‘One Award Alliance’ Project: Briefing Note

Preamble. The title ‘One Award Alliance’ is employed to convey the notion of moving from the current state of the International Award Association (IAA) to one which encompasses an organisation structure fit for the foreseeable future with redefined standards, systems, materials and visual identity.

The ‘One Award Alliance’ is an improvement and growth initiative for the IAA, which will impact on the way members, independent operators, participants, volunteers, partners, potential members and international secretariat staff interact and work.

The Intended Outcome is to significantly improve the position of the IAA in a number of areas: profile and perception; capacity to grow the Award; and ability to manage the quality of experience of the Award Programme. Ultimately, better presentation and management will instil greater confidence and belief in the Award Programme thus helping the IAA to engage with and inspire others to join with us, support us and get involved. The Award Programme will be the leading youth development award.

The Objectives of the project are to help the IAA to create a global Award Programme fit for the 21st century by:

1. Increasing the number and variety of operational and commercial partnerships

2. Developing new sources and increases of revenues

3. Improving the quality, consistency and governance of the Programme

4. Stimulating a significant increase in the number of participants with a higher proportion gaining Awards

Key Deliverables from these themes include:

1. Improved licensing agreements (for NAAs, IOs, corporate and commercial partners and developing organisations)

2. Revised identifiable visual brand (logo and documentation) for the organisation/ Programme

3. Revised governance structure and documentation that supports licensing and stronger quality assurance

4. New research and data platform for decision making

5. New ‘digital space’ (incl. online ‘tools’ for Programme management and development e.g. online participant management system, e-training)

The Benefits of the ‘One Award Alliance’ will be demonstrated in a better understanding of what the charity is and does. This will make it easier to raise more to fund operations, to support members and manage operators and to cope with more participants, who in turn will have greater access to the Programme, in a more connected Award family.

The Strategy - An Alliance Steering Committee, established by the trustees, is responsible for guiding the project through the International Secretariat. The Steering Committee is supported by an Advisory Group of trustees and volunteers from National Award Authorities (NAAs) and Award holders. A project director, Stephen De-Wint is in place for a two-year period and an internal project team has been identified to lead on five key themes: the development of licensing for NAAs and IOs with quality standards; the visual identity of the Award; the use of digital technologies; our research and evidence base; and training and materials.