The Ministry of Youth and Sports has achieved another milestone by acquiring a ‘Full License’ for the Duke of Edinburgh International Award.
Also known as DofE the Award is available to all 14-24 year olds and is the world’s leading youth achievement award.
The Ministry being the National Operator of the award last year received a provisional licence with provisions to fulfil certain requirements and conditions to acquire the full license.
Presented at The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award 2018 Forum currently taking place in Ghana, the full license was received by National Award Manager Ms Olivia Tawaqa on behalf of Permanent Secretary Ms Allison Burchell.
Since the early 1990s, the Ministry of Youth and Sports has been the National Award Operator coordinating the program in conjunction with the Ministry of Education, Heritage and Arts through participating Secondary Schools and youth clubs.
“To date, we have registered 75 Award Units in both Secondary schools and youth clubs, 117 Award Leaders and 1,438 young people” the Programme Manager said.
“The International Award is a voluntary, non-competitive, balanced and enjoyable program that requires sustained effort over time aimed at encouraging young people to design their own activities, set their own goals, explore their potential and challenge them to achieve set targets,” adds Ms Tawaqa.
Available to all young people aged 14 to 24 the Award is comprised of three levels and four sections with participants required to complete all four sections at each level in order to achieve their Award.
The service section of the Award encourages young people to volunteer their time to and understand the benefits of this service to their community. Participants are required to give service over a set period of time that enables them to experience the benefits that their service provides to others and demonstrate social responsibility.
Ms. Tawaqa was accompanied by Duke of Edinburgh National board member Ms. Jenny Seeto to forum in Ghana which was attended by over 300 delegates, including businessmen from 130 member countries across the world.