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Tunde Folawiyo | Amey Partners with The Duke of Edinburgh Award

In keeping true to its commitment to guiding today’s youth toward bright futures, the Duke of Edinburgh Award welcomes Amey, one of the UK’s foremost leading public and regulated service providers as a pioneer partner in their Tunde Folawiyoefforts to promote goodwill among young people around the globe. Through the continual support of the many proponents of the charity including Tunde Folawiyo, the Duke of Edinburgh Award and its partnership with Amey will serve as a great source of inspiration for millions of students throughout the world.

The prestigious Duke of Edinburgh Award has long inspired today’s brightest students and, as an organisation, continues to implement new initiatives in order to ensure these goals come to fruition. These efforts are none more evident than in the vast number of proud students who have successfully completed the programme since its establishment. The new national agreement brought forth by the organisation’s partnership with Amey will assist in allowing over 165,000 young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to participate in the teachings of the D of E across the UK and beyond. This exciting partnership stems from a close 12-year relationship with the D of E in which Amey has provided an immeasurable amount of support for students of the DofE and the charity’s goals as a whole. Through their efforts, over 220 apprentices are currently taking part in the programme with 36 apprentices have completed the Award requirements to date. In addition to their contributions to the D of E, Amey as a company promotes passion for community involvement within their employees, further demonstrating a commitment to the spread of goodwill.

The Duke of Edinburgh Award is composed of four mandatory sections including fitness, skill, volunteering and adventurous journey. Participants must prove a great understanding of each in order to merit the prestigious award. Through a host of comprehensive exams and presentations, prospects will demonstrate excellence in a variety of areas to ensure their preparedness in initiating social change. As a not-for-profit organisation, the Duke of Edinburgh Award relies heavily on the continual encouragement and monetary support of various individuals and organisations in order to successfully maintain the operations of the programme. Those interested in contributing to the Duke of Edinburgh Award are encouraged to visit the organisation’s website at https://www.dofe.org/en/content/cms/supportus/.

Through numerous partnerships and the ongoing support of the programme’s proponents such as Tunde Folawiyo and millions of others throughout the world, the Duke of Edinburgh Award will continue to motivate and inspire young students to reach for a better tomorrow for the communities that surround them.

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International developments in the DofE | Tunde Folawiyo

Over the past six decades, the Duke of Edinburgh Award has become one of the UK’s most successful youth development programmes. Those who are familiar with the DofE, like Tunde Folawiyo, will probably know that its popularity overseas has also increased considerably in recent years; today, more than 120 countries participate in the DofE.Tunde Folawiyo

The enthusiasm for this award abroad has been astounding, with the participating nations taking a very active and engaged approach to their involvement. In Australia for instance, a brand new DofE committee has just been formed in Queensland. Those appointed will be expected to not only promote the award itself, but also to oversee all aspects of the programme, so as to ensure that everything – from the fundraising, to the supervising of activities – goes according to plan.

The committee members will hold these positions until December of 2015. This development was announced by John-Paul Langbroek, who serves as the Australian Education, Training and Employment Minister. Speaking to the press about the committee, Langbroek stated that he hoped these newly appointed people would bring ‘fresh ideas’ which will improve the quality of the programme.

As a supporter of youth development, Tunde Folawiyo might be aware that whilst Australia has been involved in the DofE for several decades, other countries like Bulgaria are still relative newcomers to the award, having first joined just five years ago. The programme was introduced to Bulgaria via an organisation called Future Now 2006, but only received its conditional license last month.

The bestowing of this license took place in the capital, Sofia; Jonathan Allen, the Queen’s Ambassador for Bulgaria was in attendance at this event. In a blog post he later published, he explained that this was not merely a work obligation he had to fulfil, but a ‘personal pleasure’, as he himself had taken part in the programme during his teens, and had learned a number of important lessons as a result of this participation. The President of Bulgaria, Rosen Plevneliev, also attended the event, so as to show his support for the award. It is hoped that the launching of this programme in Bulgaria will help young Bulgarians to achieve their professional aspirations, and encourage them to become more involved in the charity sector, which is reliant upon voluntary workers.

