Joanna Vos
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award became part of my life when I did my Gold Award alongside Raleigh International on a 3-month expedition to Namibia, which provided very challenging choices for the Expedition and Residential components. Since then I was volunteer coordinator for RI Wales for 10 years, 6 year in Australia with the Award and 6 year with Scouting in Oman.
The first time I met HRH Duke of Edinburgh was at Buckingham Palace when I received my Gold Award. What an honor! I became driven by both programs to help other young people to have the same life changing experience that I had.
I then moved to the NT Australia and after joining an expedition as a volunteer, I was asked to take on the role as Executive Officer for the NT. Already the second week in this role I was asked to take some young people to meet HRH in Darwin and they all had quality time talking about their experiences. Only 5 people received their Gold Award that day and the first thing Prince Philip said was “where is your Gold Award badge and this all you could organize” how do I say “I’ve only been on the job for 2 weeks”? but he was right, we can do better than that! So that was the mission, to expand the Award as many young people as I could!
The Award grew incredibly with young people and amazing volunteers from all over the NT, including the islands and remote areas, disabled schools, aboriginal communities and we even started up as a program for young people in Juvenile detention centers. HRH came back and this time he visited Alice Springs where we managed to muster together 100’s of young people in the Award program. Mission complete!
I was also selected to present in London with HRH Prince Philip and Prince Edward to Ambassadors from all over the world. Prince Philip came forward and said, hello Joanna, how are you? My parents saw this and couldn't stop smiling.
When I heard about the death of HRH I was heartbroken. I hope he can RIP in that his legacy conti
The first time I met HRH Duke of Edinburgh was at Buckingham Palace when I received my Gold Award. What an honor! I became driven by both programs to help other young people to have the same life changing experience that I had.
I then moved to the NT Australia and after joining an expedition as a volunteer, I was asked to take on the role as Executive Officer for the NT. Already the second week in this role I was asked to take some young people to meet HRH in Darwin and they all had quality time talking about their experiences. Only 5 people received their Gold Award that day and the first thing Prince Philip said was “where is your Gold Award badge and this all you could organize” how do I say “I’ve only been on the job for 2 weeks”? but he was right, we can do better than that! So that was the mission, to expand the Award as many young people as I could!
The Award grew incredibly with young people and amazing volunteers from all over the NT, including the islands and remote areas, disabled schools, aboriginal communities and we even started up as a program for young people in Juvenile detention centers. HRH came back and this time he visited Alice Springs where we managed to muster together 100’s of young people in the Award program. Mission complete!
I was also selected to present in London with HRH Prince Philip and Prince Edward to Ambassadors from all over the world. Prince Philip came forward and said, hello Joanna, how are you? My parents saw this and couldn't stop smiling.
When I heard about the death of HRH I was heartbroken. I hope he can RIP in that his legacy conti
