William Pike partners with Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award

14th October 2014

William Pike Challenge Award partners with The Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award (DofEHA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with another outstanding outdoor education programme catering for younger Kiwi kids – the William Pike Challenge Award (WPCA).

The WPCA and DofEHA offer students experiences through outdoor activities, personal development and community service.

The DofEHA is part of a worldwide network which provides 14 - 25 year olds with a balanced, non-competitive framework for individual challenge.

The WPCA provides 11 - 13 year-old children with a gateway to new experiences, opportunities and a means of developing a positive youth culture for the nation – the perfect lead-in to the iconic DofEHA.

The WPCA is fronted by William Pike who was one of two young climbers caught in a volcanic eruption on the slopes of Mount Ruapehu in 2007. William had his right leg amputated as a result of injuries but has used his life experiences and passion for the outdoors to develop the WPCA to ensure the next generation of Kiwi kids can learn how to overcome challenges and to develop new skills. William is a sought-after inspirational speaker and an accessible role model to New Zealand youth.

“I feel honoured that the New Zealand Trustees of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award are aligning the WPCA alongside the DofEHA, an internationally recognised youth development programme that has been around for more than 50 years,” says WPCA director William Pike.

“The WPCA provides students who are at a formative and vulnerable stage of their lives with a direction and focus. By linking with the DofEHA, there is now a progression of learning where students can continue to have new experiences and develop life skills that will take them into adulthood,” adds WPCA director William Pike.

Both the DofEHA and WPCA are aiming to develop students who are confident, proud, well-rounded, and can draw upon life skills and experiences in the future. By participating in the DofEHA and the WPCA, students are taught to overcome, embrace, and manage challenges in their everyday lives.

“We are often asked by parents of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award participants if there is any way younger siblings can engage with us and it’s great to be able to direct them towards a programme that can deliver likeminded outcomes and act as a primer for our Award. We are very happy to be able to build upon the excellent work that William has started, when his participants reach 14 years old. The longer a young person is engaged with a viable youth programme, the better the outcomes and now a young person in New Zealand can stay involved with our two organisations for at least 3 years.” says Andy Woodhouse, Training and Development Director of the DofEHA.

The DofEHA has been operating in New Zealand for over 50 years, with a presence in 237 Colleges across New Zealand. The WPCA has grown rapidly from one school participating in the programme in 2011 to an anticipated 50 schools by 2015.

High decile to low decile, the far north to the far south, from big to small – any school can participate in both the DofEHA and WPCA.

The WPCA is in high demand for 2015 and any school interested can register online at www.williampike.co.nz

Students aged 14 – 25 years old can visit www.dofehillary.org.nz for more information about participating in The Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award.

Fact Sheet
The WPCA is fronted by William Pike, a well-known Kiwi, sought-after inspirational speaker and an accessible role model to NZ youth. William knows firsthand the value of being prepared for facing obstacles. He was one of two young climbers caught in a volcanic eruption on the slopes of Mount Ruapehu, on the evening of 25 September 2007. William suffered numerous life threatening injuries, and as a result, his right leg was amputated below the knee, needing extensive recovery and rehabilitation. The WPCA see William’s life experiences and passion for the outdoors passed onto the next generation of kiwi kids.

The WPCA is run over one school year with each student participating in; 8 outdoor activities - all of which are tailor-made to fit each school’s needs and resources. In addition to outdoor activities, students are required to participate in 20 hours of community service that directly benefits their local community. The development of a new sport or hobby during the school year is also a requirement for each student participating in the WPCA.

The WPCA offers students the opportunity to participate in a diverse range of activities, engage with others and experience new places that can result in the following outcomes;

• The establishment of positive connections across home, school, peer and community life.
• Provide students with a focus and direction while in a formative stage of their lives.
• Empower students to overcome, embrace, and manage challenges in their everyday lives.
• Produce students who are confident, proud, well-rounded, and can draw upon life skills and experiences in the future.
• Teach students basic hazard identification and survival skills in a range of different outdoor environments.
• Provide opportunities for students to engage in an active and healthy lifestyle.
• Provide students with an opportunity to interact with local places and local communities.

“Overcoming challenges, embracing challenges, showing sheer grit, determination and strength, are a few characteristics that are oftentimes required in the outdoors. The best part about students discovering these characteristics through the outdoors is that these life skills are transferable and re-usable in every day life, for the rest of their lives.” says William Pike, director of the WPCA.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award

Mission Statement
The mission of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award in New Zealand is to have young people, regardless of cultural, ethnic and socio-economic background, participating in an exciting, flexible and individually tailored programme, to build skills, identity and self-esteem.