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St James’s Palace hosts national DofE Gold Award ceremony | Tunde Folawiyo

Most people, including Tunde Folawiyo, are familiar with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme, and understand how significant receiving the Gold Award is. The ceremony is Tunde Folawiyousually held in St James’s Palace, as the DofE committee feel that this grand setting befits the importance of this occasion.

Just this month, hundreds of young people from all over the UK travelled to London, to collect their Gold awards at the palace. They received their certificates from Anthea Turner and Prince Edward, both of whom spent a few minutes speaking to each of the recipients about their experiences. Anthea spoke at length with one girl in particular – Hannah Holden from Milton Keynes. Hannah undertook two expeditions in Wales, during which she walked an average of 20 kilometres a day, whilst carrying all of her supplies – including food rations and a hefty tent – in a rucksack.

The expedition she chose consisting of ‘wild camping’, which involves making do with what you can find around you; for instance, Hannah had to source her drinking water from streams. In addition to her expeditions, she spent time in the Peak district on an adventure and conservation course, and also learned to dance, sing and play the guitar. Having had such a wonderful experience herself, Hannah is now hoping to become a DofE leader, and help other youngsters to complete their own bronze, silver and gold awards.

A significant number of the attendees at the awards event hailed from Lancashire, and had completed their gold activities with the help of the Lancashire County Council. One young man by the name of Ciaran Bassey got involved with the DofE programme after joining the Explorer Scouts Unit. To achieve his Gold, he spent just over a year working as a volunteer leader with the Scouts, and went on a residential trip with a group of his peers.

Four students from Queen’s College in Somerset were also in attendance; these included Hope Pointing, Hannah Clarke, Abi Sanders-Dutton and Richard Venn. The headmaster of their school came to the event to support them, and spoke to the press about their achievements. He stated that he and the rest of the staff were very proud of what the four teens had managed to accomplish, adding that it had taken a great deal of commitment to complete the bronze, silver and gold activities. He finished by saying that the students had clearly benefitted from their time within the DofE programme; not only had they developed friendships and created wonderful memories, but they had also become far more confident in themselves as a result of their expeditions and residential work. This is why people such as Tunde Folawiyo like to support youth development schemes; they help young people, who are at a very important stage in their lives, to develop the skills and the tenacity needed to achieve their goals.

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How the DofE can assist disadvantaged youths | Tunde Folawiyo

Those who support the DofE, like Tunde Folawiyo, might know that the programme committee encourages all young people, regardless of their background or circumstances, to get involved. For teens that may be Tunde Folawiyogoing through a difficult period in their lives, perhaps as a result of health or family issues for instance, the DofE activities can provide them with a sense of stability, and offer them with something positive to focus their efforts on.

There are countless stories of DofE alumni who have managed to overcome enormous obstacles, complete their bronze, silver and gold activities and go on to lead happier, more fulfilling lives. Here, we’ll be discussing two such people – Edward Hampton-Matthews, and Emily Mailes.

Edward was diagnosed with joint hyper-mobility and rheumatoid arthritis at the age of three; doctors told his parents that he would never be able to swim or ride a bike. But just four years later, with physiotherapy and a great deal of determination, Edward began cycling. It was this strength of character and perseverance which would allow him to complete the bronze, silver and gold level activities as a teenager, in spite of his chronic health problems.

He camped in cold, wet conditions, and trekked for many miles, even though these activities were extremely challenging, from a physical perspective. Additionally, he also learned how to sail, gained his first aid and RYA Day Skipper qualifications, and began teaching sailing to other youths at his local club. In 2010, he received his Gold Award, four decades after his own grandfather, Mike Hampton, had done the same. Mike attended the ceremony, and spoke proudly of Edward’s achievements, adding that getting involved in the DofE is a ‘fantastic thing to do’.

Emily experienced a different set of challenges growing up, but like Edward, she successfully overcame them by participating in the DofE. She became a mother at the age of 16, which led to her leaving school without qualifications. Most people nowadays, including Tunde Folawiyo, understand just how much a lack of education can affect a person’s life, particularly when it’s a young parent, who has a child to support.

But Emily was determined to improve her life, and after joining a youth group in her local area, designed specifically for teenage parents, she began to work towards getting her bronze, silver and gold awards. The activities she completed gave her the confidence to return to education, and as she neared the end of her time with the DofE, she took up courses in youth work, media and film-making. Her experience with the DofE was so positive, that she also began to serve as a voluntary expedition leader. Today, she has a job as a youth services co-ordinator.

