Where We Came From
Historically, The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award existed in Seychelles prior to the independence but, it was only in 1995 that the program was launched through a pilot project consisting of eight Secondary schools (namely, English River, Beau Vallon, Pointe Larue, Anse Royale, Anse Boileau, Plaisance, Mont Fleuri and Independence school) by the Minister for Local Government, Youth and Sport Mrs. Slyvette Frichot under the name President’s Award Scheme. Since then, The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award program has largely been embedded into the government as it has functioned under the auspices of either the Seychelles National Youth Council or The Youth and Sports Department where it is currently based.
In April 2015, The International Award Foundation licensed the unit coordinating the Award program in the Youth Department as the National Award Authority (NAA). Known as the National Award Operator (NAO) their aim is to guide the work of a small National Award Secretariat which is led by a National Director who is assisted by four Award Managers.
The Award program is now present in all secondary schools and post -secondary institutions where we can now enjoy the committed collaboration of around fifty trained Award Leaders, who without their voluntarism the Award program would have not exist in Seychelles. Going forward the National Award Operator (NAO) is contemplating licensing Award Centers all over the country, all in the aim to meet the criteria of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award to operate the program in their location.