As we live through these unprecedented times, key life skills such as resilience, team work, communication and confidence are more important than ever before.

It has been brilliant to see so many countries doing their own national challenges. From the Czech Republic to Türkiye, Nigeria to Malaysia, right across the world adults and young people alike have been sharing their tips on everything from continuing the Award at home, to the best way to wash your hands.
Here, four countries share how they have been doing their bit to help via different social media challenges.

HONG KONG: #StaySanitized Challenge

The Hong Kong Award for young people proves you can have fun while following COVID-19 guidelines! A group of participants in Hong Kong has initiated the #AYPStaySanitizedChallenge to encourage as many people as possible to stay sanitized and positive during these difficult times.

To participate you need to:
  1. Write down encouraging words on an A4 size paper
  2. Place the paper on a desk, and then place sanitizers of your choice on the paper
  3. Pull the paper with your hands and make sure all the sanitizers don’t fall and stay on the desk
  4. Shout out your encouraging words
  5. Tag at least 3 friends to complete the challenge

Give it a try and don’t forget to nominate others to get involved too!

BARBADOS: #SafeHands Challenge

Meanwhile the Award in Barbados are taking their cue from The Girl Guides…

Clean hands save lives; the COVID-19 pandemic has proven that. In Barbados the Award programme joined the World Health Organisation’s #SafeHands challenge thanks to The Girl Guides Association of Barbados. The Guides and Scouts movement set their followers the task of sharing a video of how they wash their hands. As a partner youth organisation, the Award in Barbados couldn’t resist and put the challenge out to Award participants as well.

The campaign is about showing just how simple it can be for individuals to protect each other throughout this pandemic. The Award is also putting out safety messages featuring local participants – some of whom are Guides who are also pursuing the Awards. There are 43 Girl Guides registered to take part in the Award, working on all three levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold. It’s a great partnership that is adding value to both organisations.

LATVIA: #KoVar20

The Award has always been associated with the challenge of achieving ones objectives and goals. ?

The Award in Latvia, asked it’s participants what they are doing at this time to work towards achieving their goals during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To help inspire their participants, the Award launched #KoVar20, also known as the “sticky” social challenge, to inspire others to adapt to the new circumstances in which we all find ourselves.

So, how does it work?

Award participants are encouraged to take a photo or a video of how they are continuing the Award at home and and publish (or stick!) it to their Facebook feed. ? ?

Participants are asked to remember to use hashtags #KoVar20 and #AWARDvar and to hand over the baton to someone else they know in the Award family to do the same. This person could either be a fellow participant or even an Award Leader.

#AwardLatvia #AWARDstasti #AWARDvar #KoVar20

Barbados Award COVID

JORDAN: #StayHome Challenge

Participants of the Award in Jordan, known as the El Hassan Youth Award, have been encouraging others to stay at home with their social media campaign about COVID-19.

In order to help slow the spread of the disease and #flattenthecurve, the video campaign encourages the public to stay inside except for essential journeys.

It’s easy to do your part, all you need to do is #StayHome.

SOUTH AFRICA:  #21Days Challenge

Being asked to stay at home is something that nearly every country in the world has experienced to some degree in 2020 due to COVID-19.

To help ease the pressures of lockdown, participants of the Award in South Africa, known at The President’s Award, choose to document how they are continuing with their Award activities at home.

For 21 consecutive days participants got involved by posting videos of themselves doing their chosen Skill, Physical Recreation or Voluntary Service activity to their social media channels, with the hashtag #21DayChallenge.

The challenge was well received, with adults and young people alike getting involved on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

South Africa Award