Following a record year for young people registering for and gaining The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, more than 100 bronze and silver participants have been invited to the annual presentation evening at the Gaiety Theatre on Tuesday 18th September.
 
The event, which will be attended by Tim Crookall MHK, Minister for Education and Children, is kindly sponsored by Isle of Man Bank and Sam Skelton, Head of Intermediaries and Real Estate Finance, will present the certificates.
 
The Department of Education and Children’s Youth Service is registered as an operating authority and has 15 award units – ranging from schools to youth groups and uniformed organisations – signed up to offer DofE.
 
The experience young people have is very similar, said Alison Gawne, Awards’ Coordinator. Some choose to do DofE independent of an award unit but are welcomed by groups to complete certain sections, such as volunteering and the expedition.
 
As well as the Youth Service, there are independent operating authorities such as King William’s College and the Air Cadets, who are also invited to bring their young people to the event to be presented with their certificates.
 
If other organisations registered to offer the award would like to be included, they should contact Alison on 686051 for details.
 
Admission to the presentation is free and young people can invite as many guests as they like to support them as they celebrate their achievement.
 
‘This is one of my favourite events of the DofE year as it represents the end of the journey through a particular award and a celebration of the personal achievements of each individual who comes forward to receive their award,’ said Alison.
 
For more information on The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, visit http://www.gov.im/education/info/doea.xml.