In a recent assembly, senior prefect Lydia shared a presentation on the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Shedding light on its history, the transformative experiences it offers, she shared a personal journey of pursuing the prestigious Gold award. The Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) award, founded by Prince Phillip in 1956, has grown into a globally recognized programme that encourages young people to develop their skills, serve their communities, and explore their physical and mental boundaries.
“The award was set up by Prince Phillip in 1956 after the idea was presented to him by Kurt Hahn, the educational pioneer and founding headmaster of Gordounston school. During the first year over 7000 boys were entered in for the award and over 1000 awards had been completed. Due to its great success the following year the award was opened up to girls also and the overseas programme was commenced, nearly doubling the amount of young people involved. Over subsequent decades DofE continued to evolve and in 1980 the age limit was extended so that any 14-21-year old could now take part and the award was changed to the current programme which still runs today. Just this year the dukedom was given to Prince Edward by King Charles and was made the patron of the award.
The DofE award comprises 3 main sections: Skills, Volunteering and Physical. The volunteering section is about giving of your time to do something meaningful which is motivated by making a difference to others. It also allows you to develop your skills in being responsible and step out of your comfort zone in order to help others. Giving of your time for others also helps you to feel good about yourself. Over the last year I have been able to volunteer after school in the nursery. This has helped me to get to know more people in school and during busy weeks is a highlight of my week.
The physical section helps promote a healthy and active lifestyle. Taking part in physical activities helps you to improve your fitness levels as well as stamina. Whether you take part in a physical activity by yourself or in a team being active can help you to improve your self-esteem and feel more confident in yourself. This year for my physical section I have decided to join a netball club outside of school. This has allowed me to get to know new people of all ages who enjoy playing the same sport as me as well as get to play competitively in the Aberdeen league.
The final main section is skills. Whether you play a musical instrument, want to take part in first aid course or have a passion for growing vegetables the possibilities are endless. Developing skills helps you to get better at something you are really interested in and gives you the confidence and ability to not only use this skill now but later in life. As I play the piano I use this as my skill for the award. Whether working towards the next grade or just wanting to improve a technique, using it for your DofE certainly makes you want to keep working towards your goal. Trying new things also makes you step out of your comfort zone and learn more about yourself.
The next part of the award is the expedition. For me this is what I most enjoy but for many this can be the part of the award they least look forward to. Whether you are doing bronze, silver or gold, the expedition really is the shortest part of the award but probably what you gain the most from. During the last month I have completed my gold expedition as part of a team of 5. The expedition faces you with challenges you might not expect but also helps you to become a stronger person as a result of this. I am now going to tell you a little bit about our Gold expedition and hopefully show you that even if you think you couldn’t manage the expedition everyone can if they put their mind to it.
During our expedition each team member played a vital role that contributed to our group's success and kept the expedition running along smoothly. In our group everyone’s skills could be seen in what roles they took on throughout the trip whether map reading, motivating the group or getting the dinner cooked. One thing everyone gets to enjoy throughout the trip is the amazing scenery which keeps you going through the good and bad times. We experienced a heatwave during our practice expedition which really slowed our progress down which made everyone feel down at times. Another challenge we faced was the midges which were swarming around when we set up camp at night and when we woke up. Throughout these challenges we had to stay resilient and persevere in order to keep us going. During our real expedition we faced a storm and staying positive when you are wet and cold can be hard but having friends with you along the way as well as singing the Frozen playlist helps to keep spirits high!
Lastly, I am going to just talk about a few of the many benefits that the Duke of Edinburgh award can provide you with. Completing all the sections of the award makes you a well-rounded individual who takes part in many different types of activities. It gives you more belief and self-confidence in yourself which is beneficial as you grow up and have to make big decisions. The volunteering section makes you someone who is more willing to step up and help others. Studies have shown that people who complete the award are more likely to fulfil their full potential in both education and in the world of work. It also provides you with the opportunity to do things you never thought you would do which challenge yourself. And finally, it is not just about achieving the award, it is about unlocking your potential, discovering what you are passionate about and building skills which will hopefully help you through life.
Thank you for listening and I hope I have encouraged many of you to continue to complete the award and for the younger years to start the award when the opportunity is given to you.”