Duke of Edinburgh’s Award celebrating young people’s achievements
A prestigious presentation evening has been held to honour the young people of south Warwickshire who have obtained a Duke of Edinburgh Award. Over 100 young people were presented their awards in this celebration of the great achievements of these young people.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is split into 3 levels - Bronze, Silver and Gold - and requires young people between the ages of 14 and 25 years of age to complete a service, physical activity, a skill and the well known expedition. Participants from this year have met the reward requirements in a varied number of activities ranging from playing the piano at an old people’s home during meal times to coaching underwater hockey.
The Award is most well known for the expedition and this year expeditions for the Bronze award were carried out in rural countryside from the Cotswolds to Shropshire and involved being self sufficient for 2 days and covering 15 miles. The Silver award requires the terrain get harder and there to be an additional day added. For the top level of the award, Gold, expeditions are carried out in wild terrain over 4 days. This involves camping wild and covering 50 miles over 4 days. Gold awards this year have been completed in the Lake District, The Isle of Lewis and Dartmoor.
“The award produces well balanced young people with a healthy sense of community and an understanding of their environment,” said Mr Bob Roberts – Chair of the Award’s South Warwickshire Liaison committee. “We are very proud of all the young people who have completed an award and for those who have completed their Gold award we have the utmost respect.”
It is well known that employers and universities recognise the value of a young person who holds a Duke of Edinburgh’s award because the award takes dedication over a year to achieve in a varied and balanced range of activities. The Award scheme also calls for prolonged dedication to a variety of activities - for the Gold award up to one and a half years.
Many of the young people who have been successful in completing their award in this season have done so using Duke of Edinburgh Units attached to schools. However, these are held outside normal school hours and are voluntary for the young people to attend. Often due to the limited number of supervisors positions on the award scheme are hotly sought after.
Another option for completing the award scheme is to attend one of the Open Award units. Stratford Open Award Unit meet on a Wednesday evening in Tyler house in the town and this year have been more successful than ever before with young people completing Silver awards. Dr Dave Skirvin of the Stratford award centre said: “We welcome young people from all walks of life to attend our centre and we work towards all stages of the award with them.”
It is testament to the award that there are so many variations on how young people can complete their award as they tailor the elements to their particular interests. However, on completion of their award they prove themselves to be dedicated, community minded and interesting people. This will be celebrated on Monday evening as the young people are handed their awards.