Helping students gain leadership skills, real-world experience
The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award – Canada and The King’s Trust Canada Skills Academy will be more widely available to Ontario students thanks to recently-announced partnerships.
The partnerships promise to help high school students get hands-on learning outside the classroom to prepare for rewarding, in-demand careers. “Education must prepare students not just for graduation but for life beyond school,” said Minister of Education and Markham-Stouffville MPP Paul Calandra.
Ontario is investing $4 million in the 2026-27 school year to increase student access to those programs. “When students have opportunities to apply their learning in meaningful ways, they leave school better prepared for whatever path they choose,” Calandra said. “This investment will help more students access those experiences and build a strong foundation for the future.”
Through those programs, students will have the opportunity to enhance their adaptability and readiness for success in a rapidly changing economy and take part in skills-development activities that reflect their interests and passions, helping to build self-confidence and transferable skills they can apply in life after high school, the provincial government notes.
Additionally, the programs will help students take part in voluntary service to give back to their communities by supporting people, the environment or charitable organizations. They can participate in fun, skills-building and outdoor education programs designed to teach young people about critical thinking, communication, networking, problem-solving, time management and adaptability. Finally, the programs will open the door to real-world learning to support success in an evolving labour market.
The King’s Trust was founded by His Majesty King Charles III in 1976 and launched in Canada in 2011. It has supported 1.5 million young people in 25 countries. Its Skills Academy program is designed to help young people to build the foundational skills, such as communication, teamwork, problem solving and adaptability.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award celebrates its 70th anniversary this year. The globally-recognized youth development framework supports young people to build confidence, life skills and purpose through real-world, experiential learning both inside and outside the classroom. This program operates in more than 130 countries worldwide, with more than 500,000 Canadians participating since 1963.
School boards that will be taking part in those programs in fall 2026 will share further information with parents and students.