CASC Adventurous Journey

CASC as it is affectionately known to those in the Award is an assembly of people who are connected to each other by something that is unspoken.  The camp brings representatives from all over the region into one place with one purpose: adventure and learning. The staff of the camp is typically made up of Award holders who themselves attended a CASC in the past. For them it is a reunion and a time to mentor the next generation. At this camp, groups complete a five-day hike covering a minimum of 50 miles. In that five days shoulders ache, shoe soles come loose and teams come together to motivate each other and push the group to the finish. By the end of the journey, strains of different Caribbean melodies are sung as participants share in each other’s cultures.  Be it through music, dance, games or just chats around the cooking fire, these young people build unbreakable bonds through a common experience. Once strangers they are now friends. They celebrate physical success and personal growth that makes them better citizens of the world. The exchange of knowledge across geographic boundaries and age groups gives a life and energy to the camp that makes it all truly special. No one leaves CASC the same as they were before.  Officially, the Caribbean Award Sub-regional Council (CASC) is a collective of Caribbean Commonwealth territories in which the Award is delivered. Its history dates back to a 1975 gathering when the idea of a regional representative body was presented. In 1977 this body was officially formed and a few years later in 1980, 30 young people did the first CASC expedition; it was a daring adventure that included climbing the La Soufriere volcano.  The participation comprised: 6 Canadians, 5 Brits, 6 Barbadians, 3 Trinidadians, 2 Antiguans and 8 Vincentians.  Every year since then, while the regional representatives meet in a different host country to discuss affairs, an annual camp and Gold Award expedition is executed, bringing together Participants from across the region. Leadership training and a local service project have subsequently been added to the programme. Barbados has hosted this event in 1987,1992, 2002 and 2013.