19 October, 2020
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme
It's always great when one of our valued colleagues gets recognition from outside the YST.
Recently, during a teaching assessment Ixion colleague, Iain Branch, was surprised to find out the extent of the work undertaken by our Activities Team leader, Tim Oliver.
Iain commented:
What Shaw Trust does fills me with pride that I am involved with an organisation that is achieving such outstanding results. What Tim and the team are doing is brilliant, it is off the scale.”
Tim works as part of the Activities team supporting young people to engage with YST’s services through physical activities, including Duke of Edinburgh awards. Thoroughly engaged in his work, Tim takes young people to enjoy the mental health benefits of being outdoors, and away from some of the damaging aspects of social media. In doing so Tim encourages the young people to focus on their achievements.
Iain commented further:
What is admirable is Tim’s insistence on promoting a positive mental attitude, he is constantly banging the message out, constantly looking at how he can engage with young people.”
The Activities team has recently seen an increase in take-up of Duke of Edinburgh awards and completion, including the prestigious Gold Award. Throughout lockdown there have continued to be young people enrolling and each full completion is a considerable achievement by the individual young people involved, demonstrating commitment, motivation and resilience.
During the first quarter of lockdown there were 231 young people undertaking their Duke of Edinburgh awards from schools and colleges across Gloucestershire. However, the largest group of young people enrolled are those supported by YST, the partnership we deliver on behalf of Gloucestershire County Council. This includes independent young people and home-schooling groups as well as targeted youth support provided to the majority of SEND and Alternative Provision schools in the county.
To find out more about our work on the Duke of Edinburgh provision contact tim.oliver@prospects.co.uk