All posts by : Celia Melcus

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. 

12,000 Irish Girl Guides join UN Women in calling for gender equality by 2030

Dublin, 08/03/2016 – Irish Girl Guides (IGG) is calling on the 158 newly-elected TDs to step up action for gender equality.

At the current rate of progress, gender equality will not be reached worldwide until 2133, according to the World Economic Forum.

This is simply not soon enough, says IGG, whose 12,000 members are joining with UN Women and the 10 million other Girl Guides and Girl Scouts worldwide calling on all countries to step up action to reach a world of gender equality by 2030.

While welcoming the record number of women elected to the 32nd Dáil, IGG would like to see all TDs commit to working towards gender equality both here and overseas.

“Today on International Women’s Day we recognise and applaud the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women worldwide,” says IGG Chief Commissioner Helen Concannon. “We congratulate, in particular, the 35 women who won seats in the recent election and thank them for being positive role models for our younger members.

“Everyone can take steps to help achieve gender parity – for example, respecting value and difference, calling for gender-balanced leadership and helping girls and women achieve their ambitions. Globally – with individuals pledging to move from talk to purposeful action and with women and men joining forces – we can collectively help girls and women advance and develop to their fullest potential.”

Concannon says women and girls continue to suffer discrimination and violence in every part of the world: “We believe gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. Each of us can be a leader within our own spheres of influence and commit to take pragmatic action to accelerate gender parity.

“We believe the confidence, leadership and other essential life-skills our members are gaining from their involvement in Guiding from age 5+ will help them become the change-makers of the future. We encourage them to be the best that they can and to aim to realise their dreams while striving to make a difference to the lives of others and inspiring others to create change, participate in decision-making and pursue leadership roles.”

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. 

A-wear-ness Day gives girls an opportunity to talk about what they love about Guiding

Ireland, 22/02/2016 – Thousands of school pupils across the country turned up for class this morning [22 February 2016] wearing their Irish Girl Guide uniforms. 

School principals gave permission for the girls to wear their Irish Girl Guides’ (IGG) uniforms to mark A-wear-ness Day – an annual event that gives girls the opportunity to tell their friends about their involvement in Guiding. This is a wonderful example of the partnerships between the formal education settings of schools with the non-formal educational programme of Girl Guides, all which benefit the development of girls as confident citizens of Ireland.

Membership of IGG gives girls from age 5-30 the chance to take part in a wide range of activities and challenges while making new friends, growing in confidence and gaining teamwork, leadership and other essential life-skills, said IGG Chief Commissioner Helen Concannon.

“Our members are encouraged – and empowered – to fulfil their potential and to be the best that they can,” said Helen. “They can earn a wide range of badges – everything from online surfer, science investigator and cultural diversity to drugs awareness, healthy mind, community action and global traveller.” 

Muireann Brady, a pupil of Our Lady of Mercy Primary School, Kells, Co Meath, was pleased to wear her Brownie uniform to school (Brownies is the section of IGG for girls age 7-10). “My friends asked me why I was wearing my Brownie uniform, so I told them about A-wear-ness Day and all the things I love about Brownies,” she said. “We play games, do arts and crafts, go on outings and get enrolled.”

A-wear-ness Day takes place on the same day as World Thinking Day (WTD) each year when the 12,000 members of IGG join over 10 million Girl Guides and Girl Scouts around the world in celebrating the international friendships provided by the Guiding movement while raising money for underprivileged communities in developing countries. Last year IGG raised over €7,500.

This year’s WTD theme is ‘Connect’ and the girls have been taking part in games, activities and ceremonies that have helped them celebrate the meaningful connections that make for better lives.

“By reflecting on how they connect with themselves (what makes them happy and confident), with friends and with Girl Guides throughout the world, it is hoped that the girls will see how they can make a difference in their local communities and in the wider world,” said Helen.

“We believe girls and young women can be powerful agents of change and that, connected together, we can make the world a better place.”

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. 

