees, licensing fees paid by schools and organizations operating as Award Units, and charitable donations and grants; pricing is not publicly disclosed. The programme is delivered through a tri-channel model: school Award Units (with trained Award Leaders), Open Award Centres (for youth not enrolled in schools), and Recognised Activity Providers (specialized adventure/expedition providers). Marketing relies on social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube), twice-term Award Leader newsletters, monthly online Award Leader Hui training sessions, digital brochures, and direct school engagement. Strategic partnerships include Education Outdoors New Zealand (EONZ) and the Mountain Safety Council (MSC) as Core partners, plus several adventure and training providers.

Name

The Duke of Edinburgh's Hillary Award

Legal name

The Duke of Edinburgh's Hillary Award

Website

https://dofehillary.org.nz

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Duke of Edinburgh's Hillary Award is a New Zealand registered charity (12 staff) operating the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award programme for youth aged 14-25, delivering Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels across schools, Open Award Centres, and Recognised Activity Providers via the Online Record Book digital platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Programme

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Talent Development, Competitions & Academic Pathways (Olympiads, Research, Early College) (EDAKALAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Scholarships, Grants & Donor-Funded Awards Management (EDALAJAB), Assessment, Certification & Qualifications Frameworks (BPADAKAL)

Keywords

• Youth development program
• Achievement awards
• Adventurous journeys
• Voluntary service programs
• Skills development

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Participant Registration and Licensing Fees: Schools and organizations pay licensing fees to operate as Award Units. Participants may pay registration fees for the Award program.
2. Donations and Grants: The organization receives charitable donations and grant funding from supporters and partners.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Duke of Edinburgh's Hillary Award is a structured youth achievement programme in New Zealand offering three progressive award levels (Bronze, Silver, Gold) that require participants to complete activities across four core sections: Voluntary Service, Physical Recreation, Skills, and Adventurous Journeys. The Gold level adds a Residential Project. The programme is delivered through schools, Open Award Centres, and Recognised Activity Providers, with a digital platform (Online Record Book/ORB) used by participants to log activities and by Award Leaders to approve and track progress.

Product overview

The Duke of Edinburgh's Hillary Award operates as a youth achievement programme with a digital-first approach. At its core is the Online Record Book (ORB), a web-based platform that serves as the primary interface for participants to record activities, submit evidence, and receive approval from Award Leaders. The programme is structured around three progressive Award levels (Bronze, Silver, Gold) and five core sections (Voluntary Service, Physical Recreation, Skills, Adventurous Journey, and Gold Residential Project). To support diverse participant needs, the programme offers specialized pathways including Kākāriki for participants with intellectual disabilities and He Aratūtahi for additional support. Alumni can access a CV Builder tool and Digital Badges to leverage their achievements professionally. Award delivery is supported through the Award Leader Handbook, monthly online Hui sessions, and a network of Recognised Activity Providers. The programme is delivered through schools, Award Units, and Open Award Centres throughout New Zealand.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• NZ Sailing TrustminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAdventure activity provider supporting participants with sailing-based Adventurous Journeys and maritime skill development activities.
• Peel Forest Outdoor CentreminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOutdoor activity provider delivering Adventurous Journey experiences in the Canterbury region.
• Education Outdoors New Zealand (EONZ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPeak industry body for outdoor education that provides safety management frameworks, training resources, and guidance for Adventurous Journeys. CEO Fiona McDonald participates in Award Leader Hui sessions.
• Helen Anderson TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrust focused on supporting rangatahi (youth) with intellectual and physical disabilities to participate in the Award. Andy Woodhouse provides training on accessibility.
• Peak Performance Outdoor TrainingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline training provider offering expedition training and manuals specifically designed for Duke of Edinburgh's Award Adventurous Journeys.
• Mountain Safety Council (MSC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization providing outdoor safety training, gear lists, e-learning tools, and resources for Adventurous Journey preparation.
• Department of Conservation (DOC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment agency managing national parks and conservation areas where many Adventurous Journeys take place.
• Support AdventureminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAdventure support organization providing resources and guidance for participants undertaking Adventurous Journeys.
• Outdoor Training New ZealandminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTraining provider where Award Leaders can access professional development and qualification support for delivering outdoor activities.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• GirlGuiding New Zealand: Delivers structured badge, outdoor, and personal development programs for girls and young women through volunteer-led units. Comparable in progressive achievement framework and volunteer-driven delivery.
• Scouts Aotearoa: New Zealand's largest youth development movement, delivering structured badge and achievement pathways through school-age cohorts. Highly comparable in target demographic, volunteer-driven delivery, and credentialing framework.
• The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award: The global governing body of which the Hillary Award is the New Zealand national operator. Operates the same Award framework worldwide and is the most directly comparable organization in mission, structure, and program.
• Spirit of Adventure Trust: Provides youth sailing and tall-ship development voyages in New Zealand. Comparable in adventure-based youth development and recognition-credential model, though narrower in delivery mode.
• Graeme Dingle Foundation: New Zealand charity running school-based youth development programs covering resilience, mentoring, and life skills. Closely comparable as a school-delivered youth charity with multiple structured programs.
• Outward Bound New Zealand: Delivers outdoor and adventure-based personal development courses for New Zealand youth. Comparable in adventure-delivery model, reliance on safety accreditation, and youth personal-development mission.

Broad incumbents

• YMCA New Zealand: Large national youth and community organization offering a broader portfolio of programs across fitness, education, and youth services. Comparable in target demographics and charity structure but with a much wider scope.

Emerging players

• Big Brothers Big Sisters New Zealand: Youth mentoring charity operating in New Zealand schools and communities. Comparable as a school-linked youth development charity, though focused on 1:1 mentoring rather than credentialed achievement pathways.

Others

• Education Outdoors New Zealand (EONZ): Peak industry body for outdoor education providing safety management frameworks for schools. Partner organization to the Hillary Award and an adjacent enabling body in the outdoor-education delivery stack.
• New Zealand Mountain Safety Council: National body providing outdoor safety training, e-learning, and resources. Functions as a strategic partner to the Hillary Award but is also an adjacent safety-and-training organization in the outdoor education ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@dukeofednz
• Facebookfacebook.com/dukeofednz
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-duke-of-edinburgh-s-hillary-award
• Instagraminstagram.com/dukeofednz

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Duke of Edinburgh's Hillary Award