The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award is a non-competitive self-development program that aims to teach young people the values of discipline, patience and work while building valuable future skills, and most importantly, socialising and having heaps of fun!

It is formed of four main parts; a series of adventurous journeys as well as training, learning a new skill, service to the local community and participation in physical recreation. One of the main benefits of the award is independence, as while participants are assisted, they are expected to organise opportunities to complete each part of their award individually.

A keen group of Year 9 students started their Bronze Award in Term 3. They have been asking questions of the 2019 Bronze Award participants and learning about how best to plan their activities and find a suitable assessor that will mentor them through their personal growth. Selecting the right activity for each section is important due to the long-term nature of the Award, which fosters the Marist pillars of Presence, Family Spirit and Love of Work.

They have taken the time to set personal goals for themselves in the fields of skill, service and physical recreation.

There are numerous opportunities within Parramatta Marist to complete each of their sections. Students in Year 9 are doing various skill-building activities such as coding with Mr Drake, music with Ms Carrall and art with Ms Mari. For physical recreation, students are participating in the Thursday morning 440 Run, as well as running and cycling at home. Participants have been utilising mobile apps to collect evidence on their progress and having meaningful conversations with PDHPE staff about physical and mental health. For their service, many students have chosen to assist during Tuesday and Thursday homework help, Code Club or STEM Club.

The Year 9s have been learning about and applying SMART goals, which guide progress through each activity, help to build planning skills and foster a growth mindset. We wish the participants luck as they commence their Bronze Award in 2020 and hope that they have a happy and safe break.

Brendan Pospischil
Silver Award Participant