A group of volunteers from East Dunbartonshire have been recognised for their hard work putting teenagers and young adults through their Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scheme.
The volunteers, who hail from the Allander Open Awards Centre in the Scottish town of Milngavie, were just some of the instructors honoured recently for their long service to the popular awards programme at a prestigious ceremony attended by Prince Edward.
Recognising contribution
The event, which took place at Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh, was a way of recognising the contribution many volunteers around the country make to the awards scheme, which has been taking place in the UK and 144 other countries since it was founded by the Duke of Edinburgh in 1956.
Among those being honoured for their service to the awards was Alison Higham, who has been helping youngsters take part in the scheme for 20 years at the Community Education Centre in Milngavie. Aged 70 this year, Alison has decided to retire from volunteering but said she has enjoyed helping young people become self-reliant throughout her time with the programme.
Image Credit
The Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scheme is the world’s largest programme for recognising youth achievement. It encourages young people aged between 14 and 25 to take part in a variety of activities to build up their skills.
Bronze, Silver and Gold
Young people can aim toward their Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards, all of which evaluate the young person in different areas, including volunteering, physical activity and developing or building on a skill. This can be anything from juggling and painting to playing a musical instrument or driving a car.
Expeditions are also an important part of the programme; participants take part in two separate expeditions for each level of award.
Part of the scheme aims to develop team-building skills in those taking part. Team building corporate events, like the ones that are available at sites like https://www.armourgeddon.co.uk/team-building-corporate-events.html, are popular way of helping people to bond, particularly in a workplace.
The ability to work as part of a team, whether it’s during a Duke of Edinburgh expedition or in a working environment, is a vital skill to possess regardless of your age. Many employers now expect their workers to be as happy working in a team as they are on their own.
