Officials of the Governor General’s Youth Award (GGYA) are headed to Accra, Ghana for The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Forum, a meeting of the minds which takes place every three years bringing together delegates from across the globe to discuss the Award’s development, consult on new policies and plans and take stock of its progress with a view to ensuring the programme's ability to equip even more young people for life and work.
As the international Award continues to grow its reach and impact so to must GGYA, said national director, Denise Mortimer who has provided 27 years of service to the Award, making this her ninth triennial forum.
“Attendance is crucial to help us determine where we are going and how are we going to continue our work with the Award to impact the lives of young people in the world and especially in The Bahamas. The forum offers vital workshops and training opportunities.”
The programme encourages young people to develop skills, give service to others and promote physical recreation and adventurous journeys (hiking expeditions). It is comprised of three levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold. Each, progressively more challenging. In 2017, the programme registered 1,773 participants, disbursing 239 Awards among 68 units on eight islands.
GGYA, one of the country’s leading programmes for young people, will report on what it has done over the last three years, telling of its successes – such as hosting the Caribbean Award Sub-Regional Council where young people from across the region satisfied their Gold Adventurous Journey requirement in The Bahamas – and its challenges, such as temporary suspension of Award activities in the southern islands following devastating hurricanes.
Positioning itself to manage and coordinate higher numbers of people from diverse backgrounds and islands to participate on a sustained basis, GGYA recognizes the need to balance growth objective while safeguarding the programme’s quality experience. Against that backdrop the conference takes on even more significance.
“The forum speaks to best practices so we are afforded the opportunity to hear first-hand what’s working in other countries, what’s not working and why,” said the organization’s training leader, Jacquetta Lightbourne-Maycock who is attending the triennial meeting for the third time.
“In brainstorming those ideas, they might be practicable in smaller countries, or may be able to work with the resources we have available. Generally, it’s about how these best practices could have a lasting impact, taking us to the next level in our development.”
Seen as a valuable tool by the government, GGYA is known nationally for shaping young persons into more well-rounded, self-assured, community-engaged individuals.
“It is my hope attending the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Forum will strengthen and reinvigorate us to redouble efforts to deliver and grow the Award. The goal is to make the organization stronger,” said Anglican Archdeacon James Palacious, chairman of GGYA’s Management Council, the body responsible for the day-to-day operations of the programme.
“We know it’s about impacting youths, in particular, but by so doing you really impact society. We welcome the opportunity to learn what we can as well as to contribute to the debate.”
Meeting in Ghana and West Africa for the first time signifies a milestone for the DofE International Award, to assemble on a continent which hosts the fastest growing, most youthful population in the world.
According to chairman of the International Council, the Rt Hon The Lord Boateng, PC DL: “A strong dynamic programme delivered by the global family, that is our Award, faces the future with hope and expectation.”
The Bahamas belongs to the Americas Region of the International Award, a grouping that includes, the United States, the Caribbean, Brazil and Canada. Although one of the smaller nation’s in that block, the national award operator said it continues to drive growth, better positioning the Award in the Americas Region as a whole.
Chairman of GGYA’s Management Council, Anglican Archdeacon James Palacious; National Director Denise Mortimer (right) and Training Leader, Jacquetta Lightbourne-Maycock will depart from New Providence Sunday, October 27, for Accra, Ghana. The trio will attend The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Forum which runs from October 29, to November 5. Photo by Precision Media
