All posts by : Celia Melcus

– Dundrum Guide leader to represent the youth of Ireland at UN –

Dublin, 10/09/2018 – The Irish Girl Guides are delighted that one of their members has been elected Youth Delegate to the United Nations for 2018-2019.

Aisling O’Boyle (22), a Guide leader in Dundrum, Dublin, is one of two Youth Delegates to have been selected by the UN Youth Delegate programme, which is organised by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Irish Aid and the National Youth Council of Ireland. The other delegate for the coming year is Jamie Moore from Dungarvan, Co Waterford.

The delegates, who were selected through a competitive interview process, were officially announced by Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Coveney TD, at a special event held in Iveagh House, Dublin, on 7 September 2018 in advance of their departure to the UN.

Aisling and Jamie will work closely with Ireland’s Permanent Mission to the UN and will have the opportunity to represent the youth of Ireland during sessions of the UN committee dealing with human rights issues.

Helen Concannon, Chief Commissioner of Irish Girl Guides, said: “We are delighted that Aisling has been selected as we believe she is a wonderful candidate. She has demonstrated her commitment to global issues through her ongoing work in highlighting global issues and climate change within the programmes and events of the Irish Girl Guides.

“Aisling’s experiences and commitment to date will stand to her in this role as she lives out our aim of ‘giving girls confidence’. She exemplifies the ethos of Girl Guiding and we know she will do Ireland proud.”

The aim of the United Nations Youth Delegate Programme for Ireland, which was launched three years ago, is to support young people to be agents of change by providing an additional platform for young people to participate at United Nations level and to provide the opportunity for greater engagement on national and foreign policy issues.

Speaking of her “absolute delight” to have been selected, Aisling said: “It is an honour to be trusted to be the voice of Irish youth at the United Nations. In order to do this we will be running consultations with young people across the country to ensure that their voices and opinions are heard at the UN.

“We have seen a huge increase in youth engagement with political issues over the last number of years and I am really excited to be able to harness this energy and include young people in helping to achieve the UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development.”

Aisling joined Irish Girl Guides when she was six and, since she turned 18, has been a leader with Centenary Guides Unit in Dundrum. “Being involved with Girl Guides on a national and international level has exposed me to numerous different ideas, viewpoints, and experiences,” she said.  “It has also given me a passion for equality and international development, and developed my confidence.”

Aisling has previously been to the United Nations, representing the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts at the 62nd Commission on the Status of Women in March 2018. “I am looking forward to being able to use my experience of lobbying for the rights of girls and young women to ensure the young people of Ireland are well represented throughout the year,” she said.

ENDS

Irish Girl Guides has approximately 12,000 members. Guiding started in Ireland in 1911 and operates throughout the 26 counties with 1,800 volunteer leaders providing an informal educational programme of fun and challenging activities that foster confidence and leadership skills in girls and young women, enabling them to develop to their full potential and to become responsible citizens. Girls from age 5+ can choose to earn a wide range of badges, including Community Action, Cultural Diversity, Disability Awareness, Drug Awareness, Online Surfer, Science Investigator, Engineering and Global Traveller. 

– Ladybird girls calls on the public to join in hunt for ladybird beetles! –

Dublin, 17/07/2018 – Irish Girl Guides are on the hunt for ladybird beetles … and they want members of the public to join in the All Ireland Ladybird Survey too!

Ladybirds, the name given to Irish Girl Guides (IGG) members aged five to seven, are thrilled to be spearheading the campaign to identify ladybirds throughout the country.

When they find ladybird beetles, they are identifying the particular species with the help of identification sheets downloaded from the website www.biology.ie.

The All Ireland Ladybird Survey is headed up by Gill Weyman, a PhD student from University College Cork who has teamed up with Fota Wildlife Park. She is calling on people throughout the country to take part in the survey. “We would ask everyone to keep their eyes peeled for ladybirds and, if they see one, to leave it where they find it, take a photo, make a note of the date, time, location and description of the ladybird (count the spots!) and go to www.biology.ie to submit their sighting,” she said.

“We would simply ask you to be vigilant and let us know if you spot a ladybird. The study is vital to help understand the distribution of ladybirds in Ireland and to help put plans in place to conserve Irish ladybirds, which are under threat from the Harlequin ladybird – a non-native ladybird species. Any help from the public will be greatly appreciated.”

IGG Chief Commissioner Helen Concannon said Ladybirds throughout Ireland are enjoying searching for ladybird beetles and finding out about the different species. “They have been amazed to discover from the id sheets that there are so many different kinds of ladybirds,” she said. “They always enjoy going outdoors and IGG encourages care for the environment and all living things.

“Ladybirds can earn Environmental Awareness and Bird Watcher badges while older girls – Brownies (age 7-10) and Guides (age 10-14) – can earn Nature Observer, Green Fingers and Tree Lore badges. The Nature Observer badge for Brownies includes carrying out a mini-beast/bug hunt to see what insects they can find.

“When we saw the ladybird survey online, it was a no-brainer that our girls would want to get involved and be part of a mission to help save native ladybirds.”

Find out more about Irish Girl Guides at www.irishgirlguides.ie and about the All Ireland Ladybird Survey at www.biology.ie.

ENDS

Contact:

Fiona Murdoch, Communications Officer, Irish Girl Guides.

Email: communications@irishgirlguides.ie

Tel: 085 8570565

Gill Weyman, UCC and Fota.

Email: ladybird@fotawildlife.ie

Tel: 089 4429013

Irish Girl Guides has approximately 12,000 members. Guiding started in Ireland in 1911 and operates throughout the 26 counties with 1,800 volunteer leaders providing an informal educational programme of fun and challenging activities that foster confidence and leadership skills in girls and young women, enabling them to develop to their full potential and to become responsible citizens. Girls from age 5+ can choose to earn a wide range of badges, including Community Action, Cultural Diversity, Disability Awareness, Drug Awareness, Online Surfer, Science Investigator, Engineering and Global Traveller. 

Irish Girl Guides partners with Dublin City University, Learnit Lego Education and Science Foundation Ireland to encourage girls to pursue STEM

Dublin, 17/06/2018 – Two hundred members of Irish Girl Guides have come up with a selection of innovative water solutions using Lego, which they showcased at an expo in Dublin City University yesterday [Saturday 16 June 2018].

The Brownies (Brownies is the branch of Irish Girl Guides for 7-10 year olds), who worked in teams of four, spent five weeks researching the issue of water sustainability and exploring innovative ways to preserve water.

Each team designed, built and programmed an autonomous motorised Lego model incorporating a range of sensors and motors. Each team also designed a poster with diagrams of the solution(s) they had come up with, the feasibility of executing the project and details of the programme used. Each group of four girls also underwent an interview about their solution(s).

Their work culminated in yesterday’s expo – similar to the BT Young Scientist Exhibition – where the girls displayed their projects and were on hand to explain to families, friends and visitors the creative solutions they had come up with.

The project, Irish Girl Guides Innovatively Engaging with STEM (IGGIES), is a partnership with Dublin City University’s Learnit Lego Education and is sponsored by Science Foundation Ireland.

Irish Girl Guides Chief Commissioner Helen Concannon said the organisation was delighted to undertake the project with Brownies from Dublin, Wicklow and Kildare and that they looked forward to rolling out the programme to members in other counties in the coming months.

“To kick off the project, 20 of our volunteer female leaders attended a one day training where they up-skilled and learned the technology themselves so they could impart it to the girls,” she said. “Already we have another 20 Leaders and 200 girls signed up to do a similar project in the autumn.

“Irish Girl Guides believes in challenging stereotypes and we have undertaken a number of initiatives in recent years to encourage our members to pursue STEM subjects in school and to consider pursuing careers in STEM.

“We are also committed to encouraging our girls to dream big and to take action to make a difference in their local communities and in the wider world. The IGGIES project is just one of a number of activities we are using to help our members learn about the Sustainable Development Goals and to explore ways in which they can help make the world a better place.”

ENDS

Contact:
Fiona Murdoch, Irish Girl Guides Communications Officer
Email: communications@irishgirlguides.ie
Tel: 085 8570565

Irish Girl Guides has approximately 12,000 members. Guiding started in Ireland in 1911 and operates throughout the 26 counties with 1,800 volunteer leaders providing an informal educational programme of fun and challenging activities that foster confidence and leadership skills in girls and young women, enabling them to develop to their full potential and to become responsible citizens. Girls from age 5+ can choose to earn a wide range of badges, including Community Action, Cultural Diversity, Disability Awareness, Drug Awareness, Online Surfer, Science Investigator, Engineering and Global Traveller.

– Members of Irish Girl Guides invite the public to join them in doing good turns during National Good Turn Week –

Dublin, 22/04/2018 – Members of Irish Girl Guides from every county will be carrying out a good turn each day during National Good Turn Week (23-29 April). With 12,000 members, that adds up to a whopping 84,000 good turns in one week!

They hope that members of the public will join them in their initiative that will see kindness and goodwill impact on communities throughout Ireland.

Younger Irish Girl Guides (IGG) members will help their parents with chores around the home (without being asked!) and share their lunch with their friends while older girls may offer to help an elderly neighbour with shopping, donate money or toys to charity or hold a bake sale to raise money for charity. Some girls are opting to do good turns for the environment, like walking or cycling to school or turning the tap off while brushing their teeth, with some IGG units organising litter picks in conjunction with An Taisce’s Spring Clean.

“A good turn is a kind act to help another person without being asked and without receiving payment for it,” says IGG Chief Commissioner Helen Concannon. “By carrying out good turns daily, the value of volunteering is impressed upon our members from a young age. Our youngest members from age five-plus learn about different ways they can help others at home and at school while our older girls get involved in community action projects and learn to use their voices and their skills to improve the world around them.”

Encouraging members of the public to do good turns each day too, Ms Concannon says: “It doesn’t matter what the good turn is – visiting someone in the community, listening to a friend in need or supporting a charity – once it’s something kind for someone else. Focussing on good turns helps us to see opportunities in everyday life and to become active citizens.

“We hope that thousands of people throughout Ireland will join us in doing good turns and we’re asking everyone to share their kind acts on social media using the hashtag #GoodTurns. Let’s do what we can to spread a little kindness!”

Irish Girl Guides welcomes new members from age 5+ and volunteer Leaders from age 18+. To find out more, see www.irishgirlguides.ie or telephone 01 6683898.

ENDS

Contact:

Fiona Murdoch, Communications Officer, Irish Girl Guides

Tel: 085 8570565

Email: communications@irishgirlguides.ie

Notes for editors:

Irish Girl Guides has approximately 12,000 members. Guiding started in Ireland in 1911 and operates throughout the 26 counties with 1,800 volunteer leaders providing an informal educational programme of fun and challenging activities that foster confidence and leadership skills in girls and young women, enabling them to develop to their full potential and to become responsible citizens. Girls from age 5+ can choose to earn a wide range of badges, including Community Action, Cultural Diversity, Disability Awareness, Drug Awareness, Online Surfer, Science Investigator, Engineering and Global Traveller. 

– Kate and Annie Madden named as Irish Girl Guides’ Honorary Ambassadors –

Dublin, 07/04/2018 – Award-winning teenage entrepreneurs, Kate and Annie Madden, are set to blaze a trail for Irish Girl Guides (IGG) over the course of the next 12 months.

The Meath sisters, who were prize winners at the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition in 2015 and who now head up a thriving equine health business, will be named Honorary Ambassadors at IGG’s annual Council meeting held in Dublin this afternoon [7 April]. They were chosen in recognition of the trail they have blazed for girls and young women in Ireland.

