Article Source: The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
Last Updated: 13 March 2023 15:41
Monday 13 March 2023:
Young people doing their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award make their voices heard as The Duke of Edinburgh hosts youth-led roundtable at the Palace of Holyroodhouse
His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh met 10 young people from Edinburgh, the Highlands and Falkirk in his role as trustee in his first engagement with participants of the Award since having the title conferred.
His Royal Highness hosted participants of The Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Award at the Palace of Holyroodhouse today – hearing their views on a range of issues from mental health to the importance of connecting with their communities and the great outdoors.
Young people from Broughton High School in Edinburgh, Braes High School in Falkirk, Highland Council and Edinburgh-based social justice and race equality charity SCOREscotland joined a conversation chaired by The Duke in his role as DofE Trustee – sharing their personal experience of doing their DofE, and the impact taking part had had on them.
They spoke about connecting with the Scottish countryside and their local communities through their Expedition and Volunteering sections, and how the DofE had helped them create lasting friendships and transferable skills for the future.
Reflecting on the increasing pressures and anxieties facing young people today, participants also explained to The Duke how their DofE had helped them overcome challenges and build resilience and self-belief.
Lawson from Braes High School said: “I do DofE because it lets me connect with the countryside and gives me the chance to meet new people and learn new skills. Today was surreal, absolutely surreal – a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet the newly appointed Duke of Edinburgh.’
Over 29,000 young people in Scotland are currently doing their DofE. A network of over 3,500 adult leaders and volunteers support them on their DofE journey, across 141 Licensed Organisations the length and breadth of the country. The DofE is working to reach one million young people by 2026, and has launched projects to fund schools and community organisations in the UK’s most deprived areas to start running the DofE, support more young people with additional needs, and expand in prisons and young offender institutions.
To do their DofE, young people aged 14-24 choose activities in four sections: improving a Physical and Skills activity, Volunteering for a cause of their choice, and completing a demanding Expedition – as well as a five-day Residential at Gold level. Along the way they have fun, grow in resilience and self-belief, discover new talents and passions, and learn practical skills to help them in future – while working towards a highly respected Award.
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