Award Update South East

The annual South East Regional Conference took place on the 7th and 8th February 2007 at the Courtyard Marriott hotel in Reading.
The first day of the conference allowed the delegates to hear from Lister Baynes on the review of the Wild Country Expedition Panels as well as hearing news from Richard White on the developments with Commercial Access Organisations and the Other Adventurous Projects. Lister delivered the key recommendations of his report to the conference and then took questions from the floor, many of which focused around the quality of the assessment experience and how this varies across the panels and in some cases from assessor to assessor.

Richard updated those present on the process of Other Adventurous Projects and what they actually are. A new form is now available from the Awards website (http://www.theaward.org/participants/index.php?ids=2939&id=1986) he also offered some
reassurances that commercial providers delivering the Expeditions Section of the Award are coming under closer scrutiny and their licence agreements are being reviewed.

Again a lively question and answer session followed. Full details of both of these sessions can be found in the conference report.

Day two saw us joined by 20 extra delegates, despite the snow, and the conference continued with a look at some of the training opportunities currently available from National Governing Bodies. This was followed by various sessions during which delegates worked in groups to discuss the topics ranging from remote supervision to the Aim of a venture. All of which provided some useful feedback for us to take forward.



The end of the conference question panel fell a bit flat but we did get away early!

We would like to thank everyone that took part in the two days and especially Christine Froud for all of her hard work in setting up the whole thing.


On February 19th Dawn and Simon went to visit the South West Regional Office to share ideas and learn how the South West Regional Office worked and how the Award is delivered in the South West.






WRVS have signed up as a National Access Organisation for the Service & Skills Sections of the Award.

Young People who help at WRVS projects can have the opportunity to:
· Work in the Coffee Shops (Service Section)
· Help with ward rounds (Service Section)
· Retail skills in hospital shops (Skills Section)
· Meals on Wheels (Skills or Service Sections) – if helping in the kitchen and gaining Food Hygiene certificate it would be Skills; if helping with actual deliveries etc. it would be Service. (Each young person who gets involved with this will also have a CRB check carried out, as they would potentially go into vulnerable people’s homes).
· Emergency Services Course – ½ day induction course, including trial exercise and wash-up. The WRVS go to major emergency sites and refugee centres, providing catering for the emergency services etc. and this course would show young people how they respond to such emergencies and how they interact with the Local Authority Emergency Planning Department, Fire, Police etc.

The first projects to sign up were:
· Nottingham – Nottingham City Hospital and The Queen’s Medical Centre
· Leicester – Leicester Royal Infirmary and Leicester General Hospital
· Sunderland – Sunderland Royal Hospital
· Hayward’s Heath – Princess Royal Hospital
· Barrow-in-Furness – Furness General Hospital
· Sheffield – Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Adult Recognition Certificates

Please note that The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award has withdrawn the certificate of Adult Recognition and replaced it with:

A Certificate of Special Thanks – only available to Operating Authorities on order from ASL, the current cost of this certificate is 50p. (This certificate is suitable for all adult volunteers).

Or

Ten Year Supporters Certificate- this is available from the Regional Office, please submit details of all work undertaken with dates over the past ten years. (A formal nomination form will be available following further discussion at the May Award Officers Meeting).

Local Award Presentations

So far this year the South East Regional staff have represented the Award at 19 Local Award Presentations around the region, these have seen many hundreds of young people receive their Awards at all levels, as well as numerous adults receiving recognition for their services to the Award locally. Shirley and Simon have both been overwhelmingly impressed with the standard of events and the focus on detail, the range of guest speakers. The presenters’ have ranged from Lord Lieutenants to Atlantic Rowers and has even included a live web link to a former Award participant in New Zealand. Young people from a huge range of backgrounds have received their Awards from Youth Offending Institutes to the biggest Independent Schools, from Regional Athletes to those with profound physical needs. It is these young people that have made each and every event special so our biggest thanks must go to them. We would also like to say a huge thank you to everyone involved in the organisation of these events, we are well aware of the amount of time and effort that goes into the administration of presentations. It is a testament to the dedication and enthusiasm of the local staff and volunteers that so many young people receive their Awards in the region.