Kate (age 17) and Annie (age 16), who are students at Loreto College, St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin, won their prize at BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition with a study that looked at encouraging horses to eat by adding flavours to their feed. Little did they know that three years later, what started out as a science project would turn into a business involving eight people, and with exports to 15 countries over four continents.

FenuHealth produces powdered supplements that are sprinkled on top of equine feed to help prevent and solve the widespread problem of gastric ulcers in horses. The company has earned, among other accolades, an Enterprise Ireland People’s Choice Award in 2016.

The sisters will be presented with a Trailblazer Award by IGG President Maureen Murphy at today’s Council meeting.

Speaking ahead of the Council meeting, Ms Murphy said: “We are delighted that Kate and Annie Madden are our Ambassadors and congratulate them on their many achievements. They are inspirational peers for all our members. They are the good news story for young people today.

“In Guiding we support the girls and young women, as individuals, to reach their own full potential in a safe, fun environment that offers many different choices and opportunities. So having Kate and Annie on board will show how dreams can come true and how everything is possible.”

Kate said: “We are delighted to take on the role of Honorary Ambassadors for Irish Girl Guides over the coming year. Some of our school friends are Girl Guides and we are hugely impressed with the confidence and skills which they have. They are all well-rounded people with excellent life and business skills that show themselves in both commercial and social innovation”.

Annie said: “We love the fact that IGG helps girls to develop business skills through their Future CEOs cookie-selling programme and encourages them to pursue STEM activities through its Science Investigator and Engineering badges and Lego Robotics workshops. Our motto in FenuHealth is ‘never give up’ and this is a perfect match for the positivity and enthusiasm which is central to the Irish Girl Guides.

“We are really looking forward to meeting with many of the members in the year ahead. Both Kate and I know that we will learn a lot from the Irish Girl Guides – just as in business, there comes a time when you must stop talking about what you are going to do and just do it! We are really looking forward to being out of our comfort zone and learning new skills.”

Irish Girl Guides welcomes new members from age 5+ and volunteer Leaders from age 18+. To find out more, see www.irishgirlguides.ie or telephone 01 6683898.

ENDS

Contact:

Fiona Murdoch, Communications Officer, Irish Girl Guides

Tel: 085 8570565

Email: communications@irishgirlguides.ie

Notes for editors:

Irish Girl Guides has approximately 12,000 members. Guiding started in Ireland in 1911 and operates throughout the 26 counties with 1,800 volunteer leaders providing an informal educational programme of fun and challenging activities that foster confidence and leadership skills in girls and young women, enabling them to develop to their full potential and to become responsible citizens. Girls from age 5+ can choose to earn a wide range of badges, including Community Action, Cultural Diversity, Disability Awareness, Drug Awareness, Online Surfer, Science Investigator and Global Traveller. 

Dublin, 28/03/2018 – Forty-seven Cork Girl Guides are among the first girls to earn Irish Girl Guides’ new engineering badge, which was launched last month in partnership with Engineers Ireland.

The girls, aged 10-14, from Kinsale Guides, St Peter’s Guides, Bandon, and St Barbara’s Guides, Ballincollig, took part in a series of engineering tasks during a weekend camp at Cuskinny Court Group Activity Centre, Cobh.

One activity involved making a mechanical hand out of recycled materials. In patrols (groups), the girls had to brainstorm, draw and construct a hand, using materials like toilet rolls, straws, string and yogurt cartons.

Another task was to consider what problems we would face in 50 years’ time and come up with solutions. Some patrols came up with solutions to reduce pollution while others concentrated on recycling. Other problems tackled included online schooling, teleportation jewellery, cloning and genetic modification.

Another activity involved taking part in an oil spill clean-up experiment, so the girls could study the environmental damage caused by oil spills and how difficult it is for engineers to find ways to clean up spills. Writing in a blog on the Irish Girl Guides’ website, some of the girls wrote, “Each patrol had a basin of water, a feather (to represent a bird), a pom-pom ball (to represent a sea creature), a teaspoon of cooking oil, a drop of food colouring (to represent a chemical spill) and an ice-pop stick oil tanker.

“To make our oil spill, we put the boat, bird and sea creature into the water. Then we added the oil and the ‘chemical’. We noticed that the oil was sitting on top of the water and the colouring spread across the surface. We had to find a way to clean up the pollutants before they reached the beaches (the sides of the basin). We chose from a selection of straws, sponges, cotton wool, cloth and cardboard cut into small pieces. We found it almost impossible to remove all the oil from the water with absorbers and skimmers. In the end we added soap (washing up liquid) which formed an emulsion with the oil and water and helped us to clean up the oil.”

The girls greatly enjoyed taking part in the engineering activities and were delighted to be among the first members of Irish Girl Guides to achieve the new engineering badge.

Irish Girl Guides welcomes new members from age 5+ and adult volunteers from age 18+. To find out more, see www.irishgirlguides.ie, email info@irishgirlguides.ie or tel: 01 6683898.

ENDS

Contact:

Fiona Murdoch, Communications Officer, Irish Girl Guides

Email: communications@irishgirlguides.ie

Tel: 085 8570565

Notes for editors:

Irish Girl Guides has approximately 12,000 members. Guiding started in Ireland in 1911 and operates throughout the 26 counties with 1,800 volunteer leaders providing an informal educational programme of fun and challenging activities that foster confidence and leadership skills in girls and young women, enabling them to develop to their full potential and to become responsible citizens. Girls from age 5+ can choose to earn a wide range of badges, including Community Action, Cultural Diversity, Disability Awareness, Drug Awareness, Online Surfer, Science Investigator and Global Traveller. 

– 3,000 girls are on waiting lists to join Irish Girl Guides –

Dublin, 07/03/2018 – With 3,000 girls waiting to join the organisation, Irish Girl Guides is hoping that women throughout Ireland will step forward this International Women’s Day (8 March) to volunteer.

Irish Girl Guides (IGG) equips and empowers girls and young women from 5-30 years to grow in confidence, independence and resilience and to develop essential life-skills. Volunteers find that they benefit in the same way as the girls and that they enjoy the safe, non-competitive, fun atmosphere of Guiding. Many volunteers make friends for life with people they wouldn’t otherwise meet.

The Girl Guide programme is girl-led and incorporates a wide variety of activities which volunteers learn as they go – team games, recycled crafts, campfire songs, indoor and outdoor challenges. Girls are encouraged to get involved in every activity to the best of their ability in an unpressurised environment.

Volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds and have different skills to offer, as can be seen in IGG’s #becomeavolunteer campaign video, which features a Garda, a farmer, a mum, a solicitor, a teacher, a scientist and a quantity surveyor. IGG currently has 1,800 volunteers and always has room for more.

“Our message is that 3,000 girls are waiting because we need more women to volunteer,” says IGG Chief Commissioner Helen Concannon. “There are lots of ways to volunteer with us, from working directly with the girls as a Leader or Unit Helper, to support roles behind the scenes. No previous Guiding experience is necessary and we provide appropriate child protection training and resources. You will become part of a team of like-minded caring women who want to empower the next generation of girls and young women.

“Studies show that volunteering is good for mental health as you get a great deal of satisfaction from giving something to the community, developing new skills and building on existing experience and knowledge. The more we give, the happier we feel. Volunteering also increases self-confidence and is good for your CV as it demonstrates your commitment to the community and a willingness to work for the betterment of others.

“We have chosen International Women’s Day to launch our campaign as it is a day to celebrate women’s achievements and it’s a day for inspiration and change. Our volunteers are helping bring about change in the lives of girls and young women and we need more volunteers in order to reach greater numbers of girls. We encourage girls to pursue their dreams and to believe that they can achieve whatever they want to.

“We would like to welcome every single girl who wishes to join our organisation and, for this to happen, we need more women to step forward and volunteer. Even just giving one hour a week can make all the difference to a group of girls wanting to grow and develop their skills in an informal setting.”

To find out more, see www.irishgirlguides.ie, email info@irishgirlguides.ie or tel: 01 6683898. We’d love to hear from you!

ENDS

Contact:

Fiona Murdoch, Communications Officer, Irish Girl Guides Tel: 085 8570565

Email: communications@irishgirlguides.ie

Notes for editors:

Irish Girl Guides has approximately 12,000 members. Guiding started in Ireland in 1911 and operates throughout the 26 counties with 1,800 volunteer leaders providing an informal educational programme of fun and challenging activities that foster confidence and leadership skills in girls and young women, enabling them to develop to their full potential and to become responsible citizens. Girls from age 5+ can choose to earn a wide range of badges, including Community Action, Cultural Diversity, Disability Awareness, Drug Awareness, Online Surfer, Science Investigator and Global Traveller.

Dublin, 01/03/2018 – A Dublin Guide Leader will be a voice for 10 million girls on the United Nation’s world stage.

Aisling O’Boyle, age 21, is one of 12 youth representatives from around the globe selected by the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) to be part of its delegation at the 62^nd Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in New York.

The commission runs from 12 to 23 March and is dedicated to documenting female experiences, promoting equality, shaping global standards and empowering women. This year the commission’s theme is rural women and girls. Despite the unique challenges girls face, their voices are often missing from government decision-making and fall through the cracks of data used to drive policy.

As the world’s only movement for every girl and any girl, WAGGGS selects a delegation to represent girls during these discussions each year. The aim is to provide girls with a stronger collective voice, while having their views listened to and reflected at all levels of decision-making. Aisling will help ensure the voices of 10 million Girl Guides in 150 countries around the world are heard on issues that matter to them.

Aisling joined Irish Girl Guides as a Brownie at the age of six (Brownies is the branch of Irish Girl Guides for 7-10 year olds) and is now a leader in Centenary Guide Unit in Dundrum. She believes Guiding is of great importance to girls because it pushes girls out of their comfort zone by introducing them to new activities, new cultures, and new ideas.

Aisling believes two of the largest challenges facing girls today are harmful stereotypes and discriminatory gender norms. “I believe gender equality can be achieved but, for this to happen, it must be driven and directed. This process begins with empowering girls and young women by investing in education and providing them with an outlet to form opinions and develop confidence,” she said.

Aisling, who is in her final year of a Political Science and Geography degree at Trinity College Dublin, is delighted to have been selected as a CSW delegate and is excited to see how the theories of Political Science she has studied in college apply in a real-world policy context. She looks forward to highlighting Irish girls’ concerns about issues such as access to education, violence against women, the gender pay gap, and the lack of women in senior leadership positions.

ENDS

For more information, please contact:

Ireland – Aisling O’Boyle, CSW delegate
World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts
Phone: 087-6991332
Email: aislingoboyle1@gmail.com

Fiona Murdoch, Communications Officer

Irish Girl Guides

Phone: 085 8570565

Email: communications@irishgirlguides.ie

NOTES TO EDITORS

Irish Girl Guides has approximately 12,000 members. Guiding started in Ireland in 1911 and operates throughout the 26 counties with 1,800 volunteer leaders providing an informal educational programme of fun and challenging activities that foster confidence and leadership skills in girls and young women, enabling them to develop to their full potential and to become responsible citizens. Girls from age 5+ can choose to earn a wide range of badges, including Community Action, Cultural Diversity, Disability Awareness, Drug Awareness, Online Surfer, Science Investigator and Global Traveller.

The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) is the world’s only movement for every girl and any girl because we believe that each of them deserves to be the best they can be. The diverse Movement represents ten million girls and young women from 150 countries. Free to make what they want from the Movement, girls learn by doing, making friends and having fun. In safe, local spaces, girls develop the skills and attitudes to change themselves, their communities and our world. WAGGGS keeps the global Movement thriving, united and growing. www.wagggs.org

– Girls will wear their Guide uniforms to school to help expand the movement –

Dublin, 21/02/2018 – The 12,000 members of Irish Girl Guides will tomorrow [22 February 2018] join 10 million Girl Guides in 150 countries across the globe in celebrating the impact of Guiding on their communities.