Introduction:
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award is part of the International family of The Duke of Edinburgh's Award currently operating in over 140 countries around the world. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award has been a National Programme in New Zealand since 1963 and it is now creating a new identity within New Zealand under the title ‘The Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award’.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award is a voluntary, non-competitive framework of practical, cultural and adventurous activities, designed to support the personal and social development of young people aged 14-25, regardless of gender, background or ability. It offers an individual challenge and encourages young people to undertake exciting, constructive, challenging and enjoyable activities in their free time.

Participants follow their chosen activities, largely in their own time, with guidance from someone knowledgeable in each subject. Once the requirements for each Section are fulfilled the Participant qualifies for an Award.

The essence of The Award is that it is ‘a challenge to the individual’ and not simply another competition in life where one person’s success is another person’s comparative failure.

It is the process of participation in The Award, rather than the end achievement of the Award, that leads to personal development and new, well-earned self-confidence.

Above all, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award should be enjoyable for both Award Leaders and Participants. Only in that way will they benefit fully from the experience and continue to develop newfound talents and abilities.

The Key Principles

It is essential for everyone involved in The Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award, whether as a Participant or an adult volunteer, to share a common understanding of the principles that underpin all aspects of the Award’s delivery:

Non-competitive
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award is personal and not a competition against other individuals. The only set standards are those necessary to ensure a consistent challenge and the safety of Participants. The Award should reflect the abilities and interests of individual participants, therefore no two programmes should be identical.

Available to All
There is one challenge that is available to young people who wish to take it up, with no discrimination on grounds of gender, cultural background, religion or political affiliation. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award is successfully completed through individual improvement and achievement, which means that disadvantaged, disaffected and at risk young people and those with disabilities are able to benefit from involvement in its Award.

Voluntary
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award is run by volunteers for volunteers. Every young person makes a free choice to enter the Award and must commit personal time to complete the activities, with the support of a huge network of volunteers.

Flexible
The Award is based on personal choice, can be geared to local facilities and should be designed for the individuals taking part. Providing the basic age requirements are met, young people may take as long as they wish to complete their Award and may enter for whichever level best suits them.

Progressive
Through its three levels, the Award demands more time and an increased degree of commitment and improvement. Young people should also take an increasing role in organising their programme. Younger Participants entering the Award at Bronze will perhaps need strong support from Leaders, while older Participants should be given more independence and increasing responsibility for organising their own Award programme.

Achievement Focused
The Record Book notes positive achievement and improvement, and profiles achievement across a broad range of activities. If a Participant does not complete the conditions at one time, the opportunity exists to try again.

Enjoyable
Above all, it is important that both young people and the Award Leaders find participation enjoyable, exciting and satisfying. The intention is that Participants should pursue Award activities in their future lives and not be discouraged from ever trying them again.

What is involved?

Each participant at each level must undertake the four Sections as follows:

Community Service Section
The aim is to learn to give useful service to others.

This section is based on the belief that members of a community have a responsibility to each other and that voluntary help is needed to create a happy and caring community.

Adventurous Journey Section
The aim is to encourage a spirit of adventure and discovery.

The Adventurous Journey Section presents an exciting challenge to Award participants to undertake a venture with a specific purpose in an unfamiliar environment. Organising, planning, training for and completing the qualifying venture requires teamwork, self-reliance, determination and co-operation.

Skills Section
The aim is to encourage the development of personal interests and practical skills.

The objective of this section is to stimulate young people to take up and persevere at purposeful pursuits within a wide range of practical, cultural and social activities.

Physical Recreation Section
The aim is to encourage participation in physical recreation and the improvement of personal performance.

Participation in physical recreation has been included in the Award programme for three main reasons. It is believed that:
• Involvement in some form of physical activity is essential for physical well-being.
• A lasting sense of achievement and satisfaction is derived from meeting a physical challenge.
• Once introduced to enjoyable physical recreation, there is a reasonable likelihood that individuals will continue their involvement, leading to a lifelong interest.

At Gold level there is an additional requirement:

Residential Project
The aim is to broaden experience through involvement with others in a residential setting.

Through the experience of living and working with others who are not their normal everyday companions, young people will develop maturity and a sense of responsibility.

ENDS

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