ASDAN is a charitable social enterprise with awarding body status, providing courses to more than 6,000 schools, colleges, training providers and youth centres across the UK and beyond. ASDAN's Award programmes and Qualifications offer flexible ways to accredit personal and social education, skills development and enrichment activities, mainly for the 11-25 age group.

 

ASDAN is approved as an Awarding Organisation for qualifications within the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), and the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF), regulated by Ofqual. ASDAN is also approved by the regional regulators: DCELLS (Wales) and CCEA (Northern Ireland).

 

The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) also recognises the value of ASDAN programmes in developing and providing evidence for the Scottish "Core Skills" (particularly Working with Others), and a number of qualifications are listed in the Scottish Credit Qualifications Framework (SCQF).

 

ASDAN programmes and qualifications are also recognised by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and their counterparts in Wales and Northern Ireland. When ASDAN qualifications were given formal GCSE equivalence and included in league tables from September 2004, inevitably this gave ASDAN a heightened status and credibility in the world of education.

 

The Tomlinson Report (October 2004) highlighted ASDAN as an example of good practice in relation to the accreditation of wider activities, and this still has significance today. The QCA, now the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA) makes reference to ASDAN in a number of reports in which ASDAN has been a key contributor, notably "Ways to Accredit Generic Learning", jointly published with DCSF, which can be downloaded from the QCDA website.

 

Key Facts:

 

We currently offer three ASDAN awards and within the next month will have completed writing our own awards for accreditation.

 

 

The latest version of the Adventure and Residential Award reflects national educational developments and initiatives, and has been streamlined into fewer sections with greater flexibility and choice. In response to popular demand, we have added an additional module called Museums, Galleries and Heritage.Candidates will be able to accredit their out-of-centre activities with a 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 or 60-hour Award.Activity could encompass outward-bound, adventure, sports-based or youth centre residentials, geography field trips, arts visits, history trips, museums and galleries, heritage sites, foreign language trips and exchanges, urban or rural visits, citizenship courses, workshops on nature or environment and summer schools.The Adventure and Residential Award comprises four modules:

 

 

 

Achieving the AwardLearners present a portfolio of evidence of their activities. This portfolio will contain:

 

 

CertificationAfter successful moderation, centres submit a list of candidates' names via the secure area of the website and certificates are issued by ASDAN.

 

How does the Award fit into the UK Qualifications framework?Credits from the Award can count as up to half of the curriculum requirements of the ASDAN Certificate of Personal Effectiveness (CoPE), which has GCSE equivalence at Levels 1 and 2, and is worth an AS Level at Level 3.Click here for further details.

 

 

The Environmental Award has been developed in partnership with Eco-Schools (www.eco-schools.org.uk) and accredits up to 60 hours of involvement in various environmental activities, whether through Eco-School or other environmental initiatives and projects. It is aimed at young people (mainly aged between 11 and 19) of all abilities in a wide variety of settings, including schools, colleges, youth and training centres.

As a flexible, multi-level Award, it provides a stand-alone certificate of achievement undertaken both inside and outside formal education. It also offers progression into nationally recognised Awards and Qualifications.

The ASDAN Environmental Award accredits up to 60 hours of activities within the following areas:

 

How to achieve the AwardStudents present a portfolio of evidence of their environmental activities. This portfolio will contain:

 

 

How does the Award fit into the UK Qualifications framework?Credits from the Award can count as up to half of the curriculum requirements of the ASDAN Certificate of Personal Effectiveness (CoPE), which has GCSE equivalence at Levels 1 and 2, and is worth an AS Level at Level 3.Click here for further details.

 

ASDAN is also now offering a specific GCSE and AS-equivalent qualification: CoPE through Environmental Managing and Monitoring - click here for information

 

 

The ASDAN Activities Award with Peer Tutoring Award accredits up to 60 hours of mixed activity. It can be used in most situations, but is particularly suitable for accrediting activities taking place in youth projects that do not fit easily into set challenges and activity-driven work.

Combining two awards in one, the Activities Award with Peer Tutoring Award offers a flexible, multi-level programme aimed primarily at 11- to 19-year-olds. The flexibility of the Award allows students to complete of a series of activities of varying lengths, recognising up to 60 hours of participation overall.

 

How does the Award fit into the UK Qualifications framework?Credits from the Award can count as up to half of the curriculum requirements of the ASDAN Certificate of Personal Effectiveness (CoPE), which has GCSE equivalence at Levels 1 and 2, and is worth an AS Level at Level 3.Click here for further details.

 

The ASDAN Activities AwardThe ASDAN Activities Award (AAA) is designed to accredit activities including:
Easter and Summer Activities, Dance, Water Sports, Outdoor Pursuits, Team Games, Sports, Drama, Photography, Car Mechanics, Survival Skills, Parenting Skills, Babysitting... it’s your call!AAA leads to a self-standing certificate which acknowledges individual achievement, as well as giving the learner credits towards more extensive qualifications offered by ASDAN, some of which carry GCSE and/or AS level equivalence.

 

The ASDAN Peer Tutoring Award The Peer Tutoring (PT) Award is a second Award, which offers the opportunity of additional recognition for young people who are supporting others through the AAA (perhaps having completed it themselves), or who are taking on a leadership role for a group of young people engaged on a specific activity.

 

 

 

CertificationWhen the Award Co-ordinator (group leader, tutor etc) is satisfied that all the requirements have been met, they can then apply for certificates online from ASDAN. Young people can: