Challenged to care for nature
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award is the New Zealand branch of the world’s leading youth development award, which currently involves more than 1.3 million young people in more than 130 countries.
And now a new focus has been launched, giving young New Zealanders the opportunity to achieve the award, at bronze, silver or gold level, via a new environmental and sustainability component.
The Ka¯ka¯riki Journey offers the chance of involvement in activities ranging from beach clean-ups and trapping predators to learning to keep bees, upcycling and much more.
The award comprises four elements — voluntary service, skills, physical recreation and adventurous journey — all of which must be completed, but the Ka¯ka¯riki Journey requires that the voluntary service and skills components have an environmental focus.
National director Karen Ross said the initiative had come about after participants were asked what they really cared about. Climate change and protecting the environment had topped the list.
“Last September saw more than 100,000 young New Zealanders take to the streets to march for climate change. The addition of a climate change curriculum for Year 7-10 students this year shows the importance of educating future generations in this area,” Ms Ross said.
“We already have many participants focusing on the environment — Gold Award participant So¯rcha Carr helped plan the School Strike for Climate for her Award Voluntary Servicebut the Ka¯ka¯riki Journey will formally recognise young New Zealanders’ efforts in the environmental field.
“Now, more than ever before, it’s crucial that we care for our planet. Evidence of nature in crisis is all around us. Through offering the Ka¯ka¯riki Journey, our aim is to equip all young New Zealanders with the skills and experience to play an important role in protecting A¯ otearoa.”
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Founded by HRH Prince Phillip in 1956, the award has been operating in New Zealand since 1963, with the aim of equipping all young New Zealanders with the confidence, problem-solving skills and resilience.