Partnering CVQO to offer BTEC qualifications to our members

We are pleased to be able to partner with CVQO in piloting a project to enable our members aged 16 to 18 to attain a formal BTEC qualification, which provides formal recognition for their participation in Boys’ Brigade activities.

BTEC Level 2 in Teamwork and Personal Development in the Community

The pilot project continues in the 2022-2023 session as we work on developing a format that works for our young people, the volunteers supporting them and our delivery partner, CVQO. Once again we have places for our young people in London & the South East, in addition to young people in the North East of England to take part in either a BTEC Level 2 Extended Certificate or a BTEC Level 2 Diploma in Teamwork & Personal Development in the Community.

Rather than attending zoom sessions and completing remote learning, this years qualification will be delivered through a combination of face-to-face learning and remote learning. There are 14 units which young people can choose from and only three need to be completed to achieve the Extended Certificate, with six required to be completed to complete the full Diploma.

All young people completing the BTEC need to attend an Information and Registration session and complete Unit 1: Developing Effective Teamwork Skills. These two sessions will be provided face-to-face and we will be working with Battalions to deliver this locally, either as part of an activity day or during the evening. We believe that this will provide a better foundation to the qualification and make it easier to complete the other units required. 

The BTEC is designed to recognise prior achievement as well as providing the opportunity to develop and learn new skills, therefore if any young person has achieved GCSE PE, a Duke of Edinburgh Award or are involved in a Band or playing a musical instrument then these achievements can be counted towards the requirements of the BTEC Level 2, resulting in units being marked as completed with very little additional work. In addition, this year Building Your Skills, Presidents Badge, Queens Badge, Fundraiser Stage 3, First Aid Stage 4, Health & Fitness Stages 2 & 4, Navigator Stage 4 & Fundraising Stage 4 also count as recognised prior learning.

For more information about the qualification please click here. 

For more information about CVQO who is our partner organisation, please visit their website.

If you are based in London and have young people who are interested in completing the qualification, please email Daimon Taylor-Hunt, who will then explain the next steps.

If you are based in the North East of England and have young people who are interested in completing the qualification, please email Vicki Brownlee, who will then explain the next steps.

What is the Benefit to a Young Person?

Whilst the qualification doesn’t provide young people with UCAS points, it does help a young person stand out from others when applying for a job or a place at university. The qualification provides external recognition for a young person’s involvement in the Boys’ Brigade and displays some of the softer skills that employers and universities are looking for in a young person. It also shows that a young person is willing to spend time outside their formal education to develop their skills and is serious about their personal development. The qualification also enables the start of a conversation with a potential employer or university, about what the young person has been involved with outside their school life, providing an easy link from talking about qualifications to talking about being part of The Boys’ Brigade and all that involves.

So if any of your young people want to stand out from the crowd, show they have a multitude of skills & abilities and be able to easily bring their experiences at Boys’ Brigade into a conversation with a university or future employer, speak to them about whether they might consider registering for the BTEC Level 2.

The video below provides an overview BTEC Qualification and how it is has benefitted young people.

Eligibility

Young people aged 16 to 18 on 31st August 2022 and in school years 12 or 13, are eligible to complete the BTEC Level 2, at no cost to them. The qualification is fully funded by CVQO for all those who register and complete the course. 

It is important that young people who complete the registration process then go on to complete the qualification. Young people have up to two years to complete it, although in reality the qualification is usually completed within 6-12 months. There are cost, reputation and relationship implications for The Boys’ Brigade & CVQO should young people register and then not complete the qualification. Support is available through both The Boys’ Brigade and CVQO for those who may need additional help in completing the qualification.

CVQO Westminster Award

Young people who are working towards or have completed the BTEC qualification, are eligible to be nominated for the CVQO Westminster Award, an annual competition designed to recognise and reward learners. 

Nominations open in November each year and those young people whose nominations are successful are invited to a weekend residential where they will have the opportunity to gain an ILM Level 3, as well as take part in an action-packed programme of outdoor, team-building activities. Finalists for the award then attend a two-week expedition in the UK where they take part in community projects, work with local schools and get involved with a range of other activities. When they return, finalists are invited to a lunch at the House of Lords where the overall winner of the award is announced. 

This would be an amazing experience for some of our young people and is another benefit of completing the BTEC qualification with The Boys’ Brigade & CVQO. A summary of the Westminster Award is shown in the video below, with full details available on the CVQO website, including the full eligibility criteria for nominations.

Nominations for the Westminster Award should be made by Company Captains as there can only be one nomination per company each year. Should you decide to nominate one of your eligible young people for the Westminster Award, please could you let us know, so we are aware of how many nominations Boys’ Brigade have submitted each year.