Almost immediately after the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award was launched in the UK, other nations around the world began to express an interest in getting involved. Although it took quite a few years, the D of E gradually began to expand overseas, and by 1989, over 48 countries had set up their own versions of the award. Due to the popularity of the scheme, the D of E committee set up the International Award Foundation, an organisation that most people, including Tunde Folawiyo, are familiar with.
The USA is a relative newcomer to the Award, having joined just eight years ago. It was launched here by Todd Ruppert, Manley Thaler, Lanny Griffith, John Danielson and Sam Haskell, all of whom are now official board members of the American D of E, which is run as a non-profit organisation. Its partners include the Philadelphia Foundation, Miss America Organisation and the Boy Scouts of America.
Many of those who joined several years ago are now looking to expand and improve upon the DofE programme run in their countries. For instance, in Germany, where the D of E has been in operation since 1993, an accredited training programme has just been launched for people who wish to work as leaders and assessors for award participants.
The award, which is known here as Das Jugenprogramm, will now be run by fully qualified individuals, who have completed the D of E’s own training course. Eva Willke, Ceri Temple, Jasmin Muller-Aalefeld, Patrick Loffler and David Harrison have already finished up the theoretical side of their training, and are about to embark upon their practical lessons, which will be completed via on-site visits to various schools around the country.
As a supporter of youth development schemes like the D of E, Tunde Folawiyo might be aware that similar improvements are being made to the award in Bermuda, where the DofE has been up and running since 1967. Michael Dunkely, who serves as the National Security Minister, has said that there are now talks underway which may lead to the establishment of a second award scheme for those aged between 20 and 28. There are also plans to offer inmates at Ferry Reach the opportunity to earn their DofE award, and to integrate the scheme into the standard training undertaken by the Police Cadets.