Guides mark World Thinking day by celebrating the meaningful connections that make for better lives

Ireland, 18/02/2016 – The 12,000 members of Irish Girl Guides (IGG) are joining 10 million Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in 146 countries across the globe in celebrating the meaningful connections that make for better lives.

‘Connect’ is the theme of this year’s World Thinking Day (22^nd February) – a day when Girl Guides across the globe give thanks for the international friendships they enjoy through the Guiding movement and raise money for underprivileged communities in developing countries. Last year IGG raised over €7,500.

IGG members from age five upwards are taking part in activities, games and challenges prepared by the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts to help them explore the ‘Connect’ theme. By reflecting on how they connect with themselves (what makes them happy and confident), with friends and with Girl Guides throughout the world, it is hoped that Guides will see how they can make a difference in their local communities and in the wider world.

Speaking ahead of World Thinking Day, IGG Chief Commissioner Helen Concannon said: “Making positive connections matters – not only because it helps us to be happy, but also because it enables us to play an important role in society. Connections help us reach our fullest potential and create positive change, which ties in with IGG’s mission of enabling girls and young women to develop to their fullest potential as responsible citizens of the world.

“Encouraging young people to be the best that they can and empowering them to take the lead is at the heart of the Girl Guide movement and the ‘Connect’ resources are helping our members to take action to promote equality and justice locally and globally as well as appreciating the friendships that they enjoy as a result of being a member of the largest voluntary movement dedicated to girls and young women in the world.

“We believe girls and young women can be powerful agents of change and that, connected together, we can make the world a better place.”

To find out more about Irish Girl Guides, 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.

Irish Girl Guides launch their Strategic Plan 2016-2020

Ireland, 07/02/2016 – Irish Girl Guides (IGG) launched its strategic plan today emphasising its focus over the next four years on supporting girls and young women to develop life skills that will see them become “torch bearers for a better future”.

IGG’s blueprint for action, which is underpinned by the organisation’s tagline ‘giving girls confidence’, is to empower girls and women to develop to their full potential and become active and responsible citizens, IGG Chief Commissioner Helen Concannon said at the launch in the Carlton Hotel Dublin Airport.

“We are focused on helping girls and young women develop teamwork and leadership skills in a nurturing, non-competitive environment where they are encouraged to learn by doing and to be the best that they can. This is achieved through a range of indoor and outdoor activities and challenges, which see girls grow in confidence while having lots of fun,” said Helen.

“We believe young people should be recognized for what they are – agents of change who are the torch bearers of a better future. Our progressive new Journey Programme, which caters for girls from age five to 30, will equip our 10,000 youth members to be positive change-makers in their local communities and beyond. When we set ourselves a challenge and work together, we can achieve great things.”

IGG Assistant Chief Commissioner Jenna Goodwin, a 25-year-old Guide leader from Lucan who headed up the team that devised the IGG 2016-2020 Strategic Plan, said: “This long-term vision we set out here today is aimed at giving girls and young women the opportunity to develop and enhance a range of essential life skills that encourage personal growth and independence and, as they mature, to be agents of change and to inspire change in others too.

“Our Strategic Plan focuses on four key areas: Belong, Support, Impact and Journey. By focusing on these key areas, we hope to build on our strengths while also setting ourselves targets for the future, allowing us to continue growing and evolving as a relevant organisation for the girls and young women of today. For our members, it’s about real engagement and the opening of hearts and minds and discovering that our actions can have a real impact on the lives of others,” said Jenna.

“Being involved in Guiding helps girls and young women to develop not only confidence, self-motivation and emotional well-being – all essential tools for life in the 21^st century – but it also helps them develop a social conscience through active engagement in real communities. It is essential to give young people opportunities to contribute to society in ways that will fire them up to change the world for the better.”

To find out more about Irish Girl Guides see www.irishgirlguides.ie or telephone 01-6683898.

ENDS

Note 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. 

Contact:

Fiona Murdoch

Communications Officer

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