Thank you all and many congratulations to everyone, young or old, who has received an Award so far this year.

This year we have had 3 good turnouts at Gold Award Presentations. Our guest presenters who have attended have included, the Lord Lieutenant of Surrey Mrs Sarah Goad, the Deputy Lieutenant of West Sussex Mrs Lillian Holdsworth and the Vice Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight Sir Guy Acland. We would like to say a big thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to congratulate the young people on their Gold Award Achievement.

The Mayor of Windsor and Maidenhead has chosen The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award as one of her charities. As a result The Award in the South East has benefited from £2,400 thanks to the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Community and Business Excellence Awards.

On Thursday 1st March 2007 Shirley Price Award Director for the South East received a cheque for £2,405. The cheque was presented by Cllr Mary-Rose Gliksten Leader of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead and Steve Arundale, Director of Commercial Banking South, The Royal Bank of Scotland (“RBS”).

Shirley has said “We would like to thank the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Community and Business Excellence Awards for their support of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. The money they have raised will enable the charity to continue to benefit many 14-25 year olds in the South East to take part in the Award, where they will be able to gain valuable new skills, enterprise and friendship.”

TRAINING COURSES

So far this year the Regional Office has hosted a wide range of training opportunities and over 60 people have so far attended Train the Trainers and Introduction to the Award Training days.

AWARD TRAINING
The feedback from all that have attended has been very positive and we are delighted at the numbers attending.

We must say thank you to Noel Apps for giving up one of her Saturdays to come along and help deliver one of the Introduction to the Award days, if anyone else is interested in coming along to help, either for more experience or because you have a large contingent from your authority coming please contact Simon in the office.

FIRST AID
Simon recently qualified as a First Aid at Work Instructor and will be offering some first aid courses at very reasonable rates, courses we can deliver include the First Aid at Work (4 day) course, First Aid at Work Refresher (2 day) course, Appointed Persons (1 Day) course and Expedition First Aid (ECP 2 day) Course. If you are interested please contact Simon to discuss your requirements, he is happy to deliver the courses at local venues if you have enough interest.

Continuing on the First Aid theme, we are hoping to become a British Heart Foundation Heartstart Centre in the near future. The idea behind the Heartstart Scheme is to provide people with the basics of emergency life support to deal with an incident in an urban situation. The course is 2 hours long and certificated and available to anyone over 10 years old. Simon will be heading this up but he is looking for a team of instructors to deliver the courses locally, possibly to young people during their Award training. The courses are all free and cannot be delivered for profit, anyone, interested in possibly getting involved please contact Simon.

BEL TUTOR TRAINING
The Region will be holding a Sports Leaders UK BEL Tutor Training day on Saturday 12th May for anyone involved in the delivery of the BEL course. Places are limited so please book quickly.

We will be looking at the Award’s Modular Training Framework to see how we can incorporate it into our training programme over the coming months and any feedback from Operating Authorities would be gratefully received.

If you have any courses you want us to advertise in the newsletter please let Angharad have the details.

Please note that all courses may now be booked online at: http://www.theaward.org/southeast
Once on the website please click onto training and courses and then onto the online booking form.

The Courses

Training the Trainers:
This is a one day course that is specifically designed for Award Officers and those with training responsibilities.

The aim of this course is to explore delivery methods, style and content to facilitate high quality training provision. It will also help to ensure that we are all delivering a similar message about the Award.

Introduction to the Award:
This is for those of you who would like to help deliver the Award, especially if there is a large contingent from your area.

The aim of this course is to give a basic introduction to The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. It is intended for adults with some knowledge and experience of the Award, although adults with no previous experience may be accepted.

BEL Tutor Training:
This course provides those who wish to deliver the Level 2 Award in Basic Expedition Leadership with the information necessary to meet the requirements of Sports Leaders UK. The course is an essential element for all those who wish to act as course directors.

This course is for anyone who is involved in the delivery of Level 2 Award in Basic Expedition Leadership. Those wishing to act as course director must hold the minimum of a Walking Group Leader award.

