Duke of Edinburgh Award Information Evening

Information for parents and students on the Duke of Edinburgh Awards to be introduced to Waverley College in 2017

Location

Performing Arts Centre, Birrell Street, Waverley

From 2017, Waverley College Year 9-12 students will have the opportunity to take part in the Duke of Edinburgh Award in addition to their co-curricular sports and activities.

The Award is a leading structured youth development program, empowering all young Australians to explore their full potential.

In attendance will be Glen Byrne, Project Manager from the Duke of Edinburgh Award as well as our two internal Duke of Edinburgh Conveners, Nicholas Brophy and Gemma Brown.

Each Waverley College student who takes part in the Award learns a skill, improves their physical well being, volunteers in their community and experiences a team adventure in a new environment. Our Duke of Edinburgh staff at the College includes Mr Nicholas Brophy and Ms Gemma Brown and they will support all participants.

The key elements of our program are:

• Open to all students from Years 9-12.
• Complements but not exclusive to students undertaking Cadets
• Three levels: Bronze, Silver, and Gold, each progressively more challenging.
• Four Sections: Physical Recreation, Skill, Service, Adventurous Journey plus Residential Project (Gold Level only).
• Achieving an Award recognises individual goal setting and self-improvement through persistence and achievement.

Through this challenging journey of self-discovery, students:

• Are equipped and empowered to achieve their personal best;
• Learn to take responsibility for their goals and choices;
• Become connected to and actively engaged within their immediate community;
• Make a real difference to society through their positive contributions and involvement;
• Learn to persevere and overcome barriers to success;
• Learn important life skills; and
• Increase their career opportunities.

Today more than 140 countries have adopted The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award program with over 8 million young people having participated worldwide.  Locally over 700,000 young people have completed the Award in Australia in the past 57 years, with on average 40,000 very diverse participants annually working towards achieving an Award.

In Sydney, the Award it is recognised by certain universities but does not change the actual ATAR

UNSW for example, offers bonus ATAR points under their Elite Athletes and Performers Program (EAP).