Forum 2018

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Forum 2018 is on from Tuesday 30 October to Sunday 4 November in Accra, Ghana.

The delegates will meet with other leaders from the Association and the Foundation to share best practices, troubleshoot issues and celebrate the success of the Award.

During the Forum delegates will have the opportunity to discuss the Award’s global development, understand the context in which we are all working and to have your say on new policies and plans.

This Forum’s theme: “Shaping the future, shaping our world” brilliantly summarises the opportunity that we have to help shape the future for young people and position the Award as the leading proponent of non-formal education.

Practical sessions will focus on how we can improve the Access, Reach and Impact of the Award globally and include a mixture of speakers from within the Association and external experts across a range of topics.

Award Leader Training (YES) Workshop

At Edubridge International School, Mumbai

On 25th and 26th October, 2018 the National Award Authority organised an Award Leader Training (YES) Workshop at Edubridge International School, Mumbai. The workshop was led by Kapil Bhalla - National Director and Bivujit Mukhoty - Programme Manager. The objective of these workshops was to interact with the Award Leaders of different schools and iterate the importance of their contribution in the journey of the Award participants.

The workshop in Mumbai witnessed a total of 16 participants. The schools that participated in the workshop in Mumbai were DSB International School, Mumbai; Edubridge International School, Mumbai; Euro School Airoli, Mumbai; Jamnabai Narsee School, Mumbai; Rustomjee Cambridge International School, Mumbai; Spring Mount Public School, Tirupur, and Worldview Education Services Private Limited, Hyderabad, Telangana.

The workshops commenced with an ice breaking session followed by an introduction about the Award Programme. The team threw light on the philosophy of the Award, its journey and its framework. They then went on to explain its various facets that include voluntary Service, Skills, Physical Recreation and Adventurous Journey. They also elaborated upon risk management, stressed the benefits of the Programme and touched upon the Residential Project for the Gold Level of the Programme. What followed next was a review session and discussion about the levels of the Award Programme. The session concluded with a film highlighting the Award’s achievements and its impact. Click here for the pictures

National Director's visit to Cambridge Assessment International Education

Kapil Bhalla, National Director, IAYP India, visited the Cambridge Assessment International Education Team at Mumbai on the 22nd and the 23rd of October, 2018. The two-day meet focused on ways in which the Cambridge Curriculum and Award Programme work towards youth empowerment and development. The discussions concluded with new ideas and goals to provide greater opportunities for the young people in India, making them well equipped for the world.

The Award's Global Satisfaction Survey

The 2018 Global Participant Satisfaction Survey results are out! The IAA research team analysed responses received between May 2017 – September 2018 from 7,393 Award holders from 62 countries (23 NAO countries and 39 IAC countries). An 'Award n numbers' info graphic - including some key highlights from the satisfaction survey and global statistics - will be available in early November.

In the meantime, here are some highlights 

• * 65% of Award holders (and 79% Gold) of Award holders believe they have changed as a person as a result of participating in the Award 
• * 93% said the Award encouraged them to try something new 
• * 90% said the Award has challenged them 
• * 74% said the Award has inspired them 
• * 66% said through participating in the Award, they now feel part of their community 
• * 84% said they intend to continue to regularly volunteer at least once a month vs 48% of those who said they volunteered at least once a month prior to doing their Award

This year, 12 countries have enough (100+) responses to also access country-specific reports.

A Journey of Contemplation

This report has been submitted by Mrs Ambuj Sharma, Headmistress and PRO, Jain International Residential School. The Award participants of JIS undertook a journey to Sikkim and Nathula Pass as part of their Adventurous Journey. She has an interesting story to share on her and her participants’ soulful experience.

As part of an enriching experience, our students visited Sikkim, followed by the Nathula Pass. The trip commenced on 15th July 2018 and concluded on 22nd July 2018. Being a part of the Himalayas, Sikkim is home to glaciers, alpine meadows and countless wildflowers. We commenced our journey from Bangalore to Bagdogra. From Bagdogra, we commenced our climb and reached Rinchingpong, to be welcomed by a cool breeze and the promise of sheer tranquillity. We drove through groves of bamboo towards a rustic farmhouse – the Yangsum Heritage Farm. With the Bhutiya and Lepcha community people who stayed in proximity to the farmhouse, we ate freshly prepared meals, trekked and walked with them, trying to understand their lifestyle, culture and food habits.

We then visited the Pemayangtse Monastery – the oldest sacred Buddhist temple in Sikkim, nestled in a scenic backdrop of snow-capped mountains. Following this, we visited Pelling, a small hamlet where we were welcomed by a breathtaking view of the majestic Kanchenjunga. We interacted with the communities living nearby and relished the authentic Sikkim cuisine, while basking in the intoxicating burble of River Teesta.

Strings of prayer flags fluttered as they were tied along the path leading to the foothills of the Kanchenjunga. We trekked a distance of two kilometers through the thick forest from

Pelling to Geyzini to reach the ruins of Rabdentse - a city believed to be the second capital of the former kingdom of Sikkim. It was then that it dawned on us that our journey was as much about historical sites, culture, farming and ecological balance as it was about developing a strong connect with nature. We also visited the Rinchen Choling Tamu Monastery and gained insights on the Nyingma Order - the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. However, we appreciate the omnipotence of the Indian Army personnel, who were vigilant yet reassuring.

Having completed our exploration, it was time for us to delve into another journey – a journey of contemplation and reflection. With the experience that we gained on our journey, we realised the importance of dealing with life’s challenges with as much vigour as we dealt with the journey’s challenges. It was a journey of exploration; one that led us to the path of self exploration. Click here for more pictures