Well done to all who received their bronze and silver Gaisce awards last week following the completion of their Gaisce programme. Gaisce involves participating in various challenge areas looking at personal growth.
Main photo: Silver medal awardees Beth, Kate & Rian.
Group photo: Gaisce bronze & silver medal awardees: front row L to R: Jack, Dani, Sinead, Casee, Kate, Sauna, Beth. Back row: L to R: Rian, Rebekah, Olan, Jamie, Aaron, Jack, Nicole.
Gaisce co-ordinators: Genevieve Kiely, Eadaoin O’Leary, Niall O’Sullivan.
Gaisce –The President’s Award is a self-development programme for young people aged 14 -25 which has been proven to enhance confidence and wellbeing through participation in personal, physical and community challenges. It is a direct challenge from the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, to all young people to dream big and realise their potential.
Gaisce Awards are non-competitive and self-directed: participants choose their own activities, goals and projects with the support of their President’s Award Leader (or PAL). There are more than 1,000 President’s Award Leaders working or volunteering in a variety of organisations all across Ireland, supporting and mentoring Gaisce participants.
Gaisce was established in 1985 – the UN International Year of Youth – as the national youth award and Ireland’s highest recognition of a young person’s achievement and voluntary contribution. To date, more than a quarter of a million young people have achieved their Gaisce Award. Today more than 20,000 young people under 26 register to pursue their own Gaisce Award journey annually.
“Gaisce is driven by a commitment to a better society, by the enthusiasm, ability and resilience of young people. Through the Gaisce programme, young people are encouraged and guided so that their innate talents and abilities, as well as their sense of citizenship and social agency, can be realised to their full potential”
President Michael D. Higgins, 2021