Residential Project! Get It While You Can!

When the Canadian Duke of Ed organization adopts International standards in September, many things will become easier for participants. The Residential Project, though, will become a bit more difficult for some.

The Residential Project is the fifth component that is only required at the Gold level. Because opportunities for this kind of project don’t come along every day, we have always allowed participants to undertake such a project regardless of what level they are currently working on, and apply it to their Gold application.

As of September, though, participants will only be permitted to record a Residential Project while they are working at the Gold level. This means that this summer is a good opportunity to get that component before the standards change.

Here’s one: a conference on beautiful Lake of the Woods, Ontario (not far from Winnipeg) designed to bring Duke of Ed participants together to work on their Awards, develop their leadership skills, and offer input into the Award organization and programming.

Check out the LEAD Conference info here: http://www.dukeofed.org/lead-2013 !

The event is set up to advance your Award program through Service, Skill, Physical Recreation, Adventurous Journey AND Residential Project activities. In addition, you will meet people, have fun, develop your leadership potential, and influence The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award program.

Saskatchewan Division has six allocated slots – apply to our office by the end of December to be considered for this outstanding event. The only cost to you is a $100 deposit (payable after your application is approved), and providing your own transport to and from Winnipeg.

Some late openings have arisen.

Give us a shout if you’re interested: (306) 780-9278; 1-866-781-3853 toll-free; or e-mail saskatchewan@dukeofed.org.

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student 2012

Dancing Through Drudgery

The working life has been described as “the old treadmill” – you show up at your job and put in your time, but you don’t go anywhere.

Life doesn’t have to be that way! Follow your interests, do things you enjoy, and make things better for yourself! That’s what The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is all about.

If you haven’t already seen this viral video of a man making his treadmill run enjoyable, check it out!

Spring – A Good Time To Get Started!

While the school year begins in September and winds down in June, and a lot of youth activities follow the same cycle, May and June are actually excellent times for new Duke of Ed participants to get started.

If you are one who prefers summer camping to winter camping, a Spring start is a great way to complete your Adventurous Journey first. This allows you to complete the other components as your schedule permits – and if you finish them in the dead of winter, you don’t have to wait for the thaw to complete your program.

Many of us pursue different forms of physical recreation in summertime, too. Hours spent biking, running, playing soccer or ball, sailing, kayaking, climbing etc are all good “loggable” hours towards your Award.

And consider this: since school and many other programs wind up in June, you can conceivably begin your Bronze Award in the spring, have it finished by Christmas, and even complete your Silver in time to have your Silver Pin presented at your year-end awards the following spring!

If you are already participating and have friends who want to take the D of E challenge, encourage them start right away – there are definite advantages.

Think Warm Thoughts…

With a bit more cold weather coming our way, it might make you feel better to think of summer, and start planning an Adventurous Journey (not that you can’t do one in winter…).

There’s plenty to think about: where do you want to go? Paddle, sail, hike, bike, or horseback? What will you need to bring? How should you prepare?

If you’re an Independent participant, you’ll want to find other people to go with. They don’t have to be registered participants themselves: they can be family or friends. As long as you meet the Award guidelines, your trip can count.

If you are part of a registered group, now is a good time to suggest a particular trip. It can be exciting to research your route and to start envisioning the experiences you want to have.

Think adventure, think fun, but think safety! Good luck with your planning, we look forward to reading some awesome trip reports this summer.

The Community Youth Challenge Takes The Duke North

In 2012, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (Saskatchewan) signed on to the second year of a three-year pilot project known as the Community Youth Challenge, or CYC.

The project had already been up and running in Alberta, Manitoba, The Northwest Territories, and Nunavut for a year.

CYC is a partnership between the Award and the RCMP. Under this arrangement, the RCMP introduces the D of E program to youth leaders, educators, and young people in rural and remote communities. As a result, we are able to reach more people than ever before. Equally important, we are a step closer to truly making The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award available to everybody.

The RCMP benefits from this partnership too. Activities in a D of E program are consistent with the force’s Community Policing and Crime Prevention strategies. Active lifestyles and a variety of interests add up to well-adjusted young people who can commit to their communities. Everybody wins.

