Posts in category: Press Releases

– Teen girls to receive Irish Girl Guides’ Trail Blazer National Guide Award –

Dublin, 12/10/2019 – Over 130 Girl Guides are making their way to Croke Park this morning [12 October 2019] to receive the Trail Blazer National Guide Award – Irish Girl Guides’ highest award – at a special ceremony starting at 11.15am.

The 135 girls aged 14-15 are travelling from all corners of the country to receive the award and, with their families and Guide Leaders, to celebrate reaching the pinnacle of Guiding.

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

Speaking ahead of the event, IGG President Maureen Murphy said it would be a privilege to celebrate and acknowledge the achievements of the Girl Guide Trail Blazers who have all shown commitment in completing challenges and projects while putting their individual footprints on the tasks. “They are inspirational girls and will inspire many others as they take their learning and experiences gained into your communities and wider society,” she said.

IGG’s Honorary Ambassador, Dr Niamh Shaw, said she was “especially excited” to be attending the National Guide Awards to celebrate and acknowledge all the recipients’ outstanding achievements and contributions to the Irish Girl Guides. “We can create any future we want if we dream big enough and work hard enough,” she plans to tell the award recipients. “I can already see that working hard comes easy to them, so nothing will stop them from becoming whatever they want to.”

Zoe Burgess, a member of Ballybay Guides in Monaghan, will be one of a number of Guides to speak during the ceremony. She said she had earned numerous badges during her four years as a Guide: “Some I worked on with a group and others individually. Some of the badges I earned were Guiding Traditions, Outdoor Cook, Campers Way, Drug Awareness, Disability Awareness, Global Traveller, Healthy Mind and, of course, everyone’s favourite – the Chocolate badge, which teaches us the importance of supporting Fairtrade. I loved my time in Guides and hope to achieve many more badges now I am a Senior Brancher.”

Cora Stronge-Smith, Assistant Chair of IGG Guide Branch, said that, without the hard work and commitment of the 135 girls, there would be no celebrations: “This 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 members of Irish Girl Guides to help them develop confidence, independence and essential life-skills.

“We are delighted for all the award recipients,” she continued. “We know they have worked to their fullest potential and hope they continue to use many of the life-skills they have achieved wherever life takes them in the future.”

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 or 086 1706923

Notes for editors:

Irish Girl Guides has around 11,000 members. Guiding started in Ireland in 1911 and operates throughout the 26 counties with 1,600 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 fullest potential and to become responsible citizens. There are four branches – Ladybirds (5-7 year olds), Brownies (7-10 year olds), Guides (10-14 year olds) and Senior Branch (14-30 year olds). 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, Engineers and Global Traveller. 

– 135 Girl Guides to receive Guiding’s top award at Croke Park –

Dublin, 10/10/2019 – Girl Guides in every county in Ireland are getting ready to celebrate International Day of the Girl tomorrow [11 October] by leading out loud.

The 11,000 Irish Girl Guides (IGG) members will join millions of girls and women, including the 10 million members of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), in celebrating unscripted and unstoppable girls around the world.

They will learn about girls’ rights in different times, countries and cultures and through their involvement in the Girl Guides will develop their leadership skills and make a positive impact on their communities.

One hundred and thirty-five members who have already demonstrated leadership in their communities will head to Croke Park on Saturday morning to receive their Trailblazer National Guide Award at a special ceremony.

“By participating in a range of activities, projects and challenges, our members demonstrate leadership and develop confidence and independence while learning how to speak up and take action to make the world a better place,” says IGG Chief Commissioner Helen Concannon.

“The theme for this year’s International Day of the Girl is #GirlForce – Unscripted and Unstoppable and many of our members, including the 135 girls receiving awards tomorrow, are unstoppable in that they have blazed a trail for our younger members to follow. These amazing young people are 14 and 15 years of age and have already carried out projects in their local communities and have scripted their own paths by choosing the challenges they undertake.”

IGG awards badges to its members on completion of certain tasks. There are more than 120 badges to choose from, ranging from Community Action, Cultural Diversity and Disability Awareness to Drug Awareness, Science Investigator, Aviation and STEM.

“Our organisation empowers girls to be unscripted and unstoppable by giving them the opportunity to lead, to speak up and take action on issues that are important to them, for example gender equality and climate action,” says Ms Concannon. “We do a lot of work around the Sustainable Development Goals and we encourage girls through non-formal education to undertake new challenges and step out of their comfort zones in order to develop to their full potential and become responsible citizens.”

