CVQO Podcasts

Adam Hughes, Mark Hutton and Jordan McCellan talk about the Duke of Westminster Award selection days experience

Lucinda Rhodes and Katie Simpkin talk about the Duke of Westminster Award selection days experience

A great effort by Greater Manchester ACF who signed up 100 cadets to the CVQO-led BTEC Level 1 at their Easter camp. Patrick Russell talks to County Commandant Col Mike Glover about the importance of BTEC qualification and the wider value of the cadet experience.

Lt Col Glyn Potts, of GMACF, talks to Patrick Russell about why GMACF has committed to supporting the CVQO-led BTEC Level 1 qualification and what it will mean for the cadets

After an initial 300 nominations, 21 finalists were chosen to take part in a gruelling 36-hour selection event run in partnership with outdoor adventure specialists Outposts, based in the Quantock Hills, Somerset. Patrick Russell talks to the some of the finalists, to Guy Horridge from CVQO and first, to the Duke of Westminster about why he lends his name to his prestigious award. Who will be the nine winners? Watch this space!

2011 Duke of Westminster Award Winner The participants, all members of UK youth organisations, have been chosen to compete in the last round of selection for the Duke of Westminster Award 2012. The prestigious competition is organised by CVQO and sponsored by the organisation’s patron, the Duke of Westminster. Not only are the hopefuls competing for the highest accolade of being named winner, but also for a place as one of the top nine learners to participate in a three week expedition to South Africa. The event will test communication, teamwork and leadership skills through a variety of demanding physical and mental tasks. This year, 250 entrants were nominated for the award. These are young people who possess a wide range of skills and abilities and have overcome personal challenges, as well as demonstrating a consistently high level of commitment to their communities and their peers. In addition, the activities undertaken during the challenge will meet the criteria for each candidate to achieve a Level 3 Award in Leadership from the Institute of Leadership and Management.

Duke of Westminster Awards 2012 Selection Day The participants, all members of UK youth organisations, have been chosen to compete in the last round of selection for the Duke of Westminster Award 2012. The prestigious competition is organised by CVQO and sponsored by the organisation’s patron, the Duke of Westminster. Not only are the hopefuls competing for the highest accolade of being named winner, but also for a place as one of the top nine learners to participate in a three week expedition to South Africa. The event will test communication, teamwork and leadership skills through a variety of demanding physical and mental tasks. This year, 250 entrants were nominated for the award. These are young people who possess a wide range of skills and abilities and have overcome personal challenges, as well as demonstrating a consistently high level of commitment to their communities and their peers. In addition, the activities undertaken during the challenge will meet the criteria for each candidate to achieve a Level 3 Award in Leadership from the Institute of Leadership and Management.

100 cadets from Greater Manchester have signed up for the CVQO-led BTEC Level 1 during their Easter camp. Patrick Russell spent a day with GMACF at their Holcombe Moor training centre talking to cadets, Commandant Col Mike Glover and, first of all, Lt Col Glyn Potts about why GMACF have decided to make such a commitment to the CVQO programme

The highly popular CVQO-led BTEC Music Diploma is a fantastic opportunity for aspiring musicians to gain and internationally recognised qualifications, for free, through their cadet activities. CVQO’s Head of Music Ali Bowen-Davies talks about why this qualification is a must anyone with an interest in music and why early registration is vital.

The government has recently made some significant changes to the way it measures the value of vocational qualifications. Historically the relative value of a vocational qualification – such as the Edexcel BTEC Diploma offered by CVQO – was measured by an equivalency to GCSEs. Following the Wolf Report (Prof Alison Wolf, 2011) hundreds of vocational qualifications had their GCSE equivalence changed and some had them removed altogether. The result is that some people have wrongly assumed that because certain BTECs no longer have the same GCSE equivalence that they are worth less to the learner. Edward Woods, chief executive, discusses how the CVQO-led Edexcel BTEC qualifications stand as a valued qualification in their own right, how they are recognised by employers as being valuable for many roles and in some cases they are the primary qualification for entry to some industries.