Politics? Yes, Absolutely.

As a leader or a participant, there is no need to shy away from politics as part of a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award program.

Party politics, community politics, or advocating for a particular cause – these activities contribute to healthy public debate and help to guide important decisions. Time spent learning about issues, attending meetings, writing letters, and attending lawful public demonstrations are all legitimate Service activities.

Or you may wish to pursue leadership as your Skill. There’s lots to learn, from research and analysis to public speaking and other communication tactics.

Democracy depends on people sharing a diversity of ideas and perspectives. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award can encourage young people to take an interest and participate in the process.

Is There An Advantage To Skipping The Bronze Level?

As a new participant, you have the option of skipping the Bronze or Silver Awards, and starting at a higher level – Silver or Gold. What, if any, are the advantages of doing this?

We encourage most participants to start at Bronze. It’s a good way to ease yourself into the program, and it offers an earlier payoff than if you went Direct Entry to a higher level.

Remember, the Bronze Award takes at least six months to complete. If you earn your Bronze, the Silver Award takes another six months. So your program, from start to Silver, will take you at least a year.

Direct Entry Silver also takes at least a year. But if you go Direct Entry, those twelve months will all be spent at the more-demanding Silver activity level, instead of spending the first six months at Bronze. Also, if you complete your Bronze Award, you get something that a Direct Entry participant doesn’t get: a Bronze Award. Six months into your program, you can start putting The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award on your resume.

The minimum completion time for a Bronze – Silver – Gold program is two years (six months Bronze, six months Silver, twelve months Gold). In the first year of your program, you can get a feel for the Award, organize your activities, and learn your limits while earning the first two levels of the Award.

And if you want to take longer, you can.

It’s possible to finish your Gold earlier by going Direct Entry, but beware! The requirements for the Gold Award are quite demanding. Very few people complete the Direct Entry Gold standard in the minimum eighteen months.

If you have already turned 23 and want to earn a Silver or Gold Award before your 25^th birthday, Direct Entry offers you a way to do it. For almost everyone else, it’s wise to take advantage of the Award’s progressive nature and start at Bronze.

Stops And Starts? That’s Okay.

The Saskatchewan office is catching up with some participants who turn 25 this year. We want to see if we can help them finish their programs before they lose eligibility on their 25^th birthday.

It’s not uncommon for people to take a break from their D of E activities as their circumstances change. Maybe academic pressures at high school, or the transition to post-secondary education, or beginning a career can put one’s Award program on the back burner. Sometimes life just gets in the way.

If you set your Record Book aside for a time, always remember that your entries don’t expire. You can pick up where you left off, no matter how long the gap. Your activities count towards your Award right up to your 25^th birthday.

Consider this, too: if you need a break from your D of E activities because you are too busy, you’re probably involved in at least something that can help you finish your program. Give it some thought, and make note of the time you spend on a hobby, recreation, or volunteer work. You can always write it in later.

Take a break if you need to, but don’t give up!

Winter Camping: Are You NUTS?!

(photo courtesy canoeski.com)

When we think of Adventurous Journeys, we tend to think of canoe trips, hiking expeditions, bike trips – all summer activities. But for many, there’s no better camping than in wintertime.

A winter camping trip can be a lot of fun, and offers new experiences even to veteran summer campers. It can take more preparation and planning, especially if you’ve never done it before, but most people are surprised at how comfortable they can be outdoors in a Saskatchewan winter.

We are helping to organize a winter expedition for March, and should have some spaces available – watch our Facebook page for news on this. Or, you can contact an outfitter for a packaged winter-camping experience. Tell them The Duke sent you, so they can tweak the trip to suit your Award requirements.

There is a listing of outfitters on our website (http://www.dukeofed.org/sk/outfitters), but it is by no means complete. Look for a tour operator in your area.

Or, you can organize a trip on your own. Be sure to get good advice on winter camping techniques, and bring along an experienced winter camper as part of your group.

Why not take advantage of a beautiful Saskatchewan winter, and try the experience of camping without bugs!