Youngsters to receive Duke Of Edinburgh's Award

Thousands of volunteer hours and months of hard work will pay off for hundreds of young people set to receive a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in Plymouth next week.

Youngsters aged 14 to 24 will be receiving a total of 174 bronze awards, 46 silver awards and 15 gold awards on Monday 18 March, when the collective power of the DofE Award can be witnessed under one roof in a fantastic celebration evening organised by the Plymouth DofE Committee.

Speakers will include the Lord Mayor of Plymouth and Oli Milroy a local young adventurer and Olympic Torch Bearer.

The event will be packed with proud parents, carers and professionals working with young people across the city including representatives from Plymouth’s secondary schools, the Plymouth City Council’s Youth Services, Compton Open Award Group, the Air Training Corps and the Army Cadet Force.

Councillor Nicky Williams, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “Congratulations to all those young people receiving the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. It is such an incredibly worthwhile and rewarding experience for young people – helping to hone skills and encouraging active lifestyles. It is also a fantastic achievement for a developing CV and demonstrates to employers that a young person is able to commit to a goal and see it through to completion.”

To achieve a DofE Award, young people choose their own programme which must include regular participation in three sections: volunteering, physical and skills. A quarter of the Award is the expedition section which encourages journeying in all forms of travel and can be by foot, bicycle or kayak.

There are three levels: gold, silver and bronze but each requires a more sustained commitment and involvement.

Plymouth City Council supports over 400 young people in schools and youth groups to achieve their DofE Awards, along with the generous help and support of many dedicated volunteers.