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

ENDS

Contact info:

Fiona Murdoch, Communications Officer, Irish Girl Guides

Email: communications@irishgirlguides.ie

Tel: 085 8570565

Notes for editors:

Irish Girl Guides has around 11,000 members. 1,800 young and adult leaders are involved. 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, Climate Action, Cultural Diversity, Disability Awareness, Drug Awareness, Online Surfer, Science Investigator, Engineering, Aviation and Global Traveller

– 180-kilometre hike carrying camping and cooking gear and living on €3.25 a day –

Dublin, 26/07/2019 – Twelve Irish Girl Guides’ Leaders are all set to take part in Guiding’s toughest challenge.

The 12 women, ranging in age from 18 to early 50s, will hike 180 kilometres over 10 days while carrying all their camping and cooking equipment, clothes, food and water and surviving on just €3.25 a day. They will take part in teams of two.

In order to complete the Explorer Belt challenge, each team will also have to keep a log book and carry out a number of projects along the way … all without the use of a smartphone!

It is impossible for them to research the projects before the event because the location of the challenge is kept top secret until they meet the organisers at Dublin Airport this Sunday morning 28^th July at 9am. All they know is it will take place somewhere in Europe!

The survival adventure is being organised by two experienced Irish Girl Guides (IGG) Leaders, Katherine Ryan and Jemma Lee, who themselves completed Explorer Belt four years ago when it took place in Germany.

“Taking part may sound like a daunting experience and it is certainly not something taken on lightly,” says Katherine. “Guiding, however, has given the participants the tenacity to take on the challenge, the skills to participate in it and the confidence to believe in their abilities to complete it. Not knowing where it is going to take place adds greatly to the excitement and anticipation.”

Jemma says the three compulsory projects each team has to complete will determine the route taken by each pair. “The projects can investigate the recent past of the country, areas of geographical interest or unusual, quirky places,” she says. “The remaining projects involve learning more about the area the participants find themselves in. They are designed to bring the teams in close contact with the local people and help to immerse them in their Explorer Belt location.”

The participants come from all corners of Ireland with the youngest being Ruby Loughlin, age 18, who is a Leader with Cealla Guides in Kells, Co Meath, and has just completed her Leaving Certificate exams. Ruby says she is feeling nervous but is also excited and looking forward to the experience. She has some idea of what to expect, having successfully completed IGG’s Chief Commissioner’s Award last summer. This involved hiking 60 kilometres over five days in Co Waterford while also keeping a log, doing projects and carrying camping and cooking gear etc.

“I enjoyed completing Chief’s and I was really intrigued when I heard about Explorer Belt,” she says. “I like camping and hiking so I wanted to challenge and push myself even further. I hope I will enjoy the experience as much as I enjoyed Chief’s!”

Ruby, like all this year’s participants, has been training for Explorer Belt by going on regular hikes and increasing the distance of the walks and the weight of the rucksack each time. Ruby reckons the most difficult aspect of the challenge will be asking people for help, almost certainly in another language. “We will literally be relying on strangers to give us places to pitch our tent and camp,” she says. “Carrying the weight and walking the long distances will be very tough too.”

Ruby believes the skills she has gained from Guiding since she joined IGG at the age of five will help her tackle the Explorer Belt challenge. “I have got so much out of Guiding, like confidence in myself,” she says. “I have also improved my teamwork and leadership skills through Guiding. I have travelled to different places, gained many friends and a Guiding family! I have gained valuable life-skills, like planning and first aid, and taking part in international camps has taught me about new cultures.”

 

Ruby’s team-mate, Shauna Flynn (27), a fellow Cealla Guides Leader and an English teacher in Coláiste Pobail Setanta in Clonee, says she is “terrified but also very excited” about the challenge that lies ahead. “I’m the type of person who would normally have every detail of a trip like this planned – from how we’re going to get from place to place to any apps downloaded that will help with the language,” she says, “So it will be interesting to not have those usual details planned. Not having a phone will definitely be the most difficult aspect!”

Shauna, who has represented IGG at an international Girl Guide seminar and volunteered at the Guiding World Centre, Our Chalet, in Switzerland also believes the experiences and skills she has gained from Guiding will help her complete the Explorer Belt challenge. “I’ve gained the confidence in myself and the belief that I can achieve anything if I put my mind to it,” she says. “Above all else, being in IGG has given me a taste for adventure and finding different challenges to push me out of my comfort zone.”