Of the 800 million girls around the world today, 10 million are Girl Guides or Girl Scouts making the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts the biggest organisation for girls in the world. Involvement in Guiding has a positive impact on girls, helping them grow in confidence, independence and maturity as they develop essential life-skills.

World Thinking Day [22 February] is a day when Girl Guides across the globe give thanks for the international friendships they enjoy through the Guiding movement and raise money to deliver life-changing opportunities for girls in developing countries. This year’s World Thinking Day theme is ‘impact’.

Thousands of girls will be wearing their Irish Girl Guides (IGG) uniform to schools across Ireland tomorrow in an effort to raise the profile of the organisation and encourage more girls to give Guiding a go. They want to see even more girls have a space in which to grow and develop to their full potential and have an impact on their local communities and, as they grow older, the wider world.

Speaking ahead of World Thinking Day, IGG Chief Commissioner Helen Concannon said: “Everything we do in Girl Guiding has an impact on our lives and the lives of the people around us. My own life has been hugely impacted upon since joining as a Brownie over 30 years ago. By taking part in relevant, exciting and fun activities, our members experience positive change within themselves. As they develop different skills such as communication, collaboration, creativity, commitment and citizenship, they get motivated to make a positive change in the community and wider world. Hence, Girl Guiding impacts individually and collectively.”

Funds raised this World Thinking Day will help raise money for new Guiding projects, for the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts’ Stop the Violence campaign and for grants for girls and young women to attend leadership development projects.

Irish Girl Guides welcomes new members from age 5+ and volunteer Leaders from age 18+. To find out more, see www.irishgirlguides.ie or telephone 01-6683898.

ENDS

Contact:

Fiona Murdoch, Communications Officer, Irish Girl Guides

Tel: 085 8570565

Email: communications@irishgirlguides.ie

Notes for editors:

Irish Girl Guides has approximately 12,000 members. Guiding started in Ireland in 1911 and operates throughout the 26 counties with 1,800 volunteer leaders providing an informal educational programme of fun and challenging activities that foster confidence and leadership skills in girls and young women, enabling them to develop to their full potential and to become responsible citizens. Girls from age 5+ can choose to earn a wide range of badges, including Community Action, Cultural Diversity, Disability Awareness, Drug Awareness, Online Surfer, Science Investigator and Global Traveller.

World Thinking Day has been celebrated by Girl Guides and Girl Scouts worldwide since 1926. It is an opportunity for girls to appreciate the international friendship they find in Guiding, to raise money to help grow and share Guiding with more girls and young women around the world, and join together to take action on global issues.

Alison Cowzer of Dragon’s Den is helping spearhead entrepreneurial initiative

Ireland, 31/10/2017 – Girl Guides all around the country will be selling 30,000 packets of cookies during November as part of the inaugural Irish Girl Guides’ National Cookie Month.

Girl Scouts in the USA are well-known for raising funds through selling cookies but this will be the first time for Irish Girl Guides (IGG) to do so.

Girls from age five-plus will hone their entrepreneurial skills by selling choc-chip cookies to their families, friends and neighbours. By deciding how many packets to order, how to go about selling the biscuits and how they will spend the proceeds of their sales, the girls will develop money management and business skills.

IGG Chief Commissioner Helen Concannon says, “The initiative has been given the hashtag #FutureCEOs, which stands for Creating Entrepreneur Opportunities, and it is hoped that all girls who get involved will develop and strengthen teamwork, communication, money management and goal-setting skills.

“We want to change the imbalance of the number of women in decision-making positions across the various sectors of society such as business, communities, companies and board rooms all around Ireland and beyond. And this begins by giving girls confidence.”

Alison Cowzer of Dragon’s Den is partnering with IGG for the initiative and the choc-chip cookies have been made in the factory that she co-founded – East Coast Bakehouse, which is the biggest biscuit-making facility in Ireland. Ms Cowzer is delighted to lend her support, given that “it could take centuries to achieve equality without serious efforts to bring women into male-dominated spheres such as business and politics.”

She says the #FutureCEOs initiative will help foster a spirit of entrepreneurship among Irish girls and young women.

Irish Girl Guides welcomes new members age 5+ and adult volunteers from age 18+ (no previous Guiding experience is necessary). For further info see www.irishgirlguides.ie or tel: 01-6683898.

ENDS

Contact:

Fiona Murdoch, Communications Officer, Irish Girl Guides. Tel: 085 8570565

Notes for editors:

Irish Girl Guides has approximately 12,000 members. Guiding started in Ireland in 1911 and operates throughout the 26 counties with 1,800 volunteer leaders providing an informal educational programme of fun and challenging activities that foster confidence and leadership skills in girls and young women, enabling them to develop to their full potential and to become responsible citizens. Girls from age 5+ can choose to earn a wide range of badges, including Community Action, Cultural Diversity, Disability Awareness, Drug Awareness, Online Surfer, Science Investigator and Global Traveller. 

Alison Cowzer of Dragon’s Den helps spearhead entrepreneurial initiative

Ireland, 17/10/2017 – Members of Irish Girl Guides (IGG) from age five-plus will be honing their entrepreneurial skills next month [November] by selling cookies. A total of 30,000 packets of choc-chip cookies will be sold during Irish Girl Guides’ National Cookie Month.

By deciding how many packets to order, how to go about selling the biscuits and how they will spend the proceeds of their sales, the girls will develop money management and business skills.

IGG Chief Commissioner Helen Concannon says, “The initiative has been given the hashtag #FutureCEOs, which stands for Creating Entrepreneur Opportunities, and it is hoped that all girls who get involved will develop and strengthen teamwork, communication, money management and goal-setting skills.

“We want to change the imbalance of the number of women in decision-making positions across the various sectors of society such as business, communities, companies and board rooms all around Ireland and beyond. And this begins by giving girls confidence.”

Alison Cowzer of Dragon’s Den is partnering with IGG for the initiative and the choc-chip cookies are being made in the factory that she co-founded – East Coast Bakehouse, which is the biggest biscuit-making facility in Ireland. Ms Cowzer is delighted to lend her support, given that “it could take centuries to achieve equality without serious efforts to bring women into male-dominated spheres such as business and politics.”

She says the #FutureCEOs initiative will help foster a spirit of entrepreneurship among Irish girls and young women.

 

Irish Girl Guides welcomes new members age 5+ and adult volunteers from age 18+ (no previous Guiding experience is necessary). For further info see www.irishgirlguides.ie or tel: 01-6683898.

ENDS

Contact:

Fiona Murdoch, Communications Officer, Irish Girl Guides. Tel: 085 8570565

Notes for editors:

Irish Girl Guides has approximately 12,000 members. Guiding started in Ireland in 1911 and operates throughout the 26 counties with 1,800 volunteer leaders providing an informal educational programme of fun and challenging activities that foster confidence and leadership skills in girls and young women, enabling them to develop to their full potential and to become responsible citizens. Girls from age 5+ can choose to earn a wide range of badges, including Community Action, Cultural Diversity, Disability Awareness, Drug Awareness, Online Surfer, Science Investigator and Global Traveller.

www.irishgirlguides.ie

Girl Guides will receive Trail Blazer National Guide Award at Croke Park ceremony

Ireland, 13/10/2017 – Over 100 Girl Guides will receive the Trail Blazer National Guide Award – Irish Girl Guides’ highest award – at a special ceremony in Croke Park tomorrow [14 October 2017]. The 107 Girl Guides, aged 14-15, will travel from all corners of the country to receive the award and, with their families, celebrate reaching the pinnacle of Guiding.

Each girl will receive a Trail Blazer gold pin and a National Guide Award certificate from Irish Girl Guides (IGG) President Maureen Murphy and IGG Chief Commissioner Helen Concannon.

The Award is made in recognition of the successful completion of a series of challenges, including teamwork activities, outdoor survival skills, community service, global awareness and working with younger IGG members to help them develop confidence, independence and essential life-skills.

Speaking ahead of the ceremony, IGG President Maureen Murphy said: “All the recipients have worked hard on their own initiative and, in doing so, demonstrated self-motivation, commitment and enthusiasm. Each girl has blazed a trail in her community to earn the award and I am sure will continue to blaze a trail not only in her own community, but in wider society too.”

Irish Girl Guides welcomes new members from age 5 and volunteer leaders from age 18. Previous experience of Guiding is not necessary. To find out more, see www.irishgirlguides.ie. Tel: 01 6683898.

ENDS

Contact:

Fiona Murdoch, IGG Communications Officer

communications@irishgirlguides.ie

Tel: 085 8570565

Notes for editors:

Irish Girl Guides has approximately 12,000 members. Guiding started in Ireland in 1911 and operates throughout the 26 counties with 1,800 volunteer leaders providing an informal educational programme of fun and challenging activities that foster confidence and leadership skills in girls and young women, enabling them to develop to their full potential and to become responsible citizens. Girls from age 5+ can choose to earn a wide range of badges, including Community Action, Cultural Diversity, Disability Awareness, Drug Awareness, Online Surfer, Science Investigator and Global Traveller. 

www.irishgirlguides.ie

New Lottie doll launched at Irish Girl Guides’ international camp

Dublin, 04/08/2017 – A newly-launched Lottie doll is set to empower girls to become more adventurous and more confident and to pursue their dreams.

The Brownie figure, like all Lottie dolls, is modelled on the proportions of an average nine-year-old child. She comes with a Brownie uniform (Brownies is the Girl Guide branch for 7-10 year olds) and accessories include a tent, a kayak and camping equipment.

The doll was launched today at Irish Girl Guides’ international camp, IGGNITE2017, which has been taking place this week (30 July to 6 August) in Rockwell College, Cashel, Tipperary. 1,800 Girl Guides from 12 different countries are camping under canvas and taking part in a wide range of activities to help them ‘BE’ adventurous, active, confident, unique, limitless, inventive and to ‘BE’ survivors and advocates.

Launching the doll, Nicola Grinstead, Chair of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), said: “We love the way Lottie dolls are age-appropriate and relatable and they empower children to be themselves, to be imaginative, adventurous and, of course, to have fun. This partnership is a perfect fit for us as WAGGGS’s vision is that ‘All girls are valued and can take action to change the world’.”

Irish Girl Guides Chief Commissioner, Helen Concannon, said: “We hope the Lottie Brownie doll will not only encourage our younger members to be more active and adventurous, but will facilitate the empowerment of many more girls besides and might encourage them to become Brownies and Guides too.”

Ian Harkin, Managing Director of Arklu, the Donegal-based company that designs the Lottie dolls, described the new doll as “a must-have plaything for every young Brownie, who’ll be able to bring Brownie activities to life with Lottie in their very own home. She’ll appeal to other adventurous-minded children too.”

With over 500,000 active members in Ireland and the UK, and 10 million worldwide spanning 146 countries, WAGGGS is creating lifelong friendships between girls and young women. The organisation gives its members the skills, confidence and knowledge to become leaders and to support their communities. “This reflects Lottie’s positive values and inclusive view on childhood,” says Mr Harkin. “WAGGGS and Arklu both have as their mission to empower children to actively explore STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) activities and to pursue their dreams.”

The Lottie Brownie doll is suitable for children aged 3+. To find your nearest stockist, use the store locator on Lottie.com or order online. The doll retails at €19.95.

Irish Girl Guides welcomes new members from age 5+ and adult volunteers from age 18+. For more information, see www.irishgirlguides.ie or tel: 01 6683898.