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Can the DofE programme help teens get into university? | Tunde Folawiyo

Quite often, teenagers join the DofE programme with the simple intention of developing a few new skills, and perhaps going on a fun expedition with their friends. But the fact of the matter is that the programme has a far more significant impact on participants’ lives than they initially realise. As they continue on their journey, completing one activity after the next, they usually become more aware of just how beneficial their involvement can be, particularly when they begin to go for university interviews, and apply for places on academic courses.

A few years ago, the DofE commissioned Northampton University to carry out research into the impact of this programme on young people. The results of this research indicated that participation in the DofE has a tremendously positive effect on teens. Over 74% of the respondents said that their self-esteem had improved during their Tunde Folawiyotime with the DofE, whilst 82% said that the volunteering activities they had undertaken had inspired them to do other volunteer work in the future.

Being familiar with this programme, Tunde Folawiyo is probably aware that the self-esteem which participants develop by planning activities, collaborating with others, and accomplishing their goals, is of enormous help when the time comes to apply to universities. The interview process for the UK’s top educational institutes can be very challenging, especially for teens who are perhaps shy or insecure. However, for DofE participants, who are confident and believe in their own self-worth, the experience will probably be far less intimidating.

One DofE member, who was completing her gold level activities at the time of answering the survey, said that as part of her leadership work, she had been asked to do a 20-minute presentation. She explained that, prior to joining the DofE, the thought of speaking to a large group of people for this length of time would have terrified her, but that, due to the confidence she had gained through her participation in the programme, she was able to deliver the presentation in a professional manner, without allowing her nerves to interfere with her performance.

The volunteer work which young people must do as part of the DofE can also help them get into their chosen academic institute, as this type of an extracurricular activity is something which is looked upon favourably by universities. Nowadays, most people, including Tunde Folawiyo, realise that these institutes want more than just good grades; they want to see that a student is well-rounded, and capable of doing more than merely learning off lists of facts and figures. A history of volunteer work indicates that the applicant has a sense of social responsibility, can take the initiative, and is able motivate themselves.

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The Adventurous Journeys of the Duke of Edinburgh Award | Tunde Folawiyo

With a long-lasting impact on the fostering of today’s youth, the prestigious Duke of Edinburgh Award has long inspired today’s brightest students to strive toward greatness in many aspects of life. These goals could not appear more evident than in the vast number of participants who have successfully completed the programme since its establishment. Through the continual valued support of the many proponents of the charity, including Tunde Folawiyo, the Duke of Edinburgh Award continues its mission in encouraging participants to strive for a better tomorrow for them and the communities around them.

Tunde Folawiyo In its efforts to promote the growth of today’s youth, the Duke of Edinburgh Award encourages the utmost integrity among its students, proven in a variety of skills including personal discovery, self-reliance, perseverance and service to their communities. Through initiatives, the Duke of Edinburgh Award has made great strides in its quest to improve the lives for thousands of young people, instilling hope, confidence and goodwill throughout the United Kingdom and beyond.

Within the Duke of Edinburgh Award programme lays several areas requiring completion. To complete the adventurous journey portion of the programme, participants must plan, train for and complete a self-reliant expedition, challenging their skills in a variety of significant areas. Each participant must endure training, a practice expedition, a qualifying expedition and a final presentation in order to complete the programme successfully. All of these must be accomplished by the participant’s own physical efforts with minimal assistance, truly testing the collective skills of each participant.

There are several steps to be taken to ensure success in the adventurous journey portion of the programme. Preparation for the adventure involves distinguishing team members, the mission’s aim, travel arrangements and leadership of the mission. During the practice expedition portion of training, participants must demonstrate an ability to travel safely in order to gain permission to proceed with the mission. The qualifying expedition and final assessment will follow, ultimately deciding whether a participant has successfully completed each portion of the programme, rendering them deserving of the award. The prestigious nature of the Duke of Edinburgh Award honours those that have gone above and beyond to demonstrate their passion and appreciation for life, while the leadership skills incurred throughout the journey serve as an immeasurable value.

Through the constant backing of the programme’s supporters such as Tunde Folawiyo and millions of others throughout the world, the Duke of Edinburgh Award will continue to motivate young students for years to come.

