Duke of Edinburgh’s Award program launched in Belize

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award program got off the ground today. It is aimed at character building for young adults, ages fourteen to twenty-five years old. The program was founded in 1956 by the Duke of Edinburgh in Britain and today, the award is a fixture in over a hundred and twenty countries. Visiting Regional Director for the program, David Clarke is working with Saint Michael’s College, which has been selected to operate the pilot program. The local high school will be licensed as an independent operator to issue the award. We found out from Clarke what youths who enroll can expect.

David Clarke, Regional Dir., Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Intl. Assn.
“The young adults have to do four activities. They have to do a service to the community and the aim of the service section is about learning to give useful service to other people. They have to learn a skill and the aim of the skill section is that they should develop a personal skill that will help them in their lives. Then they have to do some form of physical activity in developing themselves. The idea is that if you develop your healthy habits when you’re younger, as you get older you will continue those habits. And finally, they have to do an adventurous journey where they go and learn about the environment, they go off and do some trekking, they learn some team work. They off in groups of seven and they spend two, three or four nights out on an expedition.”

Clarke says the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award International Association will provide free technical support. And this coming weekend in San Ignacio there will be a Leaders Training course where thirty persons will be equipped to conduct pilot courses.