ENDS

Contact:

Fiona Murdoch, Communications Officer, Irish Girl Guides 085 8570565

Notes to editors:

Lottie Dolls/Arklu

Lottie Dolls, an Irish doll company, believe that childhood should be an inclusive place where every child belongs regardless of gender, ethnicity or ability and aim to reflect that in their collection.

Developed alongside academics in child development, unlike other dolls, Lottie, Finn and Friends are based on nine-year-old children. The dolls are therefore relatable to all the elements of childhood – Lottie’s motto is ‘Be Bold, Be Brave, Be You!’

Six of the Lottie products to date have been inspired by ideas from real children ‘Inspired by Real Kids’ from around the world. When launching Lottie, the vision was to create a range of dolls that would empower children to be themselves, to be imaginative and adventurous and – most of all – to have fun! Lottie dolls are now on sale in over 30 countries around the world, their range of adventure chapter books published by Penguin are now also available in Easons, WH Smith, Amazon, on Lottie.com and at your local bookstore.

www.lottie.com

World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS)

The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts is the world’s only movement for every girl and any girl because it believes that each girl deserves to be the best she can be. Free to make what they want from the movement, girls learn by doing, make friends and have fun. In safe, local spaces, girls develop the skills and attitude to change themselves, their communities and our world. WAGGGS keeps the global movement thriving, united and growing.

www.wagggs.org

Irish Girl Guides

Irish Girl Guides has approximately 12,000 members. Guiding started in Ireland in 1911 and operates throughout the 26 counties with 1,800 volunteer leaders providing an informal educational programme of fun and challenging activities that foster confidence and leadership skills in girls and young women, enabling them to develop to their full potential and to become responsible citizens. Girls from age 5+ can choose to earn a wide range of badges, including Community Action, Cultural Diversity, Disability Awareness, Drug Awareness, Online Surfer, Science Investigator and Global Traveller. 

 www.irishgirlguides.ie

1,800 Girl Guides from 12 different countries are taking part in IGGNITE2017

Ireland, 30/07/2017 – 1,800 Girl Guides from 12 different countries are setting up camp today [30 July 2017] for the biggest ever international Girl Guide camp to take place in Ireland.

Girl Guides aged 10-16 from all over Ireland and 250 Girl Guides from overseas will be camping under canvas (no matter the weather!) for the next week in the grounds of Rockwell College, Cashel, Co Tipperary.

Joining Irish Girl Guides members are Girl Guides from the US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, Georgia, Zimbabwe, the Philippines and St Vincent and the Grenadines as well as England, Scotland and Finland.

“After two years of planning, we’re excited to be meeting the girls and finally setting up camp,” says IGGNITE2017 Camp Chief Jenny Gannon. “The girls will have a fantastic experience, trying out all sorts of team-building activities as well as enjoying fun and friendship with girls from around the globe.”

Activities will include water obstacle courses, kayaking, horse-riding, building rafts and rockets and playing quidditch as well as drama, music, body confidence, yoga, meditation and coding workshops.

“There is a serious side to camp too,” says Ms Gannon. “We are partnering with Trócaire, Concern, UNICEF and Irish Aid to help the girls learn about the Sustainable Development Goals and how to stand up for refugees and to advocate for gender equality.

“It is hoped that their experience at IGGNITE2017 will ignite their imaginations and a passion to contribute to their local communities. The girls will be encouraged to ‘BE’ active, adventurous, unique, inventive, limitless and to be survivors and advocates. In other words, they will explore their potential to make a difference to the world around them at home and overseas by speaking out on issues that concern them and inspiring others to take action too.”

Irish Girl Guides welcomes new members from age 5+ and adult volunteer leaders from age 18+. See www.irishgirlguides.ie for further information or tel: 01 6683898.

ENDS

Contact:

Fiona Murdoch, Communications Officer, Irish Girl Guides 085 8570565 or 086 1706923

Notes for editors:

Irish Girl Guides has approximately 12,000 members. Guiding started in Ireland in 1911 and operates throughout the 26 counties with 1,800 volunteer leaders providing an informal educational programme of fun and challenging activities that foster confidence and leadership skills in girls and young women, enabling them to develop to their full potential and to become responsible citizens. Girls from age 5+ can choose to earn a wide range of badges, including Community Action, Cultural Diversity, Disability Awareness, Drug Awareness, Online Surfer, Science Investigator and Global Traveller. 

IGGNITE2017 will be the biggest ever Girl Guide camp to take place in Ireland

Ireland, 13/07/2017 – Members of Irish Girl Guides are counting down the days until the start of the biggest ever Girl Guide camp to take place in Ireland. There are 17 days to go until IGGNITE2017, which will see 1,800 Girl Guides from 12 different countries camp under canvas in the grounds of Rockwell College, Cashel, Co Tipperary (from 30 July to 6 August 2017). 

There will be 10-16 year-old girls in attendance from all corners from Ireland as well as Girl Guides from the US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, Georgia, Zimbabwe and St Vincent and the Grenadines as well as England, Scotland and Finland.

“After two years of planning, we’re excited to be in the final days of the countdown until camp takes place,” says IGGNITE2017 Camp Chief Jenny Gannon. “We can’t wait to welcome all the girls and introduce them to the different kinds of fun and adventurous activities they’ll be taking part in during the camp.”

Activities will include kayaking, horse-riding, water obstacle courses, building rafts and rockets and playing quidditch as well as drama, music, body confidence, yoga, meditation and coding workshops. “The girls will also learn how to advocate for gender equality and to stand up for refugees and, by learning about the Sustainable Development Goals, it is hoped they will be enthused to make a difference in their local communities and overseas,” says Ms Gannon.

“Guiding aims to ignite a social and environmental conscience in our members from age five-plus while they take part in team-building and problem-solving games and challenges. They learn how to speak out on issues that concern them and how to inspire others to take action too.

“Our overall aim is to see our members become responsible citizens of the world; that is part of our ethos. Guiding is also a wonderful place to make friends for life!”

Irish Girl Guides welcomes new members from age 5+ and adult volunteer leaders from age 18+. See www.irishgirlguides.ie for further information or tel: 01 6683898. 

ENDS

Notes for editors:

Irish Girl Guides has approximately 12,000 members. Guiding started in Ireland in 1911 and operates throughout the 26 counties with 1,800 volunteer leaders providing an informal educational programme of fun and challenging activities that foster confidence and leadership skills in girls and young women, enabling them to develop to their full potential and to become responsible citizens. Girls from age 5+ can choose to earn a wide range of badges, including Community Action, Cultural Diversity, Disability Awareness, Drug Awareness, Online Surfer, Science Investigator and Global Traveller. 

1,800 Girl Guides will camp outdoors in Tipperary

Ireland, 06/06/2017 – 1,800 Girl Guides will camp under canvas at Rockwell College, Tipperary, from 30 July to 6 August 2017. It will be the biggest Girl Guide camp to ever take place in Ireland! The girls, who will be aged 10-16, will come from the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Georgia as well as the UK and all corners of Ireland.

Health promotion will be a large feature of the camp with girls taking part in a wide range of fun and educational health-promoting activities – everything from assault courses, kayaking, building rafts, playing quidditch, building rockets and volcanoes to cooking dishes from around the world and taking part in music, dance, body confidence, yoga and meditation workshops. There will also be trainings on climate justice and sustainability and how to advocate for gender equality and to stand up for refugees.

The girls will help prepare healthy meals and will have limited access to their phones. They will also have the option of undertaking an overnight survival exercise.

The girls will also learn about the Sustainable Development Goals and will explore ways that they can make a difference in their local communities and overseas.

There will also be interesting visitors to the camp, including supermodel and Miss International Ireland Katherine Gannon who will talk to the girls about air-brushing and what goes on behind the scenes in the modelling industry. Katherine believes the most important thing in life is to be happy and healthy. Her attitude ties in nicely with our Free Being Me body confidence programme, which boosts girls’ body image and body confidence as it encourages girls to accept their natural body shapes and to be free to use their bodies for what they enjoy, whether that is dance or sport etc.

Blogger and social commentator Sinéad Burke (aka Minnie Mélange) will also attend the camp. As an advocate for equality, Sinéad will encourage the girls to speak up for equality and to strive for a world where equality is a reality, not an aspiration.

Guiding helps girls and young women develop a social and environmental conscience while taking part in team-building and problem-solving games and challenges. It gives girls the opportunity to step outside their comfort zones, challenge themselves, try new things and make new friends. It helps them expand their horizons while increasing their inter-personal skills. Girls discover that their voices matter and learn to speak up on behalf of others and take action where they see injustice.

ENDS

Contact:

Fiona Murdoch

Communications Officer

Irish Girl Guides, 27 Pembroke Park, Dublin 4
Tel: 01 6683898/085 8570565
www.irishgirlguides.ie

Minnie Mélange named as Irish Girl Guides’ Honorary Ambassador

Dublin, 06/04/2017 – Irish Girl Guides has named blogger, social commentator and Alternative Miss Ireland, Sinéad Burke, as its Honorary Ambassador for 2017 in recognition of the trail she has blazed for Irish women.

Ms Burke, who is also known by her alter ego Minnie Mélange, was presented with a Trailblazer Award by Irish Girl Guides (IGG) President Maureen Dillon at the organisation’s annual Council meeting.

Ms Dillon said she was delighted to welcome Ms Burke as the recipient of the Irish Girl Guides’ Ambassador Award. “Sinéad is a primary school teacher, a PhD candidate, a broadcaster, a public speaker, Alternative Miss Ireland and, under her alter ego Minnie Mélange, a blogger and social commentator,” she said.

“Sinéad is a person of great spirit and heart who has already gone far. We are very fortunate that she is to be our Trailblazer Ambassador for the next 12 months as, in a short time, she has blazed a trail for women in so many aspects of modern day Irish society. A wonderful advocate for girls and women, she is working hard to create a future where equality is a reality rather than an aspiration.”

Addressing IGG Council members, Ms Burke said: “So many of the personal characteristics that I’m proud to possess as an adult were first instigated and nurtured in my childhood,” she said. “Qualities such as resilience, kindness, leadership, organisation, empathy, thoughtfulness and a deep understanding of the power of friendship were modelled and then emulated during the many intensely pleasurable years I spent as a Girl Guide.

“The organisation has transformed the ways in which young Irish women and girls are positioned in Irish society, but it has also enriched members with experiences and networks that challenge, support and satisfy their curiosities and ambitions.

“Most importantly, the Girl Guides has cultivated a safe space where girls and young women can admit their vulnerabilities and revel in their unique successes. It arms the next generation with confidence, pride and an awareness that encourages them to speak out against injustices and chase the most aspirational realities. I could not be more honoured to be this year’s Honorary Ambassador for the Irish Girls Guides and am tangibly excited to meet with and learn from the young women.”

Irish Girl Guides welcomes new members from age 5+ and volunteer Leaders from age 18+. To find out more, see www.irishgirlguides.ie or telephone 01 6683898.

ENDS

Contact:

Fiona Murdoch, Communications Officer, Irish Girl Guides

Tel: 085 8570565

Email: communications@irishgirlguides.ie

Notes for editors:

Irish Girl Guides has approximately 12,000 members. Guiding started in Ireland in 1911 and operates throughout the 26 counties with 1,800 volunteer leaders providing an informal educational programme of fun and challenging activities that foster confidence and leadership skills in girls and young women, enabling them to develop to their full potential and to become responsible citizens. Girls from age 5+ can choose to earn a wide range of badges, including Community Action, Cultural Diversity, Disability Awareness, Drug Awareness, Online Surfer, Science Investigator and Global Traveller.

