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Amanda selected as one of 35 DofE Youth Ambassadors
29/10/2024
The North Oxfordshire Academy student is also a member at Banbury Shukokai Karate Centre
A Banbury teenager is one of just 35 from across the UK who have been chosen to take on the role of Youth Ambassador for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
Seventeen-year-old Amanda Lim joins a group, aged from 16-24, who will advocate for young people by sharing their expertise on key issues impacting them. They will make young people’s voices heard by speaking at events, meeting key decision-makers in Parliament, and feeding into decisions to shape the direction of the DofE charity’s work.
Amanda, who attends the North Oxfordshire Academy, has achieved her Bronze Award and is now working towards her Silver. She found that working towards the awards helped her maintain motivation in activities she was already involved in. Amanda is a keen Karate enthusiast at Banbury Shukokai Karate Centre and says the DofE gave her the discipline to continue through her Physical section.
Amanda said: “I’ve never been very confident with my sparring as I’m nervous about hurting other people, and during the pandemic, my skills got a lot weaker. I’m so glad that I chose to do Karate for my DofE, because it gave me a reason to keep going when I wasn’t feeling so motivated, improving my technique and boosting my confidence and I ended up achieving my second-degree black belt.”
Learning skills like leadership, teamwork and problem-solving are areas in which Amanda credits the DofE for helping her grow and develop as a person,
She said: “A real highlight for me has been watching my friends learn and grow alongside me! All of the Expeditions have provided amazing opportunities to learn and bounce back from my mistakes. As a Youth Ambassador, I’m really looking forward to learning from new people and getting my voice across – I’d love to really make a difference, even if it ends up being just one person.”
At school Amanda assists with delivering the DofE programme, helping new participants to learn First Aid and CPR. She learnt these skills herself as an NHS Cadet with St John Ambulance and hopes to study medicine at university.
Ashley Williams, UK Youth Engagement Manager at The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, said: “Amanda is one of many young people who have achieved incredible things through their DofE. As a charity, we’re determined to put young people at the heart of everything we do and to give them as many opportunities as we can to make a positive impact on the issues they care about – I am excited to see the positive impact our new cohort of Youth Ambassadors make this year.
“It’s not an easy time to be a young person, with the ongoing after-effects of the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis to contend with. Now more than ever, it’s crucial that all young people can access opportunities like the DofE, which let them have fun, grow their resilience and self-belief, and develop vital skills they can’t always get in the classroom.”
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam