NASSAU, BAHAMAS — 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 (MYSC) 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 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 honor and a privilege to be recognized in such a way.”
When 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.
GGYA’s most highly visible element is its hiking component — called the adventurous journey — where young people must plan, train for and complete an overnight camping trip.
Mortimer arduously recruited volunteers for the programme and often led the team of adults who shepherded young people across the country and the region. Bronze and Silver expeditions are regularly scheduled away from New Providence, in Family Islands near and far. Meantime, Gold-level expeditions are held in countries throughout the Caribbean.
Many times, Mortimer was among the first faces to greet participants after a long day spent trekking through “the bush”.
Rosamund Roberts, a member of GGYA’s board of trustees and the only living individual who has been involved with the management of the local programme for longer than Mortimer, said: “I think the award is well overdue. It’s an honor that she deserves, if not more, and I’m hopeful that there will be others along the way.”
For Mortimer’s part, she’s happy the organization she helped to revive is carrying out its mandate: marginalized young people have found a sense of purpose; the learning and physically challenged have gained independence and self-care skills; and followers have emerged as leaders along a path to a purpose-filled, productive future.
Mortimer’s successor, Jacquetta Lightbourne-Maycock, said: “We have been very lucky to have her as our national director. It’s not been easy with COVID-19, but we are more relevant today than we have ever been.”