Lucan Guide Leader takes part in 61^st Commission on the Status of Women

Ireland, 29/03/2017 – A Lucan Guide Leader had the honour of representing 10 million Girl Guides at the 61^st Commission on the Status of Women (CSW61) in New York.

Jenna Goodwin was one of 11 young women from around the world representing the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) at CSW61 – the principal body dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women at the United Nations.

Ms Goodwin, who is Assistant Chief Commissioner of the Irish Girl Guides, delivered a statement on behalf of WAGGGS at an interactive expert panel on “Enhancing availability and use of data and gender statistics to support accelerated implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals”.

She talked about the importance of collecting data by age, gender and other categories so that progress for all girls is adequately captured. She also spoke about U-Report, a social messaging tool developed by WAGGGS and UNICEF to enable anyone anywhere to speak out on the issues they care about.

“I am just one voice, but I am proud to have represented 10 million voices of WAGGGS members around the world,” she said.

Ms Goodwin took part in various sessions, including “Young Women and Mental Health” and “The voices of young women in peace and security” as well as skills exchange labs on digital and political advocacy. As a member of the WAGGGS team, she was also involved in running a session on the Free Being Me body confidence programme while other members of the delegation ran a session on WAGGGS’s Stop the Violence campaign.

She relished the opportunity to hear “some amazing speakers”, including Amina Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations.

The overall theme of CSW61 was “Women’s Economic Empowerment in the Changing World of Work” and, as a member of the WAGGGS delegation, Ms Goodwin had the opportunity to sit on various panels at different events in conjunction with other non-governmental organisations to speak out on important issues such as empowering girls’ economic futures through education, addressing discriminatory social norms and practices that inhibit girls and young women in society today.

“Throughout the two weeks, we each had the chance to influence policy makers by meeting with our governments to lobby them on the important and unique issues facing girls and young women in today’s society,” said Ms Goodwin. “Women’s economic empowerment starts with girls and we wanted governments to understand that investing in girls is a primary means of increasing economic outcomes for them in later life.”

On St Patrick’s Day Ms Goodwin attended a reception at the Irish Permanent Mission to the United Nations where she met with decision-makers from the Irish government as well as officials from the Permanent Mission who were engaged in negotiations on the CSW’s Agreed Conclusions and had the chance to share WAGGGS’s key messages and highlight the importance of governments recognising the unique perspectives of girls and young women and the barriers preventing gender equality.

“Being part of this delegation has been an amazing opportunity for me to not only represent WAGGGS at a global level, but also to have a meaningful impact on global decision makers to ensure that the challenges facing girls and young women are taken into account,” said Ms Goodwin. “I have had the chance to develop my public speaking and critical thinking skills as well as connect with Girl Guides and Girl Scouts from around the world.”

ENDS

1,800 Girl Guides from around the world to camp outdoors in Tipperary

Ireland, 10/03/2017 – Irish Girl Guides are delighted to be hosting Ireland’s biggest ever international Guide camp this summer. 1,800 Girl Guides from all around the world are expected to take part in the outdoor camp in the grounds of Rockwell College, Tipperary, from 30 July to 6 August 2017.

Since issuing an invitation to Guides aged 10-16 worldwide, the IGGNITE2017 camp organisers are delighted to have received bookings from Girl Guides in Canada, the US, New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, Georgia and Zambia as well as England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

“We’re thrilled to have received such a great response and we’re looking forward to hosting Ireland’s biggest Girl Guide camp ever and giving our overseas visitors a warm Irish welcome,” says IGGNITE2017 Camp Chief Jenny Gannon. “Some of our Guides and Leaders have visited Rockwell already; it’s a great location and the grounds are perfect for camping. Having a lake is a definite bonus as the girls will have the opportunity to kayak and do other water-based activities.”

The camp will see the girls building rafts, playing quidditch, cooking dishes from around the world, building rockets and volcanoes and doing an assault course as well as taking part in drama, music, body confidence, yoga, meditation and coding workshops. There will also be sessions on climate justice and sustainability and trainings on how to advocate for gender equality and to stand up for refugees. Day trips will include a visit to Cloughjordan eco village and to nearby Cashel where the girls will take part in a community mural project.

“We want to give the girls a fun and memorable experience,” says Ms Gannon. “As well as the water sports and all the many other fun activities we will arrange for them, there will be a serious side to the camp too. Through a variety of activities and challenges, the girls will learn about the Sustainable Development Goals and they will be encouraged to explore ways that they can make a difference in their local communities and overseas.

“Guiding helps girls develop interpersonal skills and a social and environmental conscience while taking part in team-building and problem-solving games and challenges. They also learn how to speak out on issues that concern them and how to inspire others to take action too.”

Irish Girl Guides welcomes new members from age 5+ and adult volunteer leaders from age 18+. See www.irishgirlguides.ie for further information or tel: 01 6683898.

ENDS

Notes for editors:

Irish Girl Guides has approximately 12,000 members. Guiding started in Ireland in 1911 and operates throughout the 26 counties with 1,800 volunteer leaders providing an informal educational programme of fun and challenging activities that foster confidence and leadership skills in girls and young women, enabling them to develop to their full potential and to become responsible citizens. Girls from age 5+ can choose to earn a wide range of badges, including Community Action, Cultural Diversity, Disability Awareness, Drug Awareness, Online Surfer, Science Investigator and Global Traveller. 

Former Supreme Court Judge says today’s Girl Guides will be leaders in achieving a 50-50 world

Ireland, 07/03/2017 – Women will not reach economic parity with men until 2133 if the current rate of progress continues, according to the World Economic Forum. The Irish Girl Guides (IGG) say this is not soon enough and are joining the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in calling for transformative change to take place within the current generation of girls and young women.

“Our members are not prepared to wait over 100 years for economic parity,” says IGG Chief Commissioner Helen Concannon. “The current generation of girls needs to see transformative change during their lifetime and, as an organisation, we are committed to making that happen.

“Girl Guides began because a small group of girls turned up to a rally for boys saying they wanted the same opportunities. In the 100 years since, some things have improved in Ireland but not for girls around the world.

“Far too many girls are held back because of harmful norms and gender stereotypes in society. IGG gives girls a safe space where they can develop resilience and leadership skills and the ability to speak up and take action to change their world and the world around them. We aim to create a safer, more equal world for girls and young women everywhere.”

Ms Concannon was speaking ahead of International Women’s Day (8 March 2017). This year’s theme ‘Women in the Changing World of Work: Planet 50-50’ throws the spotlight on how to ensure women’s economic empowerment in the world of work.

IGG members are sharing on social media their female role models – what makes these women so special and how they inspire them. The wider public is encouraged to share their role models too using the hashtag #GreatGirlLeaders.

Former Supreme Court Judge Catherine McGuinness, who is a former Girl Guide and is currently an ambassador for the organisation, says: “It’s great to see Irish Girl Guides taking an active part in International Women’s Day. From its very beginnings the Irish Girl Guide movement has encouraged not just equality but also leadership among girls and women.

“The Planet 50-50 in the Changing World of Women at Work is certainly just as relevant here in Ireland as it is on the international scene. We still have a long way to go before we actually stand on that 50-50 planet! I know that today’s generation of Irish Girl Guides will be leaders in achieving that 50-50 world.”

Irish Girl Guides welcomes new members from age 5-30 and volunteer leaders from age 18+. For further information, see www.irishgirlguides.ie or tel: 01 6683898.

ENDS

Contact:

Fiona Murdoch, Communications Officer, Irish Girl Guides. Tel: 085 8570565

Notes for editors:

Irish Girl Guides has approximately 12,000 members. Guiding started in Ireland in 1911 and operates throughout the 26 counties with 1,800 volunteer leaders providing an informal educational programme of fun and challenging activities that foster confidence and leadership skills in girls and young women, enabling them to develop to their full potential and to become responsible citizens. Girls from age 5+ can choose to earn a wide range of badges, including Community Action, Cultural Diversity, Disability Awareness, Drug Awareness, Online Surfer, Science Investigator and Global Traveller. 

Girls wear their Irish Girl Guides’ uniforms to school to help expand the movement

Ireland, 22/02/2017 – The 12,000 members of Irish Girl Guides are today joining 10 million Girl Guides in 146 countries across the globe in taking action to ‘grow’ the Guiding movement. 

Of the 800 million girls around the world today, 10 million are Girl Guides or Girl Scouts. It is hoped to increase that number so that even more girls have a safe space in which to grow and develop to their full potential.

World Thinking Day [22 February] is a day when Girl Guides across the globe give thanks for the international friendships they enjoy through the Guiding movement and raise money to deliver life-changing opportunities for girls in underprivileged communities in developing countries. This year’s World Thinking Day theme is ‘Growth’.

Thousands of girls have been wearing their Irish Girl Guides (IGG) uniform to school for a day this week or last week in an effort to raise the profile of the organization and encourage more girls and young women to join.

IGG Chief Commissioner Helen Concannon said: “We believe that every girl should have the chance to grow, learn and reach her full potential. By joining Ladybirds (age 5-7), Brownies (age 7-10), Guides (age 10-14) or Senior Branch (age 14-30), girls and young women can grow in confidence and independence while developing teamwork, leadership and other essential life skills.”

Ms Concannon said that involvement in Guiding also helped girls and women develop a social and environmental conscience and discover how they can make a difference in their local communities and in the wider world. “Teenage members and young adults also have exciting opportunities to travel and experience different cultures as they mix with Guides from other countries,” she said.

“Guiding provides a safe space where girls can grow and we hope to see the Guide movement grow in Ireland and across the world. We promote fun and friendship and personal growth and, as members of the largest voluntary movement dedicated to girls and young women in the world, the opportunity to take action to promote equality and justice locally and globally.”

Shannon Harkin (age 11) of Seashell Guides, Ballygarrett, Co Wexford, enjoyed wearing her Guide uniform to school. “Some of my friends thought it was nice and they were asking about the badges and what they were for. It was nice to be able to tell them what we do in Guides,” she said. “I like that we get to choose what we want to do and learn lots of new skills and I like that you get to meet different groups of Guides.”

Eva Casey (age 11) of Seashell Guides, Ballygarrett, Co Wexford, said she especially enjoyed camping and day trips. “You become more independent and you get a lot of confidence as you do new things. You always come out of Guide meetings in a happy mood.”

Irish Girl Guides welcomes new members from age 5+ and volunteer Leaders from age 18-80. To find out more, see www.irishgirlguides.ie or telephone 01-6683898.

ENDS

Contact:

Fiona Murdoch, Communications Officer, Irish Girl Guides

Tel: 085 8570565

Email: communications@irishgirlguides.ie

Notes for editors:

Irish Girl Guides has approximately 12,000 members. Guiding started in Ireland in 1911 and operates throughout the 26 counties with 1,800 volunteer leaders providing an informal educational programme of fun and challenging activities that foster confidence and leadership skills in girls and young women, enabling them to develop to their full potential and to become responsible citizens. Girls from age 5+ can choose to earn a wide range of badges, including Community Action, Cultural Diversity, Disability Awareness, Drug Awareness, Online Surfer, Science Investigator and Global Traveller. 

World Thinking Day has been celebrated by Girl Guides and Girl Scouts worldwide since 1926. It is an opportunity for girls to appreciate the international friendship they find in Guiding, to raise money to help grow and share Guiding with more girls and young women around the world, and join together to take action on global issues.

Jillian van Turnhout receives Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite

Ireland, 10/02/2017 – Irish Girl Guides congratulates its former Chief Commissioner, Jillian van Turnhout, on being awarded the prestigious Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite by the President of the French Republic.  

The Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite – the second highest national order of France – was presented to Ms van Turnhout by the Ambassador of France to Ireland, H.E. Jean-Pierre Thébault, last night at an event in his Dublin residence.

The award was made in recognition of van Turnhout’s work in strengthening children’s rights and for her engagement with civil society organisations across Europe.

Van Turnhout, who is a former senator, was Chief Commissioner of the Irish Girl Guides (IGG) from 2001 to 2007. She continues her involvement in the organisation in her role as District Commissioner and a Trainer on Code of Ethics. She chaired its Programme Review Steering Group, which resulted in the introduction of a brand new programme across all age ranges in 2015.

The current IGG Chief Commissioner, Helen Concannon, who attended the event, said: “We are delighted to congratulate Jillian on the acknowledgement by another country of her tireless work for young people. She epitomises what the Baden Powells, the founders of Guiding and Scouting, meant when they said, ‘Girls should be brought up to be comrades and helpers, not to be dolls. They should take a real and not a visionary share in the welfare of the nation.’

“We are proud of all Jillian has achieved and all she continues to achieve through her involvement with Girl Guides,” she added.

Ms van Turnhout said she was immensely honoured to be recognised by the President of the French Republic. “I strongly believe we must equip girls and young women, across the world, to achieve their full potential. This is why I continue to be a proud and active member of the Irish Girl Guides,” she said.

“As a global movement, Guiding has given me life skills and instilled a value system that keeps me striving for a better, fairer and more inclusive society. Thank you to everyone who has supported me, and continues to support me, on my journey.”

ENDS

Contact:

Fiona Murdoch, Communications Officer, Irish Girl Guides. Tel: 085 8570565.

Notes for editors:

Irish Girl Guides has approximately 12,000 members. Ladybirds are age 5-7, Brownies age 7-10, Guides age 10-14 and Senior Branch members age 14-30. Guiding started in Ireland in 1911 and operates throughout the 26 counties with 1,800 volunteer leaders providing an informal educational programme of fun and challenging activities that foster confidence and leadership skills in girls and young women, enabling them to develop to their full potential and to become responsible citizens of the world. Girls can choose to earn a wide range of badges, including Arts and Crafts, Community Action, Cultural Diversity, Disability Awareness, Drug Awareness, Online Surfer, Science Investigator and Global Traveller.

Galway supermodel lends her support to Girl Guides’ Free Being Me programme

Ireland, 07/02/2017 – Miss International Ireland, Katherine Gannon, has given her thumbs up to the Girl  Guides’ Free Being Me body confidence campaign, which is empowering young people across Ireland to speak out and challenge body image myths.

Gannon, a 25-year-old model from Galway, believes that health and happiness should always come first. Speaking to members of Irish Girl Guides (IGG) in Lucan earlier this week, Gannon said: “If you don’t have health and you don’t have happiness, you don’t have anything.”

Gannon, who is an accounts manager by day, is on a mission to tell girls and women that “there is nothing wrong with you just the way you are”. She said: “My message to girls and young women is to never go down a road that is unhealthy. If you’re not healthy and happy doing something, then there’s no point in doing it.”

This message ties in with the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts/Dove Free Being Me programme that IGG and the Catholic Guides of Ireland have been promoting the past three years.

Free Being Me gives girls an insight into airbrushing and teaches them that the images they see of women in the media have more often than not been digitally altered. This boosts their self-esteem and helps them to accept their natural body shape and to use their bodies for what they enjoy – whether that is sport, dance, music etc.

Until she did a reality TV show, Fashion Hero, in the autumn, Gannon did not go anywhere without wearing make-up. Since the show, however, which saw her “stripped” of make-up at one point, she has happily gone without make-up for much of the time.

Initially she found it traumatic to have to remove her fake tan and make-up, but in the end she found it “freeing” when she was told she looked just as beautiful without. It has given her the confidence to go without and she no longer wears any make-up to work.

When Gannon came across Free Being Me on the internet and how it portrays “such a great image of women and gives girls something to look up to”, she got in touch with IGG to say she would like to give her backing to the campaign. She liked the fact that Free Being Me was “a healthy message, a positive message that promotes positive thinking”.

Gannon, who got her first taste of modelling at the age of 13 and whose titles have included World Supermodel Ireland and Miss Galaxy Ireland, is these days more interested in pageantry and promoting causes she believes in than modelling for modelling’s sake.

She enjoyed learning more about Free Being Me from Griffeen Valley Brownies (age 7-10) and Guides (age 10-14) in Lucan who have completed the programme. When they told her that one of the things they had learned was how to take compliments, she said we should definitely compliment each other more.

Emily-Ruth Brennan (age 14) said she had learned that it was OK to be herself. “You don’t have to be perfect for anyone,” she said. “You don’t need to go starving yourself or go to extreme lengths to look perfect. You don’t have to have a flat stomach and super skinny thighs. You’re fine just being yourself.”

Alana McDonnell (13) said she had learned that everyone was insecure and that you shouldn’t have to change anything about yourself. “Free Being Me gave me more confidence and I know that it helped lots of other girls in the Guide unit too,” she said.

Ellie-Rose Cawley (13) said she believed Free Being Me was especially helpful for teenagers who use social media because “they see lots of pictures of beautiful people and they feel pressured to look like them …. You shouldn’t worry about how you look; as long as what is in the inside is nice, that is what matters.”

ENDS

Contact:

Fiona Murdoch, Communications Officer, Irish Girl Guides. Tel: 085 8570565.

Notes for editors:

Free Being Me – The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) and Dove believe that every girl and young woman should be given the opportunity to fulfil her potential. Body confidence is an important building block of self-esteem. A young woman with high self-esteem believes in herself and her abilities, and feels empowered to make her own choices in life, make her voice heard and make a difference to her local and global community. Free Being Me is an innovative and non-formal education cutting-edge programme for 7-14 year olds. It is based on the latest research into how to increase young people’s body confidence through fun, non-formal educational activities.

All girls who take part in the Free Being Me activities and carry out the Take Action project earn a Free Being Me badge – the first body confidence badge of its kind. For further information see www.freebeingme.com.

World-leading research base – WAGGGS has worked closely with world-leading experts in body confidence education to ensure that Free Being Me has a real and lasting impact on participants’ body confidence. The programme is grounded in over a decade of research and experience of improving girls’ body confidence, from the Body Project Collaborative – a team of researchers and psychologists. Studies by The Body Project and other leading researchers have shown that taking part in activities like those in Free Being Me has a lasting impact on girls’ well-being. One study found that three years after taking part in Body Project activities:

• 60% of girls had significantly improved body confidence
• 78% of girls feel more confident and capable at school
• 71% of girls had better relationships with their peers
• 53% got on better with their families

National Good Turn Week will benefit local communities throughout Ireland, says Newstalk presenter Sarah McInerney

Ireland, 27/11/2016 – A whopping 84,000 Good Turns will be carried out by Irish Girl Guides (IGG) members throughout Ireland this week [from 27 November to 3 December]. Girls from age 5+ will voluntarily tidy up their toys, pick up litter, or say something nice to cheer up a friend, while older girls will complete a range of kind acts – from offering to get groceries for an elderly neighbour, packing Christmas presents for those in need, donating blood or supporting a charity.

Speaking ahead of today’s launch of National Good Turn Week in the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin, [12.30pm Sunday 27 November 2016], IGG Chief Commissioner Helen Concannon said that, by each of IGG’s 12,000 members doing a Good Turn each day this week, it would amount to an incredible total of 84,000 Good Turns across Ireland.

“Good Turns are at the heart of what Girl Guiding is about,” she said. “A Good Turn is a kind act to help another person without being asked and without receiving payment for it,” she said.

“When girls become members of the Girl Guides, they promise to help other people and to do at least one Good Turn every day. The important thing is that these are tasks which a girl has not been asked to do – they are not chores, but something she notices needs to be done and she just does it. This is a skill we need all young people to develop – to be active citizens helping others in their communities.”

Newstalk presenter Sarah McInerney, who is a former Girl Guide, was happy to lend her support at today’s launch and has committed to doing Good Turns during the week too. “National Good Turn Week will be positive for individuals, families and communities,” she said. “By the end of the week all the good turns will have had a ripple effect, reaching people across the country. You don’t have to be an IGG member to get involved, so today is a call for everyone to join us throughout Ireland. Let’s make it a week to feel good about. When you do your Good Turn, share it with the community on social media using the hashtag GoodTurns.”

Anastasia Fitzgerald, a 10-year-old IGG member from Clonmel, said she was looking forward to doing lots of Good Turns. “National Good Turn Week means to me the opportunity to help in my community and to show how kind and helpful everyone can be without expecting anything in return,” she said.

Sarah Glynn, a 10-year-old Girl Guide from Carlow, said that she was going to make an extra effort to be helpful in school by offering to do jobs for her teacher. She said she would also be aware of any of her classmates who needed help finishing their work and would offer to help them. She also promised her parents to do extra jobs around the house in order to give them a rest.

“I can’t believe that 84,000 Good Turns will be done by IGG members – Ladybirds, Brownies, Guides, Senior Branchers and Leaders – in one week,” she said. “It’s awesome!”

Irish Girl Guides welcomes girls from age 5+ and volunteer leaders from age 18+. To find out more, see www.irishgirlguides.ie or tel: 01 6683898.

ENDS 

Contact:

Fiona Murdoch, Communications Officer, Irish Girl Guides Tel: 085 8570565

Notes for editors:

Irish Girl Guides has approximately 12,000 members. Ladybirds are age 5-7, Brownies age 7-10, Guides age 10-14 and Senior Branch members age 14-30. Guiding started in Ireland in 1911 and operates throughout the 26 counties with 1,800 volunteer leaders providing an informal educational programme of fun and challenging activities that foster confidence and leadership skills in girls and young women, enabling them to develop to their full potential and to become responsible citizens of the world. Girls can choose to earn a wide range of badges, including Arts and Crafts, Community Action, Cultural Diversity, Disability Awareness, Drug Awareness, Online Surfer, Science Investigator and Global Traveller.

68 teenagers receive the highest Girl Guide Award

Ireland, 23/10/2016 – Sixty-eight members of Irish Girl Guides (IGG) received the Trail Blazer National Guide Award – the organisation’s highest Girl Guide award – at a special ceremony in Croke Park on Saturday [22 October 2016].

The girls, aged 14-15, travelled from all around the country with their families to celebrate reaching the pinnacle of Guiding. Each Girl Guide received a Trail Blazer gold pin and a National Guide Award certificate from IGG President Maureen Dillon and IGG Chief Commissioner Helen Concannon.

The Trail Blazer pin, which was awarded for the first time this year as part of IGG’s new Journey Programme, is made in recognition of the successful completion of a series of challenges, including teamwork activities, outdoor survival skills, community service, global awareness and working with younger IGG members to help them develop confidence, independence and essential life-skills.

Presenting the awards, IGG President Maureen Dillon said: “All of you here today are worthy recipients of the highest award in Guiding. Each of you has worked hard on your own initiative and, in doing so, demonstrated self-motivation, commitment and enthusiasm.

“You have each blazed a trail during your time in IGG in order to receive this Award and I have no doubt that all of you will continue to blaze a trail – not just in your local communities but in wider society too. We are hugely proud of each and every one of you.”

 

Congratulating the Guides, IGG Chief Commissioner Helen Concannon said: “Well done to all of you for working to your fullest potential. We know that you will continue to use the life-skills you have developed for the benefit of the wider world. We are delighted that many of you are continuing to be involved in IGG as members of Senior Branch where you will continue to develop confidence and self-reliance as responsible citizens and have exciting opportunities to travel and represent IGG at international Guide events.”

