Police said a man died at Clifton Pier on Saturday after he was pinned between a boat and the dock it was moored to. According to reports, around 3 p.m., the victim was diving, attempting to retrieve a hose that was in the water. Police [...]

TWO people have died after separate traffic accidents on Grand Bahama and New Providence. According to police, shortly after 11pm Friday, a woman was walking on Boyd Road when she was hit by a white Nissan Sentra. The driver stopped and was enquiring

Reports have reached The Tribune that The Mud shanty town in Abaco is on fire.

A leading youth programme hopes to grab as much of the spotlight as it can as a global programme beefs up its photography and videography collection for world-wide marketing purposes.

The Governor General’s Youth Award (GGYA), the national award operator (NAO) of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, snagged an opportunity to showcase just how fantastic is the programme which operates in more than 130 countries and territories around the world, helping to inspire over 1.3 million young people every year.

Out of 13 national award operators in the Americas region – a territory spanning countries from Canada to Argentina – The Bahamas was amongst the first selected to be profiled.

Finding GGYA to be “very proactive, engaged and vibrant” Jamaica-based David Clarke, Americas regional director, nominated the NAO for the honor which entailed a field visit from Marianna Davis, communications manager for The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation in London. Davis oversees the Communications for Americas Region, along with Asia Pacific.

While in town Ms Davis hosted a communications workshop at The National Trust office where Award leaders from The Bahamas and Barbados were in attendance, while others from Jamaica, Bermuda, Trinidad and Tobago and the US joined via Skype.

Discussions focused on communications challenges and opportunities, including PR activity, traditional and social media engagement.

In The Bahamas Ms Davis worked with videographer Kyle Ferguson and photographers Torrell Glinton and Ahvia Campbell to capture strong imagery that truly reflects the diversity of the Award, through bright, colourful, positive shots. 

During her six-day visit Ms Davis trailed GGYA participants in New Providence Grand Bahama and Andros capturing as many of the four key areas of the Award (service, skill, physical recreation and adventurous journey) as possible, in addition to showing participants and Award leaders interacting, laughing, challenging themselves and enjoying the activities.

“Good communications requires an ongoing refresh of images, videography, case studies (short articles on individual participants) to help promote the Award internationally,” she said. “We want to be able to share our stories from all over the world, in our publications, in the press and social media to showcase not only the positive impact the Award has on young people across the world but reminds them too that they are part of a global programme; that they are part of something bigger.

The project’s benefit to the Foundation is threefold: to inspire young people to take part in the Award, to encourage adults to volunteer with the Award and to demonstrate to donors, both current and prospective, the great work their money is funding.

Ms Davis and her local team documented Nassau participants cleaning-up Harold and Wilson Ponds National Park in conjunction with the Bahamas National Trust; Freeport participants were captured dispensing animal care and clean-up at the Grand Bahama Humane Society while other youths from the nation’s second city exhibited their skill in cutting, pasting and fringing costumes for next week’s Junior Junkanoo Parade, and in Andros a Gold practice expedition trekked to Uncle Charlie’s Blue Hole .

With the Foundation set to release more international marketing collateral this year to promote the Award world-wide, GGYA’s national director Denise Mortimer hopes the local programme makes the cut.

“It would be great exposure for us,” she said. “The tremendous support we receive from the Bahamian government helps to ensure that our programme remains relevant and vibrant across our 700 islands and cays.”

In 2017, the GGYA had 1,500 participants in 50 units on nine islands supported by 147 volunteers. In its 30 year history it has disbursed around 7,600 Awards.

Once participants have successfully completed community service engagements, mastered new skills, participated in physical activities and adventurous journeys (hiking expeditions) they are eligible for a Bronze, Silver, or Gold Award depending on minimum time requirements.