Appointed Person- One Day First Aid Course:
This is a one day course covering the minimum requirements for First Aid training as recommended by the Health and Safety Executive. The aim of the programme is to assess the priorities of treatment, demonstrate resuscitation procedures and the action to be taken when dealing with First Aid in the work place.

This course is for anyone who has a First Aid responsibility in a small workplace or has an interest in learning the basic principles of First Aid.

First Aid At Work Course:
This course is provided for those who wish to become First Aiders within the workplace. At the end of the course two independent assessors conduct the examination. Successful candidates receive a certificate valid for 3 years from the examination date.

This course is for anyone who has a First Aid responsibility in the workplace, this Award is also valid for many National Governing Body Awards such as the Mountain Leader Award.

Quoted in the latest edition of Award World. An excerpt from HRH The Earl of Wessex’s diary, on what he thought of the Golden Trangia Competition.

“The South East Region held a really well attended event at Fontwell Racecourse which included the final of the Golden Trangia cookery competition. This involved teams of two preparing and cooking a two course meal using the Trangia camping gas stove. Some of the ideas were really very good and I was just thankful that I didn’t have to judge it, especially as chocolate seemed to feature very highly.”

Important Information For Operating Authorities

License Fees 2007/2008
The cost to the delivery of The Award continue to rise and whilst The Award has made savings and economies in many areas, the licence fee will by increased by 4% for the year commencing 1st April 2007. In addition we have also been informed by our tax advisors that the licence fee should be subject to VAT. This is due to the licencing of an Operating Authority represents a commercial transaction. Therefore, this year you will receive an invoice rather than a request for payment. The invoices will be raised through our trading subsidiary, The Award Scheme Ltd.

License Reviews
The format of licence reviews will be the same as previously used in past years. Priority will be given to those who wish to have their reviews at a specific time to work with OFSTED/JAR.
Licence reviews will start taking place this summer.

Mid Wales Country Panel
Please note that the new version of the Mid Wales Country Panel website is now up and running at www.midwalespanel.co.uk.

Other Adventurous Projects
Please note that the updated guidance notes and application form for OAP’s can now be found online.

Statistics For 2006/2007
Please note that you should have all received the 2006/2007 Annual questionnaire. Please return to the South East Office by the 1st May 2007. An electronic copy is available on request.

List of Operating Units
Please note we will be asking for a list of your local Award Groups. To be returned with your statistics for the 1st May.

Independent Schools Conference
Currently the Independent Schools Conference is scheduled for the week beginning 5th November 2007. Further details will be released shortly. In the meantime if you have any items that you wish to be discussed please contact Simon at the South East Office.

Please note that the updated guidance notes and application form for OAP’s can now be found online.

General Information

Activenture Volunteering Opportunities

During 2007 Activenture are running 13 residential opportunities. For more information please visit the website: www.londonyouth.org.uk/activenture
Or contact Les Pond by phone or email.
Tel: 01342 828218
Mob: 07917 506871
Email: les@hindleap.com

South East Trip to London

On the 30th January 2007 the South East Office had a day trip to the London Office, followed by a dusk outing on the London Eye.

This provided an ideal opportunity for finding out new ideas and how the London Region works differently to the South East. It was a very informative and helpful day.

Thank you Heather

After 5½ years as part time South East Region D of E/MV co-ordinator we have to thank Heather Coghlan for all her help and support in running D of E/MV in the South East. During this time 1956 young people registered with MV 798 of whom gained the 100 hour award and 527 young people gained the 200 hour award.

Farewell from Macdonald Baron

Dear All

It is with regret that I am announcing my departure from Slough Borough Council. I have been with the Youth Service for nearly 7 years and therefore I will miss working here very much.

I am leaving for a variety of reasons both personal and professional.

I officially finish on the Friday 23rd February. As yet I don't know where I will go. The world is my oyster! Wherever I go, be assured that I will volunteer for a local D of E group, after all I don't want to waste my BELA.

My thanks go to you all for the support over the years. I particularly want to thank the Berkshires, as we have always worked as a team and also to Roger in Brighton and Hove who helped us to deliver our first Gold expedition in 2003.

Finally to all at the South East office who have been so
helpful over the years.

I'll miss you all.

Macdonald Baron