Carol O’Brady, Chair of Guide Branch, said: “We are delighted to have 68 Guides receive the National Guide Award today. In Guiding girls are awarded for doing their best and each one of you has done her best – working on your own initiative to carry out a series of challenges. You have learned new skills, which will equip you for life. You have worked hard to achieve what you set out to do and so we say a big ‘well done’ to each and every one of you. We encourage you to dream big and to continue to strive to fulfil your potential.”

Lt Jennifer Larkin of the Army Equitation School also attended the National Guide Award ceremony and presented 21 national flags to the organisation. She said: “I was delighted to attend the National Girl Guides Awards to speak to them about our national flag and about how the Defence Forces work as a team, much like how the Guides have done to achieve such an award. Similar to our Defence Forces values, the girls have shown physical and moral courage to accomplish this.”

Irish Girl Guides welcomes new members from age 5 and volunteer leaders from age 18. Previous experience of Guiding is not necessary. To find out more, see www.irishgirlguides.ie. tel: 01 6683898.

ENDS

Contact: Fiona Murdoch, IGG Communications Officer: 085 8570565 or 086 1706923

Notes for editors: Irish Girl Guides has approximately 12,000 members, including 1,800 volunteer leaders. Guiding started in Ireland in 1911 and operates throughout the 26 counties with the volunteer leaders providing an informal educational programme of fun and challenging activities that foster confidence and leadership skills in girls and young women, enabling them to become responsible citizens. Girls from age 5+ can choose to earn a wide range of badges, including Community Action, Cultural Diversity, Disability Awareness, Drug Awareness, Online Surfer, Science Investigator and Global Traveller.

Girl Guides will live on €3.50 a day while hiking 60km and completing eight projects

Ireland, 08/08/2016 – Fifteen young women from around the country have today (Monday 8 August) donned their rucksacks and will be hiking 60 kilometres in Co Kerry over the next five days while carrying all their camping and cooking equipment, clothes, food and water and surviving on just €3.50 a day.

Participants, most of whom are aged between 16 and 19, will also have to complete eight projects and keep a log book of their experiences during the Irish Girl Guides’ Chief Commissioner’s Award survival challenge.

The girls, who are all active members of Irish Girl Guides, come from Lucan, Co Dublin; Bray, Co Wicklow; Edenderry, Co Offaly; and Bishopstown and Macroom, Co Cork. They are participating in teams of two or three.

The projects the girls have to complete are based on exploration of the area but it was impossible for them to prepare for these in advance as they didn’t know which part of Ireland they would be competing in until yesterday! They knew they were to meet at Killarney train station but it was only this morning that they were told that the challenge would be  taking place on the Iveragh peninsula, Co Kerry.

Speaking ahead of the event, Aishling O’Connor (16) of Macroom, Co Cork, said nerves were beginning to kick in and she hoped she had the stamina to last the whole week.

All the girls were well prepared, however, having trained by going on long hikes and camping out overnight. “We hiked a total of 25 kilometres one weekend,” said Aishling, “And we had €7 to spend on food, which I found the hardest (even tougher than being followed by unfriendly bulls)!

“For me, the most difficult aspect of Chief’s will be staying positive while carrying my rucksack, which will be getting heavier every day. It will also be very difficult to refuse the numerous lifts kind people might offer us!”

Aislinn Porter (19) of Bishopstown, Co Cork, said she and her team-mates were well prepared: “We’ve been busy planning, packing and re-packing our bags, road-testing the old hiking boots and route-planning. The most difficult aspect of Chief’s for me will probably be the endurance aspect of the award: balancing project work, route-planning and hiking every day will be difficult and probably exhausting. I feel really grateful that I have the opportunity to take part in the Award, not to mention the wonderful people I will meet and the memories I will make, which will all be added bonuses.”

After the hike, the teams will be assessed by means of their projects and log books as well as a de-briefing with members of the Chief Commissioner’s Award staff. There are three levels of achievement: a certificate is presented to all teams who participate in the event while a woggle and certificate is presented to all teams who complete 60km, the log book and projects. The award itself – a silver Celtic knot pin – is presented to all teams who enter wholeheartedly into the spirit of the award and who benefit significantly from the experience.

Suzanne O’Brien, one of the Award organisers, said: “Fifteen brave participants will take on the adventure of a lifetime whereby their survival skills are put to the test. They are required to complete projects along their marked 60km route and meet the locals to find out more about the area and its history.

“Motivation, high energy, teamwork and enjoyment are the key to success,” she continues. “This challenge is both mentally and physically demanding but also extremely exhilarating to undertake. Not only can you achieve a certificate, woggle or pin but furthermore gain friendship, a sense of accomplishment and good memories that will stay with you forever.

“We wish everyone the best of luck and remember: Have Fun!”

Irish Girl Guides welcomes new members from age 5, young leaders from age 15+ and adult leaders from age 18+. See www.irishgirlguides.ie for further information.

ENDS

Contact:

Fiona Murdoch,

Communications Officer at Irish Girl Guides

Tel: 085 8570565

Notes for editors:

Irish Girl Guides has around 12,000 members, ranging in age from five to 30 years. 1,800 volunteer leaders are involved. Guiding started in Ireland in 1911 and operates throughout the 26 counties with leaders providing an informal educational programme of fun and challenging activities that foster confidence and leadership skills in girls and young women, enabling them to become responsible citizens. They can choose to earn a wide range of badges, including disability awareness, world cultures, science investigation and online surfer.

Girls from 200 Guide units around Ireland took part in the Global Trek

Ireland, 06/07/2016 – Irish Girl Guides (IGG) members have trekked 40,000km in the past six months – the same distance as walking the entire way around the globe!

Girls, young women and volunteer leaders from 200 IGG units around the country took part in the Global Trek. Some walked around their neighbourhoods and local parks while others hiked in forests, around lakes, up mountains and on overseas Girl Guide trips.

The initial goal was to walk 20,000km – the distance from the North Pole to the South Pole – by 1 May 2016. This target was reached ahead of schedule, however, and the girls enjoyed the challenge so much that they decided to see if they could clock up enough kilometres to make it back to the North Pole.

The final kilometres of the Global Trek were completed on Monday 4 July 2016 – the last day of a weekend event, which saw 800 IGG members from Eastern Region camping in the Dublin foothills at Larch Hill, Tibradden.

There was a great sense of excitement and accomplishment among the girls when the final tally showed that the target of 40,000km had been reached!

IGG Chief Commissioner Helen Concannon said: “The idea behind the initial North to South Pole Trek was that we wanted to give girls the opportunity to get outside and do something fun and active without it being competitive.”

The fact that the girls achieved double their target figure was not a complete surprise to Concannon. “This is a real example of how our members work together to make something happen because not only did we get from the North Pole to the South Pole but, people were so amazing and fantastic, that we made it all the way there and back again,” she said. “Our girls are great at being active and achieving great things along the way. We have done an amazing feat by working together!

“We often hear of the difficulties some schools and organisations face in getting teenage girls to take part in physical exercise. Our Global Trek shows how easy it can be, if you make it interesting and provide the opportunity for girls to do it together in a fun way!”

Taking part in the trek counted towards younger members earning badges like Active Body, Nature Observer and Local Knowledge, while for girls from age 10+ it will have helped them achieve their Hiker, Rambler or Outdoor Adventure badges.

Irish Girl Guides welcomes new members from age 5+ and volunteer leaders from age 18+. To find out more, see www.irishgirlguides.ie or telephone 01-6683898.

ENDS

Contact:

Fiona Murdoch, Communications Officer, Irish Girl Guides

Tel: 085 8570565

Email: communications@irishgirlguides.ie

Notes for editors:

Irish Girl Guides has approximately 12,000 members. Guiding started in Ireland in 1911 and operates throughout the 26 counties with 1,800 volunteer leaders providing an informal educational programme of fun and challenging activities that foster confidence and leadership skills in girls and young women, enabling them to develop to their full potential and to become responsible citizens. Girls from age 5+ can choose to earn a wide range of badges, including Community Action, Cultural Diversity, Disability Awareness, Drug Awareness, Online Surfer, Science Investigator and Global Traveller.

Mary-Kate Nevin was the first Traveller girl to win Irish Girl Guides’ Gold Award

Dublin, 02/06/2017 – A Navan Girl Guide won the Youth Award at the Irish Traveller Movement’s Traveller Pride Awards, which were held yesterday (1 June 2016) in the Pillar Room of the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin.

Last November Mary-Kate Nevin was the first Traveller girl to win the Irish Girl Guides’ prestigious Gold Award in recognition of the contribution she had made to her local community.

Mary-Kate worked hard on her own initiative and undertook a number of challenges. She enjoyed singing in a nursing home and helping out with Brownies (Irish Girl Guides’ members aged 7-10) so much that she is continuing with these activities.

Accepting the Traveller Pride Award yesterday, Mary-Kate Nevin said, “I am so proud to be recognised for my achievements by the Girl Guides and by my own community.”

Presenting her award, former Senator, Children’s Rights campaigner and former Chief Commissioner of Irish Girl Guides, Jillian van Turnhout, said: “I am an extremely proud sister in Girl Guiding presenting this Award to Mary-Kate Nevin. She achieved the Irish Girl Guides (IGG) Gold Award challenge, and in doing so, showed her self-motivation, hard work and enthusiasm and demonstrated in bucket loads her commitment to her local community and to becoming a confident and responsible citizen of the wider world.  She is an outstanding winner of the Traveller Pride Youth Award.”

Denise McDonnell, Mary-Kate’s aunt and Girl Guide Leader, said Mary-Kate’s family and friends were delighted with her achievements. “Irish Girl Guides is a wonderful organisation to be involved with,” she said. “It was through Mary-Kate’s involvement with Guiding that she won the Traveller Pride award and she was delighted to receive this award amongst her Traveller peers.”

Denise said Mary-Kate had never looked back since joining Brownies when she was seven-years-old and that her involvement in Guiding had helped her grow in confidence. “As the eldest grandchild and the only girl in her family, the opportunity to mix with other girls her own age has been invaluable,” she said.

Denise, who has been a Girl Guide Leader for almost 13 years, said she has always enjoyed seeing how much girls grow in team-building and leadership skills through their involvement in Guiding as well as developing a range of essential life skills and having a lot of fun. She said there were even more opportunities for Mary-Kate in Senior Branch (the IGG section for 14-30 year-olds), including increased independence and the possibility of overseas travel.

“Without exception, I find Guiding to be the most open organisation,” said Denise. “It is the only place I have never seen any discrimination. Guiding is all about the children, whether they are Irish, Polish, Indian or Travellers, and that’s the way it should be – a space for girls to grow in confidence.”

Irish Girl Guides welcomes new members from age 5 and adult volunteer Leaders from age 18. To find out more, see www.irishgirlguides.ie or tel: 01 6689838.

ENDS

Photo captions:

Navan Girl Guide, Mary-Kate Nevin, pictured with former Senator Jillian van Turnhout who presented her with the Youth Award at the Irish Traveller Movement’s Traveller Pride Awards

National Youth Council of Ireland award recognises high standard of health promotion

Ireland, 01/06/2016 – Irish Girl Guides has been awarded a 5^th Gold Health Quality Mark by the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) in recognition of its high standard of health promotion.

The organisation’s wide-ranging programme for girls and young women aged 5-30 includes a number of health-promoting activities and badges, including Active Body, Healthy Mind, Healthy Friendship, Drug Awareness and Personal Safety. These incorporate such topics as healthy eating, physical health, relationships, self-esteem, bullying and stress management. Guides age 10+ can also earn badges on Skin Care and Independent Living Skills.

Irish Girl Guides (IGG) members regularly take part in a variety of indoor and outdoor challenges, which help them develop teamwork and leadership skills, resilience and self-confidence – all of which contribute to a healthy body and mind.

