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STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) has become a vital part of education and future careers. Within Irish Girl Guides, STEM learning plays a growing role in helping girls develop confidence, creativity, and digital skills. Through hands-on activities such as robotics, engineering challenges, and community digital programmes, members of Irish Girl Guides are discovering that STEM is accessible, exciting and empowering.
Our mission is simple: to ensure girls and young women see STEM as relevant, inclusive, and full of opportunity. Gender imbalance in STEM remains a reality, and at Irish Girl Guides, we actively challenge outdated perceptions.
By providing a supportive and informal environment, girls can experiment, problem-solve, and build confidence without the pressure of formal academics. This hands-on approach helps them develop practical skills and, importantly, the belief that they belong in STEM spaces.
Why STEM matters for girls in Irish Girl Guides
STEM education equips girls with the skills to solve real-world problems, think critically, and collaborate effectively. At Irish Girl Guides, STEM is embedded in every Branch, from early curiosity in Ladybirds to advanced project leadership in Senior Branch. Our approach encourages girls to see STEM not as intimidating, but as a space they can explore, succeed in, and even lead.
By integrating STEM across the programme, Irish Girl Guides also contribute to global development, supporting several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
- – SDG 5: Gender Equality
- – SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
- – SDG 1: No Poverty
- – SDG 4: Quality Education
STEM Badges Across All Branches
Girls in all Branches of Irish Girl Guides can engage with STEM through structured Badge work. Each Badge combines creativity, critical thinking, and hands-on learning to develop skills and confidence.
FIRST LEGO League and Robotics
Through participation in the global FIRST LEGO League programme, girls use creative thinking and LEGO® technology to explore real-world challenges. Themes have included ocean preservation, archaeology, and sustainable innovation.
Each year, hundreds of members from Ladybirds to Senior Branch form teams within their Units, designing and building LEGO robotic systems while applying coding skills.
Participation supports the completion of:
- – Robotics Badge
- – Engineering Badge
This season’s FIRST LEGO League Challenge, UNEARTHED™, encouraged teams to step into the role of archaeologists. Members explored how the past is uncovered, studied, and preserved, proposing innovative solutions to real-world challenges.
On Saturday 28 February 2026, 88 Guides and Senior Branch members competed across 17 teams from 11 Units at the Regional event in DCU. One team, the conNÈCKt Team from Lucan Unit, progressed to the Ireland Final on Saturday 21 March 2026, winning the Best Team Placard Award.
Engineering Badges
Irish Girl Guides, in partnership with Engineers Ireland, inspire girls to explore engineering pathways and envision careers in STEM. Engineering Badges provide engaging, hands-on challenges that promote creativity, teamwork, and structured problem-solving.
Girls learn to identify problems, test solutions, iterate, and improve and develop a true engineering mindset.
At the end of 2024, IGG launched the new Ladybird Engineering Badge, extending engineering exploration to girls aged 5–7. Introducing engineering concepts at an early age reinforces self-belief and curiosity from the very beginning of their journey.
Hi Digital: digital skills for the community
In 2023, Irish Girl Guides partnered with the Vodafone Foundation to deliver the Hi Digital programme, helping older adults develop essential digital skills. Over 4,000 older adults have participated, strengthening their confidence in using technology safely and effectively.
IGG members aged 12+ receive training to deliver lessons in their communities, gaining leadership skills such as empathy, patience, and communication.
Hi Digital covers seven key areas:
1. Scams and fraud awareness
2. Introduction to mobile phones
3. Navigation and phone functions
4. Entertainment and online shopping
5. Communication tools
6. Online banking
7. Hobbies and travel
Beyond these areas, lessons are tailored to individual needs, ensuring relevance and practical value.
Through Hi Digital, girls experience that STEM and digital literacy are also about community leadership and social inclusion today.
Embedding STEM across the IGG Programme
STEM in Irish Girl Guides is not an isolated initiative, it is embedded across all Branches and activities. From early curiosity to advanced projects, members progressively build technical skills, critical thinking, and the confidence to apply them in real-world contexts.
Through this integrated approach, IGG empowers girls to explore, create, and lead in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. We support them in becoming future engineers, technologists, and innovators, but also adaptable problem-solvers prepared to navigate and shape an increasingly digital world.