By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
A NARRE Warren and Berwick teenager are among just 75 young Victorians who will be awarded the Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award this weekend.
Narre Warren’s Susan Zhang, 19, who has only been living in Australia for the last three years, will on Saturday be recognised with one of the world’s premier awards for young students.
The choice to complete the Duke of Edinburgh, which was established in 1963, is entirely voluntary, with each participant choosing what activities they want to take part in for each section.
Susan said her Duke of Edinburgh experience gave her the opportunity to improve her English and overcome the language barrier that became commonplace when moving to a new country.
“My trip to Thailand for the residential project is one of the most amazing journeys that I have ever experienced,” she said.
“I travelled there alone to spend my time with local people and work as a teaching assistant in a village school.”
Seventeen-year-old Abigail Rowe, from Berwick, said embarking on the award gave her a lot of “positive energy”.
“At the end of every camp, I felt so proud of myself,” she said.
“This award truly allowed me to see how lucky I am.”
A survey of the 2015 Gold Awardees conducted by The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Victoria revealed that 87 per cent found the award gave them confidence to pursue their career goals, while 94 per cent said their chances of employability had increased.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Victoria CEO Anoushka Gungadin said the award provided “real world” knowledge and essential life skills.
“We are very proud of our Gold Awardees,” she said.
“They have all worked extremely hard for this award, and we are optimistic about their future with such a high percentage of awardees gaining confidence in their job prospects.
“The Gold Award Gala will be a fantastic way for the community to recognise and celebrate their outstanding achievements.”
The Gold Award Gala will be held in Melbourne at the Grand Hyatt this Saturday 5 December.