A five-week body confidence programme called Free Being Me, which was introduced two years ago, helps girls realise that there is no such thing as ‘the perfect body’. Girls are encouraged to accept their natural shape and to use their bodies for activities that they enjoy – whether that is sport, dance, drama etc.

Young women from age 16+ can apply to take part in the Chief Commissioner’s Award – a five-day adventure challenge that sees participants hike 60 kilometres while carrying all their camping and cooking equipment, living on less than €4 a day and completing eight projects along the way.

NYCI’s Health Quality Mark aims to enhance best practice and a high standard of quality in health promotion work in youth organisations. IGG was the first national volunteer-led youth organisation to achieve this standard in 2003 and has succeeded in retaining it ever since, with monitoring checks held every three years.

IGG Chief Executive Officer Linda Peters said she was delighted that the organisation’s ongoing health-promoting work was being recognised in this way. “We take great pride in the high quality youth work our 12,000 members are involved in across the country and welcome this acknowledgement of that work,” she said.

“In the last three years, since our last award, we have continued to incorporate health-focused approaches in our programmes, events and weekly meetings because we believe that they form the basis of good quality youth work relevant to today’s young people. This involves training for leaders, staff, support and resources for our youth members in fun, participative and educational ways.”

Congratulating the Irish Girl Guides on their achievement, NYCI Director Mary Cunningham said the Gold Award was testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone involved in the organisation. “This service is managed and staffed by people who are committed to the highest quality standards in health promotion and to the well-being of all who use the youth service.

“Congratulations are in order to the staff and 1,800 leaders throughout Ireland who ensure that IGG’s work is in line with national and international best practice in the area of youth health promotion. I have every confidence that this service will continue to be a healthy and safe place for young people, volunteers and staff and that health promotion will remain a key priority.”

Irish Girl Guides welcomes new members from age 5+ and volunteer leaders from age 18+. For further information, see www.irishgirlguides.ie or tel: 01 6683898.

ENDS

Contact:

Fiona Murdoch,

Communications Officer at Irish Girl Guides

Tel: 085 8570565

Email: communications@irishgirlguides.ie

Girl Guides walk 20,000km – equal to trekking across the globe!

Ireland, 04/05/2016 – Irish Girl Guides members have trekked 20,000km in less than three months – the same distance as walking from the North Pole to the South Pole.

Girls from age 5+ took part in the North to South Pole Trek, which saw 12,000 members throughout Ireland hiking in their neighbourhoods, in parks, in forests, up mountains, around lakes, on beaches and on overseas Guide trips.

Irish Girl Guides (IGG), which will shortly receive its fifth Gold Health Quality Mark from the National Youth Council of Ireland, encourages girls and young women to pursue adventures and challenges both indoors and outdoors and to develop resilience and other essential life-skills.

Chief Commissioner Helen Concannon, who is a volunteer, came up with the idea for the trek when she realised that if every Ladybird (age 5-7) walked one kilometre, every Brownie (age 7-10) two kilometres, every Guide (age 10-14) three kilometres and every Senior Branch (age 14-30) member and Leader four kilometres, then a total distance of 20,000 kilometres would be completed very easily.

In fact, Girl Guides of all ages enjoyed the challenge so much that they not only reached the target distance four days ahead of schedule but they also overshot the target number of kilometres with more than 23,000 kilometres completed by 1 May 2016!

“Girl Guides always enjoy a challenge and we never say anything is impossible, so I knew, when we announced the trek at our annual training day on 7 February, that together we would achieve what we set out to do,” said Helen. “I was confident we would reach our target of 20,000 kilometres but I wasn’t sure we would reach it so soon and I had been prepared to put out a May Day call if we hadn’t made it!

“Statistics are often quoted of the number of girls, and teenagers in particular, not engaging in physical exercise. We find that girls are very happy to take part in exercise through initiatives such as this because they do it in a fun group environment without any pressure to perform or compete.

“This message of non-competitive participation in healthy activities is a key component of what the Irish Girl Guides do on a weekly basis. We wanted to highlight this by trekking from the North to the South Pole and showing that our girls can get active and achieve great things along the way.”

Taking part in the trek counted towards younger members earning badges like Active Body, Nature Observer and Local Knowledge, while for girls from age 10+ it will have helped them achieve their Hiker, Rambler or Outdoor Adventure badges.

Blackthorn and Hawthorn Guides, Co Limerick, enjoyed the challenge so much that the members ended up completing 466 kilometres over the course of a fun day out and a weekend away. “I really enjoyed the walk to the sea as we had a great adventure strolling through the woods to get there,” said Aislinn Barnes (age 11). “Also, getting outside was so fun while the sun was beaming.”

Olivia Lynch (age 6), a member of Mullagh Ladybirds, Co Cavan, enjoyed taking part in the trek, which her leaders also made into a scavenger hunt and an opportunity to learn the principles of the outdoor ethics programme Leave no Trace. “I really had lots of fun with the other Ladybirds,” said Olivia. “It was great when we were trying to find things in the colours of the rainbow. We had to draw them in our book then.”

Clodagh O’Donoghue (age 12), a Guide in Killarney, really enjoyed the 10 kilometre trek she did with her fellow Guides from Muckross House to Dinis and back again. “My favourite part of Guides is when we go on walks and go camping,” she said. “My favourite part of the hike was when we played in the water; the water was so cold it was refreshing! I like Guides because it gives me the opportunity to do nearly anything – from learning simple life-skills to making friends from all over the world.”

Irish Girl Guides welcomes new members from age 5+ and volunteer leaders from age 18+. To find out more, see www.irishgirlguides.ie or telephone 01-6683898.

ENDS

Contact:

Fiona Murdoch, Communications Officer, Irish Girl Guides

Tel: 085 8570565

Email: communications@irishgirlguides.ie

Helen Concannon, Chief Commissioner, Irish Girl Guides

Tel: 086 8206365

Email: chief.commissioner@irishgirlguides.ie

Notes for editors:

Irish Girl Guides has approximately 12,000 members. Guiding started in Ireland in 1911 and operates throughout the 26 counties with 1,800 volunteer leaders providing an informal educational programme of fun and challenging activities that foster confidence and leadership skills in girls and young women, enabling them to develop to their full potential and to become responsible citizens. Girls from age 5+ can choose to earn a wide range of badges, including Community Action, Cultural Diversity, Disability Awareness, Drug Awareness, Online Surfer, Science Investigator and Global Traveller. 

Ms Justice Catherine McGuinness named as Irish Girl Guides’ first ambassador

Ireland, 10/04/2016 – Irish Girl Guides (IGG) has named former Supreme Court judge, Ms Justice Catherine McGuinness, as its Honorary Ambassador for 2016 in recognition of the trail she has blazed for Irish women during her lifetime.

Speaking at the organisation’s annual Council meeting yesterday [9 April 2016] in Knightsbrook Hotel, Trim, Co Meath, IGG President Maureen Dillon said: “We are delighted and honoured to have former Supreme Court Justice, the Honourable Ms Catherine McGuinness, as the inaugural recipient of the IGG Trailblazer Award and Honorary Ambassador of Irish Girl Guides 2016.

“Ms McGuinness has blazed a trail during her lifetime – both in her career and in her many voluntary commitments – and serves as an exemplary role model for our 12,000 members. She is notable not only for her distinguished legal career, but also for her valiant efforts to improve the lives of children, migrants and refugees and to bring about reconciliation in Northern Ireland.

“She is a real advocate who has always stood up for the rights of others, particularly those who are marginalised and vulnerable in our society. She is an ideal ambassador for IGG, given that we encourage and empower our members from age five upwards to speak up and take action on issues that concern them and, while doing so, to inspire others to take action too.”

Addressing IGG Council members, Ms Justice McGuinness, remembered fondly her time as a Guide in Dublin during her teenage years. “Apart from the enjoyment and fun, I think that the best thing I learnt from Guiding was a sense of self-reliance, and also to be observant, both of the material world and of people, which is something I very much value to this day,” she said.

“I am delighted to accept the Trailblazer Award and to be Irish Girl Guides’ Honorary Ambassador for 2016.”

Irish Girl Guides welcomes new members from age 5+ and volunteer Leaders from age 18+. To find out more, see www.irishgirlguides.ie or telephone 01 6683898.

ENDS

Contact:

Fiona Murdoch, Communications Officer, Irish Girl Guides

Tel: 085 8570565

Email: communications@irishgirlguides.ie

Maureen Dillon, President, Irish Girl Guides

Tel: 087 2885302

Email: dillonm@hotmail.com

Notes for editors:

Irish Girl Guides has approximately 12,000 members. Guiding started in Ireland in 1911 and operates throughout the 26 counties with 1,800 volunteer leaders providing an informal educational programme of fun and challenging activities that foster confidence and leadership skills in girls and young women, enabling them to develop to their full potential and to become responsible citizens. Girls from age 5+ can choose to earn a wide range of badges, including Community Action, Cultural Diversity, Disability Awareness, Drug Awareness, Online Surfer, Science Investigator and Global Traveller. 

12,000 girls are working towards their Irish Culture and Traditions badge

Ireland, 22/03/2016 – Thousands of members of Irish Girl Guides (IGG) throughout the 26 counties are getting into the spirit of Ireland 2016 by working towards their Irish Culture and Traditions badge.

Girls from age five upwards are learning Irish folk songs, jigs and reels, discovering Irish legends, talking about their hobbies as Gaeilge and trying their hand at traditional Irish recipes, like boxty and soda bread.

Other ways girls are working towards earning a badge include reciting poetry as Gaeilge, learning how to draw a Tara brooch and illustrate with Celtic designs, and making models of items from ancient or medieval Ireland e.g. a stone circle, rath, dolmen, fort, or the Book of Kells.

IGG Chief Commissioner Helen Concannon said: “As we celebrate the centenary of our first step towards independence, we are encouraging our youth members to learn about – and develop an appreciation for – our rich Irish culture and heritage.

“Through their badge work in their local units, they have been learning about flag-raising, which was timely given the recent Proclamation Day. Many of our members were involved in colour parties raising the flag in ceremonies throughout the country and sharing their respect for the Irish flag.”

Hannah Clarke (age 11), a member of St Rynagh’s Guides, Banagher, Co Offaly, who has been taking violin lessons since the age of six, said: “I was delighted to play the violin at our last Guide meeting as part of my work to gain an Irish Culture and Traditions badge. My great-grandfather also played the violin and my grandfather speaks about it a lot. I am very happy to continue the tradition.

“At our Guide meeting we learned how to make a St Brigid’s Cross and had the opportunity to sample traditional Irish foods.”

Martha McMahon (age 13), also a member of St Rynagh’s Guides, said: “I really enjoyed dancing the Siege of Ennis with my friends and the plays were really good too.  Baking the soda bread was really fun; eating it was just as enjoyable!

“I think it’s so important to embrace our Irish identity and culture.”

Irish Girl Guides welcomes members from age five upwards and volunteer Leaders from age 18+. To find out more see www.irishgirlguides.ie or telephone 01-6683898.

ENDS

Contact:

Fiona Murdoch, Communications Officer, Irish Girl Guides

Tel: 085 8570565

Email: communications@irishgirlguides.ie

Notes for editors:

Irish Girl Guides has approximately 12,000 members. Guiding started in Ireland in 1911 and operates throughout the 26 counties with 1,800 volunteer leaders providing an informal educational programme of fun and challenging activities that foster confidence and leadership skills in girls and young women, enabling them to develop to their full potential and to become responsible citizens. Girls from age 5+ can choose to earn a wide range of badges, including Community Action, Cultural Diversity, Disability Awareness, Drug Awareness, Online Surfer, Science Investigator and Global Traveller.