Gaisce awards turn 35
Do you have a Gaisce story to tell? Gaisce – The President’s Award is celebrating 35 years in existence this year and is looking for people to share their memories and stories of their own Gaisce journey.
The callout comes as more than 30,000 hours of commitment and dedication by young people was recognised at a special ceremony held by Gaisce recently.
Patron of Gaisce and President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, presented 77 inspirational young people from across Ireland with their Gaisce Gold Awards including 12 who come from Cork.
If you would like to share your Gaisce story, visit Gaisce.ie and click on the story portal.
Since his first inauguration in 2011, President Higgins has been a strong supporter of the Gaisce programme.
The awards scheme is a self-development programme for young people between the ages of 15-25, which aims to improve confidence and wellbeing through participation in personal, physical, community and team challenges. It is a direct challenge from the President Higgins, to all young people to dream big and realise their potential.
Speaking about the Gaisce Gold ceremony Yvonne McKenna, Chief Executive of Gaisce said: “I heartily congratulate Gold Awardees who have shown incredible fortitude in achieving their Gaisce Gold Award. Achieving a Gaisce Award is a marker of each awardee’s determination to realise their ambitions.
“I hope that in the challenging times which life can often present, they are encouraged by the memory of this moment where all their endeavours were recognised and celebrated. There is a lot more in each of us than one might think.”
The awardees hail from 17 counties and 42 Gaisce award partners, who deliver the award programme. Since its inception in 1985, more than 190,000 young Irish people have received a Gaisce Award, including former Rose of Tralee/Irish MEP Maria Walsh and Irish rugby international and Connacht player Robbie Henshaw.
Gold awardees have been partaking in a broad range of activities such as teaching coding to young kids, sailing around the Irish coast, learning Bharatanatyam (Indian classical dancing), walking the Camino, partaking in Suisha inclusive arts for children with autism, improving their Irish in the Gaeltacht and helping out with local charities such as St Vincent De Paul and Irish Cancer Society.
Each awardee successfully completed five challenge areas as part of their award.
They dedicated an hour each week for 52 weeks across three challenge areas. These were volunteering with a charity or community group, developing an existing skill or learning something new, and becoming more active through sport or exercise.
Awardees also completed a four-day adventure journey as part of a team and broadened their horizons on a five-day residential project outside of their usual community.