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History of the Duke of Edinburgh Award | Tunde Folawiyo

With a long-standing reputation of excellence, the Duke of Edinburgh Award has served as a beacon of hope and self-improvement for youngsters across the world. With the outstanding support of its proponents including Tunde Folawiyo, the Duke of Edinburgh Award continues to inspire today’s generation of bright young students. Since its founding in 1956, the programme has grown into an Tunde Folawiyointernationally recognised programme that now reaches more than 300,000 young people in more than 120 countries throughout the world. In keeping true to the goals set forth by the award’s founders, participants are encouraged to reach for excellence in all aspects of life including personal growth, perseverance, self-reliance and a commitment of service to their community, as well as other communities throughout the world.

The Duke of Edinburgh Award is focused on promoting the areas of volunteering, physical fitness, unique skills and expeditions in its efforts to encourage today’s youth toward striving for a better tomorrow. Participants must accomplish a variety of trainings and comprehensive assessments in order to prove a great understanding of the tasks at hand. With three levels of the award to be completed, participants are encouraged to reach their fullest potential, pushing them toward a quest for excellence. In order to ensure the charity’s founding principles are upheld, applicants must prove their understanding of four mandatory sections focused on personal success including fitness, skill, volunteering and adventurous journey. Research has shown several improvements upon completion of the programme. Recipients of the award have experienced enhanced social inclusion, gender equality, the reduction of violence and an increased participation in civic life in addition to an enhanced sense of health and overall well-being.

Whilst participants of the programme must complete several tasks to merit the Duke of Edinburgh Award, the challenges surrounding the Gold Level are said by many to be the most exciting to undertake. Dubbed “The Residential Project”, participants are encouraged to embark on an adventurous journey, leading to encounters with new people and experiences vastly different to those they’ve grown accustomed to. Participants must accomplish a unique set of goals in order to gain a worldly perspective that will inevitably lead to a profound appreciation and understanding of other cultures throughout the world. Through the continued support of the programme’s proponents, including Tunde Folawiyo, the Duke of Edinburgh Award will continue to foster the development of bright young minds toward the ultimate goal of self-discovery.

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How to Contribute to the Duke of Edinburgh Award | Tunde Folawiyo

Boasting a deep-rooted history of promoting the personal development of today’s youth, the Duke of Edinburgh Award serves as a wonderful means of encouragement for millions of young people throughout the United Kingdom and beyond. Through the valued support of many of the programme’s proponents such as Tunde Folawiyo, the Duke of Edinburgh Award continues to inspire bright young leaders striving to make a difference in themselves and in the world around them.

Tunde FolawiyoAs one of the world’s premiere programmes for the development and encouragement of youth, the Duke of Edinburgh Award is composed of four mandatory sections. These include fitness, skill, volunteering and adventurous journey, each testing the personal and physical abilities of each participant. In order to merit the prestigious Duke of Edinburgh Award, each hopeful participant must successfully complete the aforementioned sections according to his or her personal timeframe, proving the utmost abilities to maturely and responsibly undertake various roles.

As a not-for-profit organisation, The Duke of Edinburgh Award relies heavily on the continued support and encouragement of various individuals and organisations in order to successfully maintain the operations of the programme and its mission to nurture personal development among today’s youth. Therein lies a variety of opportunities for supporters of the Award’s mission to contribute to the ongoing mission of this thriving organisation.

There are many ways to contribute to the goals of The Duke of Edinburgh Award, each holding various amounts of involvement. Individual’s utilise a variety of talents, professional positions and networks to spread the word of the organisation’s values, bringing forth new supporters to carry out the Award’s ongoing mission. Whether through volunteer time, monetary donations or the prospect of mentorship, those willing to assist the Award will hold a hugely important and indispensable role in the organisation’s foundation and success. One way to become involved in the encouragement of today’s youth is to aid The Duke of Edinburgh Award organisation in the fostering of brand ambassadorships, in order to bring awareness to the Award’s history and goals. The Duke of Edinburgh Award also encourages sponsorship opportunities for those wishing to further contribute to the organisation’s mission.

Due to the outstanding encouragement of the award’s supporters, such as Tunde Folawiyo and millions of others throughout the world, the Duke of Edinburgh Award will continue to thrive for years to come, serving as a constant source of encouragement for the development of today’s young leaders.

