Manchester Students’ Union becomes a licensed Duke of Edinburgh Award centre

The University of Manchester Students’ Union has joined a small number of others to become a licensed Duke of Edinburgh’s Award centre. The licensing makes it possible for students to conveniently participate at the Students’ Union directly, rather than having to go through an external provider.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a youth achievement award which is highly valued by employers. The awards recognise adolescents and young adults for completing a series of self-improvement exercises. To achieve an award, participants must complete a set amount of hours focused on volunteering, physical activities, skills (including social and practical), and an expedition.

The University of Manchester Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Society is dedicated to helping members complete the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award including Gold, the highest level of achievement.

Sean Ruane, President of The University of Manchester Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Society, was there to collect the license. Speaking to The Mancunion Sean said, “Thanks to everyone’s hard work we’ve managed to become the second university in the country to be certified as a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Direct Licensed Centre.

“Being certified is a fantastic opportunity for our society, as it means we can provide and manage our own awards, meaning that we’ll be able to grow our society and provide a better service for our members. With this license, we’ll be able to run faster and more efficiently, so students will be able to keep up with and see the results of their hard work more easily. My thanks to everyone who helped make this possible.”

You can find the society on Facebook and join via the student union website at http://manchesterstudentsunion.com/groups/duke-of-edinburgh-s-award-society