Empowering young women through the Gaisce Dual Award Programme

by with No Comment Partners

Irish Girl Guides (IGG) is proud to partner with Gaisce – The President’s Award, offering our Senior Branch members an exciting opportunity to earn dual recognition for their achievements.

 

Through the Gaisce Dual Award Programme, girls from 14 up to the age of 25 can complete their Bronze Star, Silver Moon, or Golden Sun and simultaneously achieve the corresponding Bronze, Silver, or Gold Gaisce Award. 

 

What is the Gaisce Dual Award Programme? 

The Gaisce Award is Ireland’s national youth achievement award, designed to encourage young people to step outside their comfort zones, build new skills, and make a positive impact in their communities. It is a direct challenge from the President of Ireland to all young people to dream big and fulfil their potential. 

 

Through the Dual Award Programme, IGG’s Senior Branch journey is formally aligned with Gaisce’s structure. This means challenges a girl undertakes in IGG (from volunteering and developing skills to outdoor adventures) also count towards her Gaisce Award. 

 

In short: one journey, double recognition. 

Irish-Girl-Guides_Gaisce Dual Award Programme_Kerry Camino Gold Gasice hike

 

Benefits for young women 

Participating in the Dual Award Programme offers a range of benefits: 

  •           *Build confidence and resilience by setting and achieving personal goals. 
  •           *Develop life skills including teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving. 
  •           *Enhance future opportunities: Gaisce Awards are widely recognised by employers and universities. 
  •           *Create memories and friendships through adventure, service, and shared challenges. 

 

We are proud to celebrate the young women who have already benefited from this programme. Hear their stories from Katie, Emily, and Dara and discover how it has shaped their IGG experience. 

 

How the Dual Award works in IGG 

When a Senior Branch member works towards her Bronze Star, Silver Moon, or Golden Sun, she is also completing the requirements for the corresponding Gaisce Award, as long as she is registered with Gaisce. 

 

Irish-Girl-Guides_Gaisce Dual Award Programme_Gaisce Defence Forces Survival Challenge

 

Typical activities include: 

  •      *Community Involvement – volunteering or helping the community through various initiatives. 
  •      *Personal Skill Development – learning a new language, art, music, or other personal skills. 
  •      *Physical Recreation – engaging in new sports or maintaining a fitness routine. 
  •      *Adventure Journey – participating in outdoor activities such as hiking and expeditions. 

 

Get involved and learn more 

The IGG and Gaisce partnership is helping empower the next generation of confident, skilled, and compassionate women. Many girls find that the programme not only challenges them but also gives them memories they will carry for life. 

 

One journey, double achievement! Senior Branch members, join the Gaisce Dual Award Programme today! 

To learn more about the programme, contact us at: gaisce@irishgirlguides.ie 

 

FIRST® LEGO® League in Ireland: a STEAM programme with Irish Girl Guides

by with No Comment Partners

The Irish Girl Guides have been running the FIRST LEGO League in Ireland for over four years, engaging thousands of girls in coding, robotics, and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Maths). This exciting LEGO robotics programme introduces girls to problem-solving, teamwork, and creativity while giving them the chance to compete at both national and international levels.

 

 

What is the FIRST® LEGO® League programme?

FIRST stands for For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology. The FIRST® LEGO® League invites children to think like scientists and engineers, tackling real-world challenges through innovation and research. Each year, the programme launches a new theme, from exploring the ocean to uncovering archaeology. Teams work on building robotic models, coding their designs, and preparing research projects.

Supported by the Research Ireland Discover Programme, the FIRST® LEGO® League is organised by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) in partnership with the Irish delivery partner, CreativeHUT.

 

Ladybirds_Lego-Programme-Discover

 

Katie Keogh, Chair of the LEGO Committee at Irish Girl Guides, is delighted with what the teams have been able to achieve:

“Every year, I am impressed by the ingenuity, creativity, and engineering skills these girls demonstrate. Getting the opportunity to work with the girls is a joy, from training them on the LEGO® kits and technology to seeing their visions realised. These young inventors truly embody the spirit of Irish Girl Guides.”

 

How does the LEGO programme work?

Brownies_Lego-Programme-Explore

The FIRST® LEGO® League is part of the Irish Girl Guides’ Journey Programme and is adapted to suit different age groups (from 4 to 16 years old). Each Unit that takes part receives a toolkit with everything needed to learn new skills in STEAM.

The programme has three levels:

  • *Discover for Ladybirds
  • *Explore for Brownies
  • *Challenge for Guides and Senior Branch

 

The Challenge level is where Guides and Senior Branch teams enter competitions. Regional tournaments take place in January and February, with finalists advancing to the All-Ireland Final in March. One team then earns the honour of representing Ireland in the World FIRST® LEGO® League Finals.

 

Tournament days are filled with energy, learning, and friendly competition. Teams present their projects, test their robots, and celebrate their achievements alongside parents, Leaders, and volunteers. Irish Girl Guides teams also meet participants from other organisations. Already two of our teams (Cora’s Team and The Octonauts) have reached the Ireland Finals.

 

         

 

 

STEAM skills for girls in Ireland

Beyond the competitions, the FIRST® LEGO® League gives girls practical skills and the confidence to apply them. Participants learn coding, engineering, and creative problem-solving, while also building teamwork, communication, and leadership skills.

 

Just as importantly, the programme challenges stereotypes by showing that science and technology are exciting, accessible, and for everyone. It is one of the many ways Irish Girl Guides helps girls broaden their horizons and discover new interests in STEAM.

 

Guides-Irish-Girl-Guides_LEGO -competitions

 

By providing hands-on experience in a fun and supportive environment, the Irish Girl Guides LEGO Robotics programme encourages girls to explore STEAM subjects and consider future careers in these fields.

 

Lorraine Mackey McHugh, CEO of Irish Girl Guides, explains:

“Many of our youth members go on to study STEAM courses and pursue STEAM careers as a result of this programme and our other STEAM initiatives. Our Badges include STEAM areas such as Engineering, Cybersecurity, and Robotics, alongside more traditional programme areas like Environmental Awareness, Nature Observer, and Water Safety. Irish Girl Guides is dedicated to building this diverse range of skills in girls and young women.”