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The impact of the DofE programme on participants’ career prospects | Tunde Folawiyo

Many members of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme join during their early teens, simply because they wish to get involved in some fun activities outside of school, and make new friends. But as they complete one challenging task after another, they usually begin to realise just how beneficial their participation in the DofE can be, both personally and professionally; the vast majority find that they become far more confident, responsible and organised because of their involvement in this programme. These qualities are essential in any profession, and as such, it can safely be said that completing each level of the DofE will vastly improve a young person’s future career prospects.

Last summer, the DofE committee created a survey in which it asked participants to discuss their thoughts about the programme. The results should come as no surprise to anyone who is familiar with the DofE, like Tunde Folawiyo; they showed that 80% of those aged between 16 and 18 believed that having been involved in the DofE would make it easier for them to secure a job in their chosen industry after they leave school, with many stating that the skills and qualities they had acquired would help them through the interview process. Those who had received their Gold Award said that they felt they had developed the most important employability attributes, including self-management, problem-solving, team work and communication.

Local authorities and youth development organisations across the UK are becoming far more aware of how beneficial it is for youths to Tunde Folawiyocomplete this programme, and are now encouraging teens to join the DofE, as a means of reducing national unemployment figures in the future. Just recently, Bishop Auckland College collaborated with a regeneration project called Durham-Gate, to host a series of events designed to encourage local teenagers to sign up for the DofE. One of the attendees, Neil McMillan, explained that getting young people to join this programme would give them a significant advantage in the job market later in their lives, as many employers now actively seek out candidates who have received their Bronze, Silver and Gold DofE awards.

A similar event was arranged by a company called Amey last year; they hosted a workshop which aimed to tackle unemployment amongst young people. Amey is one of just seven businesses in the UK which allows its under-25 employees to join the DofE as part of their training.  The Earl of Wessex attended the workshop; he noted that the current economy makes it very difficult for those in their late teens and early twenties to obtain employment, and that it would therefore be wise for young people to join a programme like the DofE, which will help them to grow into well-rounded, confident and capable adults. This is an opinion which Tunde Folawiyo, and other supporters of the DofE might agree with.

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Gold Award winners share their thoughts on the DofE | Tunde Folawiyo

Each year, thousands of people begin their DofE journey, in the hopes of one day receiving the programme’s top prize, the Gold award. People who are familiar with this programme, such as Tunde Folawiyo, understand that receiving the Gold is an outstanding achievement – one which recipients are likely to cherish for the rest of their lives.

Recently, dozens of young people from across the UK finished the final stage of the programme, and received their Gold awards. Ellen Chilcott and Harry Tavare joined the DofE after they began studying at Somerset College, undertaking their projects in their spare time. Discussing his experience with a journalist, Harry explained that the programme had improved his organisational skills, and given him a great deal of confidence in his own abilities.

Tunde FolawiyoEllen had an equally positive experience, stating that her volunteer work with a charity shop had been hugely rewarding, and that she had made many new friends as a result of her involvement with the DofE. Whilst she admitted that at times, it had been challenging, she said that in the end, it had been worth it. Both Harry and Ellen will be receiving their official certificates at a ceremony in St James’ Palace this month.

Three young students from the Channel Islands, named Yasmin, Rowland and Sophie, will also be collecting their Gold awards this February. Like Harry and Ellen, they all had very positive experiences; Rowland said that his DofE expedition had helped him to understand the importance of team work, co-operation and perseverance, whilst Yasmin said that she is confident that completing the programme in its entirety will help her with future challenges, such as university interviews and job applications. This is precisely why Tunde Folawiyo, and other people are in favour of youth development programmes like the DofE; it gives young people a head start, and makes it considerably easier for them to achieve their professional ambitions.

Several teenagers from Berkshire are also due to receive their Gold certificates during the coming weeks. One of the recipients, Luke Crisford, spoke enthusiastically of the 4-day DofE expedition he had taken, which involved a 60-mile canoe trip, beginning in Fort William, and ending in Inverness. He explained that this activity had allowed him to understand the value of working as a team, and of persevering when faced with challenging circumstances. He finished by saying that he would recommend the DofE programme to all teens.