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The Duke Of Edinburgh?s Award Seeks Further Funding To Secure Its Future For The Next 50 Years |
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With over 3.5 million young people having participated in the Award since 1956 , The Duke of Edinburgh?s Award needs further support to enable it to continue in its aim to broaden and extend its reach to more young people in the many diverse communities within the UK.
The Award, which relies on donations to survive, is openly available to anyone between the ages of 14 and 25 of any background and ethnicity. It is offered through schools, colleges, businesses, voluntary organisations, youth clubs and young offender?s institutes. Over 145,000 young people took part in the Award last year and the participation by ethnic minorities increased by a huge 35%!
With ?A? levels becoming so controversial and a rise in the number of students applying to University, there is no better time to partake in extra curricular activities. Not only does The Duke of Edinburgh?s Award look great on applications and CVs? it actively builds on leadership skills and life qualities not taught in the classrooms. For investors looking to strengthen the potential opportunities available for future generations there is no better programme to support.
Sir Anwar Pervez, Chairman of Bestway Group and a current supporter of the Award said: "The Award has always had a natural appeal to the Bestway Foundation and we have now been involved with it for over fifteen years. In that time we have donated over ?200,000 - which is something that we have been proud to achieve. In my own life, I have always tried to do the very best in everything I do. One of the important benefits of the Award is that it encourages and stimulates personal development in young people, an essential element if the world is to grow and develop to be a better place for the greater benefit of everyone.?
Donors to the Award can feel proud that through their support they are helping to build a better future for the generations to come.
In a recent survey undertaken by the United Learning Trust in association with Ratcliffe Hall Ltd, which focused on the methods major employers use for selection of new employees, 64% of the respondents indicated that a specifically designed and packaged course of ?life skills? development activities, pursued by an applicant, might make a positive difference in selecting the applicant for interview. The Duke of Edinburgh?s Award was considered to be the most important activity that could be undertaken, and was rated more highly than Work Experience, Young Enterprise, Community Activities and being a school prefect. These results prove that when looking for prospective employees it?s the extra curricular activities such as The Duke of Edinburgh?s Award that really benefit the candidates and really clinch the deal. The Award is undoubtedly in a league of its own.
Ashok Rabheru, Trustee of The Duke of Edinburgh?s Award said: ?Since 1956 young people who have participated in the Award have been able to develop a broad range of experiences and personal qualities such as teamwork, leadership and self confidence, which are vital attributes to have in today?s highly competitive society. During the next 50 years our aim is that all young people should be given the opportunity to participate in the Award and reap the benefits from their involvement.?
One aim of the Awards 50th Anniversary celebrations is to raise money to secure the future of the Award and enable the charity to continue to expand over the next 50 years. A Jubilee Fund has been established and aims to raise ?5 million by 2006 with a target of ?10 million by 2009.
For information about becoming a supporter of The Duke of Edinburgh?s Award contact Margaret Hopper on 020 7222 4111
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