Meet the Members of Council
The National Award Council comprises the Council Executive and other specialist members. The Council Executive is elected by the membership at the Annual General Meeting. The elected members make up the executive and is supported by the Secretary/Treasurer and the Operations Manager. Below are profiles of the Executive. The other members of the National Award Council are representatives from other support and delivery entities. These are:
Barbados Expedition and Assessment Panel
Barbados Gold Award Holders Association
Barbados Cadet Corps
Barbados Boy Scouts Association
The Girl Guides Association of Barbados
The Chairman - Stephen Smith
Stephen Smith was first elected as Chairman of the Award in 2015; a former participant, Mr. Smith achieved his Gold Award in 1987. Since joining the Award he has remained active ever since, serving in various capacities and filling in whenever and wherever needed.
As a founding member of the Barbados Expedition Assessment Panel, Stephen helped usher in a major development in how the Adventurous Journey section of the program is managed in Barbados. Mr. Smith was a member of the Planning Committee for the 2003 International Forum held in Barbados. Prior to taking on the Chairmanship, he served as member of the Executive in different roles including serving as the Deputy Chair. Mr. Smith is the current Chairman of the Caribbean Award Sub-regional Council (CASC) which is a grouping of English speaking Caribbean nations where the Award is delivered. He has personally set himself a task of improving the performance of the Award in the region. He also sits on the International Council (IC) which advises the International Trustees as the highest decision making body of the International Award.
In addition to being the Chairman of the Award, Stephen is a proud father of three sons, entrepreneur and car-racing fan. As he takes a personal interest in the Award he can often be found engaging with the participants directly and is known to take part in expeditions particularly at the gold level.
The Deputy Chairman- Jamar Odwin
In addition to being elected as one of two Americas Region Youth Reps at the International Gold Event in 2017, Jamar Odwin now serves as the Deputy Chairman of the National Award Council in Barbados. Jamar’s Award Journey started at Queen’s College where he tried out the Award almost by accident. Starting at the Silver Award level he has now completed the Gold Award is trained as an Adventurous Journey assessor. He attended the Caribbean Award Sub-Regional Council (CASC) camp in 2013, 2016 and 2018.
While the Award takes some of his time Jamar also has professional and entrepreneurial interests in fashion, reading and business. He is a trained Graphic Designer and is responsible for multiple clothing brands.
“I joined the award in 2010 just before leaving secondary school. My main reason for being involved in the Award today is to ensure that the youth of today are aware of the Award and its benefits as early as possible in order for them to reap as much as possible.”
The Floor Members
Jeremy Devonish
Once his Gold Award was completed in 2016, the next logical step for Jeremy was to become an Award leader. From there he moved on to join the Council in 2018. His enthusiasm for the Award drives his interest in taking the Award forward and can be felt in all of his work as a council member. He says that his involvement in the Award now is guided by the belief that every young person should be afforded the opportunity to attain their Awards. Taking part in the Award has so far taken him from Mount Hilaby in Barbados to the Northern Mountain Range of Trinidad and Tobago.
With a career in real estate on the horizon, Jeremy has experience in management functioning in roles of Site Administrator and Operations Manager in separate organisations.
But this is just one side of Jeremy Devonish. He is also trained in steelpan and an avid home gardener. He has explored boxing, mixed martial arts, archery and basketball. He is also known to spend some time in the kitchen as well.
When he is not out with an Award group he is guiding groups of friends on outdoor adventures.
Elizabeth Riley
Elizabeth Riley is the newest member of the National Award Council, joining in 2020. As a Tri-Award Holder, and former Award Leader, Liz has seen the benefits of the Award for young people and envisions it as the leading programme for youth leadership and development.
Professionally, Liz has an extensive background in emergency management and currently serves as the Executive Director of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA). Liz has an interest in seeing increased involvement of youth in comprehensive disaster management.
Personally, Liz enjoys baking, playing piano, and of course, hiking.
Ajani Daniel
Despite a professional focus in artistic endeavours, Ajani Daniel is equally interested in sports. He is heavily focused on fitness and spends many hours in the gym or practising mixed martial arts. He regularly plays basketball, a sport he has enjoyed since secondary school. Ajani studied at the Barbados Community College and today works fulltime as a graphic designer. Almost as a natural extension he also does photography and videography.
