2019 ANNUAL REPORT Welcome to the Duke of Edinburgh’S COMMUNITY International Award, BC and Yukon Division SERVICE 2019 Annual Report
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2019 ANNUAL REPORT Welcome to the Duke of Edinburgh’s COMMUNITY International Award, BC and Yukon Division SERVICE 2019 Annual report The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award is the world’s leading youth SKILLS empowerment framework. The Award is available to young people from 14 to DEVELOPMENT 24 years old, regardless of their background, circumstances or abilities. The Award was established by the Duke of Edinburgh 60 years ago. Today, the Award is an entirely charitably funded initiative. It is supported by donations PHYSICAL from caring individuals, foundations, corporations and other organizations RECREATION dedicated to youth development. For participants, pursuing the Award is a personal challenge rather than a competition against others. The Award provides young people with ADVENTUROUS opportunities to challenge themselves by setting and achieving goals in JOURNEY three levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold. There are four sections of activities for all Award levels, plus a Gold Project to complete the Gold Award. GOLD PROJECT THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S INTERNATIONAL AWARD • BC AND YUKON DIVISION • 2019 ANNUAL REPORT 03 A message from our President and Executive Director It has been a monumental year for the BC and Yukon Division. Nearly 2,000 The heart of any great organization lies with its people. We are very young people registered to participate in the Award. In addition to the appreciative of our team of dedicated and passionate staff at the onboarding of new participants, our division has supported hundreds of Award division office who have put forth a tremendous effort in propelling the Leaders, building their capacity and certifying them in standardized Award organization forward with many new launches, transitions and projects JA Pankiw-Petty training, to further expand our reach and impact with youth in the region. this past year. Caley Hartney President Executive Director With the exciting launch of our digital platform in 2019, the Online Record Book To our supporters and donors, thank you. It is through your generosity now replaces the hard copy Record Book and gives young people and their that the Award continues to play a significant Award Leaders significantly improved access and tracking as they progress role in the development of young through the Award. Participants can track their achievements via their mobile people. With your support, We hope reading devices, making it easier than ever before to continue to the next level of their young Canadians from all about and meeting our Award and push themselves to be the best they can be. backgrounds are able to Award participants and Award Throughout this Annual Report, we highlight inspiring stories of achievement participate in the Award and develop lifelong skills holders will inspire you to agree from some of our extraordinary Award participants in 2019. We are grateful with us when we say, “Our to our volunteers and Award Leaders for joining us in their transition to and values that will lead future is bright.” new training and digital platforms, enabling us to bring the life-changing them to become outstanding opportunity of the Award to so many young people in BC and Yukon. members of society. 04 THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S INTERNATIONAL AWARD • BC AND YUKON DIVISION • 2019 ANNUAL REPORT THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S INTERNATIONAL AWARD • BC AND YUKON DIVISION • 2019 ANNUAL REPORT 05 Greetings from our Patrons Thank you Award Leaders for going above and beyond As patron of the BC and Yukon Division of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Throughout BC and Yukon, the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award is advocated and administered International Award, I am delighted to support the young leaders of by extraordinary mentors – our Award Leaders. We graciously extend our sincerest gratitude to these today and tomorrow. As Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, my remarkable individuals for the invaluable support they provide our youth participants. This past key themes include supporting our democracy and civic engagement, year, the effort demonstrated by Award Leaders rose to new heights as we trained together online The Honourable as well as equality, diversity and inclusion. I see these values reflected and in-person to learn the International Online Record Book (ORB) platform. We know the resulting Janet Austin, OBC in the Duke of Ed Award, encouraging all kinds of young British learning curve was steep, and we deeply appreciate our Leaders’ dedication. It was impressive to see Lieutenant Governor Columbians to contribute to a stronger, more equal society, and Leaders embrace this important change and improve with weekly practice, advancing their ORB skills of British Columbia motivating them to enact positive change in their own lives and the in leaps and bounds along the way. As a result of ORB uptake, leader engagement and monitoring of lives of others. participant logs has risen. Among the benefits, participants are sure to pursue ‘pre-approved’ activities and make the most of their efforts. Similarly, Leaders can help keep participants on track with greater efficiency. Further, because Leaders embraced this new platform and its related app, we now see even more excitement among youth in their logging and reporting than ever before. We salute our Leaders for helping ensure ORB’s launch and ongoing success, and look forward to their continuing support I feel fortunate to be a patron of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International in helping our program evolve and grow. Award, BC and Yukon Division. Not all learning happens in the classroom, and this program is an excellent way for youth to Thank you for mentoring our future supplement their education and discover their own potential. I am leaders and for sharing the The Honourable Angélique Bernard, OY excited to see the wonderful achievements our region’s youth will Duke of Ed experience with our Commissioner of Yukon have this year. large and wonderful community. 06 THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S INTERNATIONAL AWARD • BC AND YUKON DIVISION • 2019 ANNUAL REPORT New Award units in 2019: “The introduction of the 2019 Highlights Online Record Book for the organization and for our division means we now have the opportunity to better understand the interests, skills LAUNCH AND DELIVERY OF THE INTERNATIONAL PLATFORM FOR 29 and achievements of our Award participants. Data and LEADERS AND YOUTH – THE ONLINE RECORD BOOK, 2019 information are now just a click away, and ORB keeps New Leaders in 2019: The year 2019 presented one of the organization’s largest undertakings for Leader training us on track to see how close we are to our goals and globally and within the history of our division – the Online Record Book (ORB). The international what we can do to improve in our work.” use of paper record books ended, and record book logging began online. BC and Yukon was – Caley Hartney, Executive Director tasked with training all Leaders to transition to a website platform where they now monitor and approve youth activities. 56 The implementation of this new digital platform took three months during fall 2019. These efforts included the development of learning materials and the conducting of over 12 presentations, Total number of Leaders delivered by our team as live courses throughout the Lower Mainland and on Vancouver Island, trained and active: and through 19 webinar presentations. These training sessions helped Leaders navigate participants’ Award activities, registration, approval of activities and review of final Award Submissions. The ORB Leader Training was a true success story for our division, training over 152 Award 169 Leaders representing all Award Unit types: Scouts, Cadets, Guides, public schools, independent schools and community centres. As an organization, our feedback showed that 100% of those Total active Award units: trained felt that the presentation and materials provided were practical and helpful. Looking ahead, ongoing ORB training and Leader development will continue into 2020 as youth progress through their Award and utilize the platform. 161 08 THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S INTERNATIONAL AWARD • BC AND YUKON DIVISION • 2019 ANNUAL REPORT SILENT AUCTION SILVER CEREMONY 2019 marked Duke of Ed BC and Yukon’s May 2019 saw a Silver Ceremony at Victoria’s beautiful Government House. This ceremony recognized and first online silent auction. This inaugural celebrated Leaders and Silver Award Achievers. The Honourable Janet Austin, Lieutenant Governor of British fundraiser was a big success; supporters Columbia, presided over the ceremony and gave out Awards. donated generously to the total amount of $3,647 and took home excellent prizes. Below: Silver Award Achievers photographed with The Honourale Janet Austin, OBC, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, The Honourable Angélique Bernard, OY, Commissioner of Yukon, and JA Pankiw-Petty, President of the Duke Silent Auction items were generously of Edinburgh’s International Award BC and Yukon donated by: • Armoury Museum • Bard on the Beach • BC Ferries • Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia • Choices Markets • Dan Pontefract • Earnest Ice Cream • Indigo Books • Kidsbooks • Metrotown Mall VANCOUVER • NHL Hockey Treasures • Pinnacle Harbourfront Hotel Vancouver SUN RUN • Silk Road Tea • TELUS Communications Inc. The Vancouver Sun Run is Canada’s largest 10K road race and draws • The Old Spaghetti Factory Canada Ltd. thousands of participants each year. In 2019, The Duke of Ed BC • Tina Zhang and Yukon was selected as one of the charity partners for the event.