Leading Commonwealth youth advisor joins the Association

LONDON, 26 JANUARY 2009 – The International Award Association (IAA) has appointed Cristal de Saldanha Stainbank into the new role of Head of Programme. Previously employed for ten years by the Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP), the Youth Affairs Division of the Commonwealth Secretariat, Cristal will be championing the development of the Award into new areas, as well as strengthening existing programmes running in over 125 countries.

Based at the International Secretariat offices in London, Cristal brings over 28 years of strategic and operational experience of youth and community programmes, as well as an extensive network of youth policy influencers, including Commonwealth governments, tertiary institutions and NGOs. Prior to joining the CYP, where her work included youth policy advice and formulation, facilitating an increase in youth participation and developing pioneering training courses for youth workers, Cristal worked for the South African Association of Youth Clubs (SAAYC) for seven years and the Community Services Department of the Johannesburg City Council for six years.

Having had some interaction with The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Programme through her volunteer work with Outward Bound International, Cristal was excited by the opportunity of joining the IAA. “I was fired up by the power of the simple, yet robust, Award Programme which reaches out to a huge number of young people,” commented Cristal. “This role gives me the opportunity to get back into programme work, whilst using all my previous experience to develop the Award in new areas.”

“I am delighted to welcome Cristal to the team,” said Gillian Shirazi LVO, Secretary General of the IAA. “We believe that her proven excellence in the youth sector will help us to share the value of the Award with more youth development groups and help build on the exceptional international performance of the Programme, to ensure continuing growth.”