10 June, Prague - Over one hundred and eighty young people have been awarded the gold level of the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award programme this year. Most of them received their awards at a ceremony in the Wallenstein Garden of the Senate of the Czech Republic in Prague. The Gold level of the programme, with the acronym DofE, represents the highest level and achieving it requires perseverance, a commitment to working hard and being of service to your community for a minimum of 18 months. They received the award in the year that DofE celebrates 30 years in the Czech Republic.
The DofE programme is for young people aged 13 to 24. Each participant chooses their own volunteering, physical activity and skills activity that they undertake on a regular basis. A team expedition in the countryside is also an integral part of the programme and, for the gold level, there is also a residential project - a week away from home during which participants engage in a new activity with people they don't know.
"DofE complements formal education across the Czech Republic. It offers young people the opportunity to discover their potential to succeed not only at school, but more importantly in life itself. It leads them to a responsible relationship with themselves and the community in which they grow up," says Gabriela Drastichová, Director of the DofE Czech office.
"The experience gained in delivering the gold level of the programme helps young people in particular in the way they think about themselves in the context of our society. They themselves create opportunities for participation and look for ways to get young people more involved in public life. The DofE experience can also help them to plan their personal goals in life and career," he adds.
Each golden dofák or dofáčka had to spend more than 200 hours on all three activities. "As well as personal growth, the DofE has brought me many new contacts. I have met people who share similar values to mine. I got into an environment where activity, responsibility and the courage to try new things are valued," says DofE golden boy Martin Smažík, who has been geocaching, improving his piano playing and leading his high school's student parliament. "The program helped me improve my communication skills and courage in stepping out of my comfort zone. By regularly writing down the completion of activities, I have strengthened my self-discipline, perseverance and intrinsic motivation. I also gained experience in public speaking, moderating events and discussions with inspiring people," adds Martin Smažík.
Last year, over 8 800 young people took part in the programme across the Czech Republic. They were accompanied by nearly 900 volunteer DofE leaders - teachers, preventers, educators or coaches - at 381 DofE centres.
Martin Smažík joined the DofE under the guidance of Olga Daşkın at the Gymnasium Na Zatlance in Prague. "Our school is very focused on supporting active students and their development, so being part of the DofE is an obvious choice," she explains why the school joined the programme. "It's really nice to work with students who are motivated and who want to work on themselves. It deepens your understanding of the students and, dare I say, your relationship with each other," he adds.
The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award programme was founded by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in 1956 to encourage the self-development of boys and girls regardless of their background, physical ability or skill. The programme was brought to the Czech Republic by golf champion Luisa Abrahams in 1995. Tens of thousands of young people have been involved in the programme over thirty years.
