The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award is known as the President’s Award in Kenya, or the PA for short. Yesterday I had the opportunity to visit two very different schools where the Award is being run. Both were girls schools; both were full of engaged and enthusiastic young women. But they were as different as…
Feeling fatter and rather less fit than I should be, I have allowed myself to be persuaded to take part in the Blenheim Triathlon in June. I’ll be competing as a member of the LeaderBoard – a team of Chief Executives from around the UK who have committed to support Sport Relief 2012. I have…
“I am from a rural township in South Africa and I have been playing cricket for 4 years. Here I am standing in front of you at Lords. It is an honour beyond my biggest dreams.” In 2007, a fourteen-year-old schoolboy was working for his Bronze Award. As part of his service to the…
A few months ago, a friend of mine tried to volunteer to become a Leader in his local Scout Group. His son was a Beaver Scout in the Colony and his enthusiasm for Scouting had quickly rubbed off on his dad. However, the Group didn’t want him. My friend wanted to work with the Scout…
The importance of a volunteering culture – an article for PublicNet
The Benefits of Employee Volunteering – an article for Fresh Business Thinking
Open all hours – an article about flexible volunteering for Volunteering England – February 2006
The last few weeks have been interesting ones for Scouting. Broadsheets and tabloids alike have attacked us for dropping the Promise (we haven’t); the Sun has run a particularly insidious campaign suggesting that we don’t vet prospective leaders carefully enough before accepting their offers of help (we do); and our census figures suggest that interest…
Education the way to solve skills crisis – This is Money writes about how business can support education