Got a email from the NYAA office on Sunday with regards to some rather good news (and as confirmed with a snail-mail letter few days ago), I am awarded the NYAA gold award! After 2 long months of waiting anxiously after the interview, finally, I can come to rest with the news of the award! I’ve made it!
The National Youth Achievement Award (NYAA) is a prestigious award as accredited as an international award by the The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Awards. There are bronze and silver categories in which younger students and youths alike can start and move on to higher levels, undertaking for challenges which each passing “DIY” goals through various sections (5 in the gold). The Gold standard is the highest one can achieve in the program.
Looking back, I’ve came a very long way in the award, almost 3 years in fact. I never saw the public-spirited side of me clear enough if I never took up the challenges of the award and the good it did to people all around me, whether it’s a simple thing such as helping out in charity events, fund-raising, selling flags, to overseas community trips involving teaching children in rural areas to cleaning up old folks home in Medan Indonesia. These activities left me the deepest impression of the award and it will definitely be a way of life for a long time to come.
Besides inculcating discipline to accomplish all sections on time, it is the “DIY” factor and the openness of the award which I found rather commendable- it made the award a supplementary to daily activities- one which requires planning, responsibility and yet being so flexible for youths to undertake it from all walks of life. For me, the award is really a “do or miss” thing, considering that this year is the last year I am able to qualify for it. I am glad I got it.
The awards presentation will be held in early October, with the awards given out by President S R Nathan and accompanied by Mr Mah Bow Tan, Minister for National Development and Chairman NYAA Advisory Board during the whole ceremony.
Will be looking forward to it!
Congrats =D
Hey hey hey thanks dude! 🙂
Hi Shaun,
Firstly congratulations on bagging the gold award. I’m working to get the award now.
I was wondering if you can provide some guidelines on how to achieve the award. I’m quite confused as to whether NYAA council is very particular about ‘choose one skill’ or ‘one activity’. Does going for YEP fit in the adventurous/ residential project? Would be glad if you could share anything with regards to working towards the NYAA Gold. Thanks!
Regards,
siti
Hi siti, you can choose any skill or activity of your own, it’s open, even if it is out of the “recommended” activities on the booklet. There is no fixed activity you must adhere to.
YEP, you mean youth expedition project? Generally for RP if it’s an activity which affects or aid a particular community group at large, that will do. It will be preferred though if you are part of the organising team, even if its an overseas project, that will make yours stand out among the entries the NYAA recieves.
Adventurous journey, thats is very fun- it can be a camp or a trek out of civilisation just make sure your journey meets the minimum recommended number of required days.