Duke of Edinburgh International Award Barbados Welcomes First Cohort of Youths with Disabilities, Funded by Maria Holder Memorial Trust

The Duke of Edinburgh International Award (DEIA) Barbados in collaboration with The Deaf Heart Project (DHP) has welcomed its first cohort of youth with disabilities, funded by The Maria Holder Memorial Trust.

The first participants of the programme are all students of the Irving Wilson School with varying abilities, including deaf and autistic students. Participants have been actively engaged since the official start of the programme in September 2023 in pursuit of the prestigious DEIA Bronze Award.

Project Manager of The Maria Holder Memorial Trust, Modupe Sodeyi-Boadu, shared “The Maria Holder Memorial Trust is proud to be able to support The Duke of Edinburgh International Award in this very impactful journey. We welcome the collaboration with The Deaf Heart Project as this project aligns with our strategic goal to assist with education and training particularly for children and youth in disadvantaged and vulnerable situations.

“The students of the Irving Wilson School form a part of this marginalised target group. These initiatives not only afford the opportunity for them to develop and strengthen important life skills that are transferable to living independently after they leave the school, but also provide equal opportunities to succeed in life.”

The Award Programme is an established global framework for non-formal education and experiential learning, equipping young people with transferable life skills by challenging and guiding them into developing capabilities, attitudes and values that build their capacity in navigating the world.

The Programme runs for a minimum of six months and requires all participants to complete a number of hours in four mandatory sections involving a recreational activity, learning or improving on a new skill, offering voluntary service to their community, and taking part in an adventurous journey. The Award has a notable history of helping young people to find their purpose and passion, having been operating in Barbados since 1963.

Operations Manager of the DEIA Barbados, Fabian Norville, expressed excitement at having the Award being delivered to this vulnerable group in Barbados for the first time in its 60-year history.

“This project has shown that the young people of the Irving Wilson School, regardless of their challenges, are able to dream big, learn new skills, and make an impact on their communities. We at The Award in Barbados are pleased with the efforts of our volunteers, partners, and especially our participants, and look forward to their continued development as we equip them as individuals to succeed in life,” Norville said.

Since commencement, students have begun their Skills Section by learning to swim with the Sea Eagles Academy under Coach Roydon Blades at The Aquatic Centre, and take part in weekly sessions aimed at life skills such as tent pitching, grooming and self care, cooking and meal prep, among others. Students have also commenced their Voluntary Section by planting over 40 trees along the Barbados Trailway, assisting with Christmas tree decorating with the Royal Commonwealth Society, and giving back this holiday season by serving with the Salvation Army in packing Christmas hampers for families in need.

Teachers at the Irving Wilson School, Juna Wiltshire and Cindy Brown, who assist in facilitating the programme, reported, “our students have embraced the programme and have been working diligently to achieve their Bronze Award. The swimming programme has been the highlight of the school term and they have been extremely eager and excited to participate weekly. Students have faced and overcome their fears. This is a great experience for them as it assists in developing the skills learned at school and applying these skills in real life settings.”

Founder and Chairman of The Deaf Heart Project, Ché Greenidge, feels an immense sense of pride about the participants’ achievements.

“It was vital for us to design the most accessible and inclusive programme that best supports the needs of our participants. There was no way we were leaving any student behind. We witness the participants build on each other’s strengths and flourish through diversity. As a society, we must move beyond discussing inclusivity, and progress towards embedding inclusion as a national standard into all of our frameworks. I am very pleased with the outcomes of the programme. The students deserve this opportunity.”

The Duke of Edinburgh International Award Barbados and The Deaf Heart Project have partnered in this initiative through their DEIA-DHP Inclusion Programme for the benefit of all members of the community of persons with disabilities between the ages of 14-24 years. Participants will continue their activities towards achieving their Duke of Edinburgh International Award at the start of Term 2 of the academic school year.

(PR)