Youth Achievement Awards enable young people to develop as successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors; and recognise young people's contributions in a variety of settings including youth work, volunteering, active citizenship, alternative curriculum and formal education.

The awards recognise four levels of responsibility taken by young people participating in activities that interest them. Bronze is about young people taking part, at Silver young people assist - sharing responsibility with others, at Gold they take individual responsibility to organise, and at Platinum they undertake training and lead.

Youth Achievement Awards can be used within existing youth work programmes.

The Awards are accredited by ASDAN and are credit rated and levelled by the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF).

'We didn't have to do something special or extra to get the Awards, the project was something we were doing anyway. The Award was a bonus and a real recognition of what we were doing.'

Youth Achievement Awards recipient, Edinburgh.