Ajani is now a member of the Barbados Expedition and Assessment Panel. Holding the Bronze, Silver and Gold award he is one who has remained committed to the Award. In his own words, he loves how doing the Award helped him to find his passions and want to see that happen for others.
Specialist Groups
Barbados Gold Award Holders and Alumni Association (GAHA) - Jamila Bayne
Jamila Bayne is the representative of the Barbados Gold Award Holders and Alumni Association. Like others she started the Award while at secondary school. After completing the Awards she started assisting where she could and then took up the role of Award leader at Queen’s College. Today she works as an Animal Health Assistant at the Veterinary Services Department, and a part time Veterinary Technician in at Central Veterinary Clinic South. Despite her schedule she remains firmly connected to the Award in Barbados. Leading GAHA, she has focused on rekindling active membership through different activities.
Barbados Expedition and Assessment Panel - Garfield Callender
Garfield Callender was presented with his Gold Award in 1989 and has not stopped supporting the Award. He is currently the Chair of the Barbados Expedition and Assessment Panel. During his time in charge he has spearheaded efforts to produce training materials to help participants work through the Adventurous Journey section.
Professionally Garfield is a teacher at the island's only all male secondary school. Additionally he served in a number of roles with the Chirst Church based Gall Hill football team. Garfield is always willing to fill in where necessary.
Advisory and Staff
The Secretary/Treasurer - Fabian Norville
Fabian started in the role of Secretary/Treasurer in 2018. Among other,s his reposibilities have involved the streamlining of internal accounting procedures. He has been a regular ‘go-to guy’ for everything technology related for the Award’s staff and volunteers.
A Queen's Scout Award recipient and a tri-Award holder, one of his ambitions is the streamlining of the Scout and DEIA programmes to the benefit of both organizations. To this end, he sits on multiple Committees within the Barbados Boy Scouts Association. He was one of Barbados' representatives at the International Gold Event (IGE) in 2017 in Czech Republic, and led the Barbados Contingent for the CASC 2018 Regional Adventurous Journey in the Bahamas.
Carla Alleyne
Carla Alleyne served as the Operations Manager of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Barbados from 2012 to 2021. During that time, Carla assisted in introducing the Award programme to schools and youth organisations across the island. Her efforts also helped to develop operational partnerships with the Community Independence Celebrations Secretariat and the Probation Department.
A tri-Award holder and one of the Barbados Representatives at the International Gold Event 2011 in Kenya, Carla believes in the power of the Award to open doors for youth. She continues to serve as an Award Leader and advisor to the Council.
Carla’s personal interests include reading, handicrafts, swimming, dancing, and the outdoors.
The Girl Guides Association of Barbados
Barbados Boy Scouts Association
Barbados Cadet Corps
In 2019 The Girl Guides Association became the newest organisation to be granted a sub-licence to offer the Award. This was a formal step in a long-standing partnership. The Guides for decades have supported and partnered with the Award to enhance personal development opportunities for the young women of Barbados.
Rep - Andrea Sealy
As the Ranger Advisor Andrea sits on the Award Council. She is a Guider of the 150th Barbados Rangers at the St. Philip Parish Church and is a Youth Commissioner, Sunday School teacher and much more. In her professional life Andrea is a Meteorologist at the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and hydrology and a lecturer in Meteorology at the UWI Cave Hill Campus.
The Barbados Boy Scouts Association has offered purposeful development opportunities to Bajan males for more than 100 year. That offering was enhanced by becoming a sub-licensed partner of the Award in 2017. The Scouts Association is a key partner for the Award in its efforts to increase the reach of Award programme on the island.
Rep - Tashuan Callender
Tashaun was appointed to be the voice of Scouts on the National Award Council in 2018. He brings a youthful perspective to the Council. With a degree in Ecology, Tashuan is a volunteer with the Sea Turtle Project and Assistant Scout leader with the Harrison College Scout Troop. He is a holder of the Queen's Scout Award and is a great help to the overall Scout movement on the island.
As the youth arm of the Barbados Defence Force, the Barbados Cadet Corps is set up to provide challenging activities and military discipline to creat model citizens. The Barbados Cadet Corps was the first organisations to be sub-licensed to deliver the Award in the Eastern Caribbean. This agreement was made in 2015. As a partner youth organisation the Cadets is a able to use the Award as an incentive for continued participation among the older ranks.