July 2020
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www.theawardbarbados.com
#AWARDATHOME—GREEN THUMBS AT WORK When the government put the island into full lockdown at the end of March no one was quite sure how long it would last. But, ‘dukers’ got to work, despite initially being unsure of what exactly to do since they would not be able to attend regular training sessions. That spirit of determination familiar to every ‘duker’ meant they found solutions. Growing things was a solution to many problems. For some it was the solution to being bored, others solved the ‘how am I going to continue my Award?’ problem and others solved the ‘I need a new challenge’ problem One such participant is Ché Alexander of the Open Group. Ché and his brother Remario started a container garden at home in May. After a primary school assignment to grow beans, growing fruits and vegetables has been a goal for him. Well, the restrictions over the last few months and the need to work on the Skills section gave him that opportunity and he has really got into it. Recycling all kinds of containers, Ché planted a variety of crops including bok choy (Chinese cabbage), tomatoes and cucumbers. Gold participant Jaaziel Parris is also an avid gardener. While she has been growing things for a while now, she did use the time staying safe at home to take things up a notch. (Cont’d Pg2)
When asked just what she has learned in these last few months, Jaaziel admits, “Plants grow better in pots due to it being in a controlled environment.” But the experience hasn’t only had an impact on Jaaziel the growing garden she says brought family members out to the yard more often and they spend more time together. Both Ché and Jaaziel are proud of their gardens but also know that it’s no easy feat. Ché faced off with pests attacking his crops and Jaaziel has to remember to put out slug bait if she is going to reap any rewards. Ché says, “I learned about the different pests that are attracted to the different plants and they life cycle of plants like bok choy (Chinese cabbage).” If you are like Ché and Jaaziel, growing your green thumb then share your story via email to dofebarbados.ops@gmail.com. We want to hear more about how participants adapted to make Award progress as the pandemic continues to affect regular life.
Pilot test the Vibe Members of the Award family are invited to take part in the pilot testing of a Whatsapp based information and support service for young people. Called ‘Vibe Check’ it is delivered by Prince’s Trust International . The content has been designed by other young Barbadians, to be relevant to local culture and needs. Taking part in the pilot will help to fine tune the structure and content. To participate all you need is access to Whatsapp; it’s completely FREE. If you are at all interested follow the link below to get more information and pre-register. All information will be confidential. https://forms.gle/WTVGmzme4N1c1DJK8 Participants can use this activity to help complete the Skills section. See flyer on Page 3.
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Nominations are now open for the 2020 outstanding volunteer. Click here to nominate your choice. Please note that all nominations must be submitted by Monday 31st August, 2020. https://forms.gle/uuACgHZEw8ery6yq8 This annual recognition is a great way to put the spotlight on the hardworking individuals who are usually in the background of the Award. They make the sacrifice of time and other precious resources to volunteer help the Award programme reach its goals. Nominations can be made by participants, parents, alumni and other volunteers. Let’s share the good news of those who are making great sacrifice to help youth find their purpose passion and place in the world today.
The winner will be announced at the
Annual General Meeting scheduled for Saturday 3rd Oct, 2020. 3
Together apart
The Award’s flexibility is one of its very special characteristics. Award leaders have been stretching that flexibility over the last few months. They set up virtual unit meetings after meeting face to face became unsafe. The online meetings kept participants informed of their options for doing the Award at home. Additionally, they gave leaders the chance to check in with participants to find out how they were coping being stuck at home and share ideas on managing the unimaginable situation of COVID-19. Group activities have been varied: learning knots, first aid training, physical training sessions and updates on the Online Record Book. Leaders also took part in calls with the Award office to share feedback from participants and gather updates on any changes. From the very first call there was a request for them to continue. Leaders will now have a monthly call. The virtual meetings give leaders a way to exchange ideas with each other. See everyone soon! The next leaders call will be on Wednesday 29th July. We commend all our dedicated leaders who have stepped up to continuously support our participants through the waves of change in the last few months. 4
Contact the Award office for more information deiabarbados@gmail.com 5
Meet the world online 18 and older? Completed an Award level? If you answered yes to these two questions, then there is a community out there waiting for you. The Global Award Alumni Network (GAAN) is open for membership. It is set up to and waiting for members. The network is an online community of Award holders from all over the world with opportunities for networking. Head of the Barbados Gold Award holders Association, Jamila Bayne is already part of the network and has high hopes. She says, “The Global Award Alumni Network provides a new and unique opportunity to connect with Alumni across the globe and discover the differences in our Award experiences. I hope that seeing the reach and the impact of the Award will encourage the Alumni to lend support to our active participants. I also expect that the GAAN will spur on new ideas in the Barbados Alumni Association with this new opportunity to learn from others.” Over the course of this year she is also hoping that the local alumni association will be able to jumpstart its fundraising to be able to supply the programme with much needed hiking equipment as participation numbers grow. So if you are like Jamila and want to grow your Award community click here to join the network. If you have any questions send an email to gahabarbados@gmail.com
Sheraton Mall Sargeants Village Christ Church T- 436-8754 F – 436-1630 deiabarbados@gmail.com www.theawardbarbados.com @dofebarbados
/deabarbadosaward 6
