Cornerstone has a direct license with the Duke of Edinburgh award which allows the people we support, aged 16-25, to have the chance of achieving bronze, silver and gold awards.

The Duke of Edinburgh award allows young people to develop new skills, set personal challenges and develop confidence and this year our North Lanarkshire Community Support branch were delighted to welcome colleagues Zach and Chris to the Duke of Edinburgh team, to help the people we support achieve their award. There are three parts to the award; volunteering, physical and skill. All three must be completed to achieve an award.

For the bronze award last year, our young people were given the extra challenge of having to complete the award in lockdown. They of course managed this brilliantly. The physical part of the award was adapted from a more social event to be weekly hour-long walks during lockdown which they worked hard to complete.

The skills sections allowed the young people to showcase their wide range of talents. There were submissions of everything from knitting to baking and they all were able to prove expertise and a broad understanding of their chosen skill.

The expedition was the final section of the award and one of the most enjoyable parts. In September’21 they travelled to Wiston Lodge, a beautiful old Victorian hunting lodge in the countryside. 

Our Duke of Edinburgh participants enjoyed a day of camping and the outdoors, alongside other young people we support through the Scottish Youth Link fund.

As a group they all learned about the nature around them and were shown how to build a campfire using twigs and thistles. Then they had the opportunity to make and cook their very own pizza. 

And of course, no campfire would be complete without roasting some marshmallows on a stick!

It was a really incredible day that gave the young people we support the opportunity to learn and explore nature and the countryside.

A massive well done to everyone who completed their Duke of Edinburgh Award. And a huge thank you to Scottish Youth Link for making this possible.

If you would like to read more stories from the people we support you can click here.