NASSAU, Bahamas — Few can say they’ve touched the lives of thousands of young people – helping the country’s greatest assets to find their purpose, passion and place in the world.
On Friday, October 29, Denise Mortimer, the former national director of the Governor General’s Youth Award (GGYA), was announced as the recipient of the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture’s 2021 Youth Practitioner’s Living Legend Award during a virtual ceremony. She also served as patron of Youth Month, which is observed in October.
“This means persons realize GGYA’s impact on young people in society and how important it is for them to be involved in non-formal education,” said Ms Mortimer, who stepped down as head of the internationally recognized programme in 2020, after 29 years at the helm.
“I share this Award with the many volunteers that we have had. Without them, we would have not been able to record so many successes. Therefore, it is an honour and a privilege to be recognized in such a way.”
While heading the local arm of the world’s leading youth achievement award programme, Ms Mortimer delivered a Bahamian perspective when she spoke at Duke of Edinburgh’s Award International Forums held across the globe, in places such as Mauritius, New Zealand and Australia.
Recognized as one of the leading Award Operators for the region, The Bahamas was sought out and Ms Mortimer was interviewed by leading British media houses, including the BBC, in the wake of the April 9, passing of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, founder of the Award.
As national director, Ms Mortimer coordinated seven official visits to The Bahamas by members of Britain’s royal family – four of them were for Prince Philip, who infused her with his contagious passion for the progressive, diverse programme.
Those brief but powerful encounters sparked GGYA’s renaissance.
When Ms Mortimer assumed the role of director of The Bahamas’ Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in 1991, there were 151 participants operating through five New Providence-based units supervised by six volunteers.
Under her watch, more than 30,000 young people stepped out of their comfort zone to take up the Award’s challenge to learn a new skill or develop an existing one, increase their fitness levels, cultivate a sense of adventure and volunteer in their community in order to obtain a Bronze, Silver or Gold Award. See complete story at https://znsbahamas.com/former-ggya-head-receives-myscs-living-legend-award/?fbclid=IwAR08V6P0Q-acCKNBOT10MIth5doaZEMRtz8oN9Ccl_MfiXNUf9h0ehqq2vg