 

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 info:
Fiona Murdoch, Communications Officer, Irish Girl Guides. Tel: 085 8570565
Jemma Lee, Explorer Belt organiser, Irish Girl Guides. Tel: 087 9686185

Notes for editors:

Irish Girl Guides has over 11,000 members. 1,800 young and adult leaders are involved. 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, Climate Action, Cultural Diversity, Disability Awareness, Drug Awareness, Online Surfer, Science Investigator, Engineering, Aviation and Global Traveller.

Irish Girl Guides’ youngest members will descend on Dublin Zoo and Fota Wildlife Park to party 

Dublin, 14/06/2019 – More than 600 Ladybirds – the youngest members of Irish Girl Guides – will take part in a massive celebration tomorrow [Saturday 15 June 2019] to mark their 30^th birthday.

Ladybirds, who are girls aged five to seven, will travel from all over the country to party at Dublin Zoo and Fota Wildlife Park with more than 300 girls and 100 volunteer Leaders attending each event.

Ladybirds, who meet each week in their local community to take part in activities, games, songs and crafts, can’t wait to meet up with Ladybirds from other counties to celebrate their milestone birthday.

“We will have music, dancing, lots of activities and a big cake at each event,” says Monica McDonnell, Chair of Irish Girl Guides (IGG) Ladybird Branch. “The girls at Dublin Zoo will be joined by a special guest – award-winning space explorer and science communicator Dr Niamh Shaw who will tell them about her space adventures.”

While Guides (the branch of IGG for 10-14 year olds) started in Ireland in 1911, Brownies (the branch for 7-10 year olds) started in 1914 and Senior Branch (the branch for 14-30 year olds) in 1919, the Ladybird branch only started 30 years ago when it was decided to introduce Guiding to girls of a younger age.

A pilot Ladybird unit in Ballybrack, Dublin, was such a success that in 1989 Ladybirds was officially launched by then Minister for Education Mary O’Rourke. Within a year there were 33 Ladybird units operating throughout the country. Today there are over 2,000 Ladybirds throughout the 26 counties.

“The Ladybird programme encourages girls to care and share, to think of others and to contribute to their local communities,” said Monica, who is Leader of Cúchulainn Ladybirds in Drogheda. “Each girl is encouraged to try her best and learn new skills and is rewarded for doing the best she can.

“The girls can earn badges for all kinds of things, like Road Safety, Healthy Mind, Performing Arts, Environmental Awareness, Voting and STEM. During their time with us, we see the Ladybirds grow in confidence and independence while making new friends and having a lot of fun.”

IGG Chief Commissioner Helen Concannon said: “Trying to stay relevant and in touch with each new generation of young girls can be a challenging task but it is one the Irish Girl Guides excels at. Thousands of Ladybirds have benefited from their involvement in IGG and most move on to Brownies (aged 7-10) and Guides (aged 10-14) where they continue to grow in independence, develop essential life-skills and are introduced to the international aspects of the Guiding movement.”

Monica concluded, “The parties wouldn’t be possible without our sponsors – Impression Design and Print, The Galway Bay, Tayto, Fyffes and the staff of Deloitte. All of these have donated to us, which has been a massive help. Also, thanks to Dublin Zoo and Fota for allowing us to celebrate the birthday in their venues. We can’t wait!”

Irish Girl Guides welcomes new members from age 5+ and volunteer Leaders from age 18+. No previous experience of Guiding is necessary. See www.irishgirlguides.ie for more information or tel: 01 6683898.

ENDS

Notes for editors:

 Irish Girl Guides – 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, Aviation, STEM, Climate Action and Global Traveller.

www.irishgirlguides.ie

– Irish Girl Guides’ youngest members are all set to party at Dublin Zoo and Fota Wildlife Park on Saturday 15^th June –

Dublin, 10/06/2019 – More than 600 Ladybirds – the youngest members of Irish Girl Guides – are counting down the days until their 30^th birthday!

Ladybirds, who are girls aged five to seven, will be travelling from all around the country to take part in a massive birthday celebration on Saturday 15^th June.

They have the choice of attending a party at Dublin Zoo or Fota Wildlife Park in Cork, depending on which is more convenient to them. More than 300 girls are expected at each venue and more than 100 Leaders.

Ladybirds, who meet each week in their local community with volunteer IGG Leaders to take part in activities, games, songs and crafts, can’t wait to meet with other Ladybirds to dance and party and celebrate their big birthday.

While Guides (the branch of IGG for 10-14 year olds) started in Ireland in 1911, Brownies (the branch for 7-10 year olds) started in 1914 and Senior Branch (the branch for 14-30 year olds) in 1919, the Ladybird branch only started 30 years ago when it was decided to introduce Guiding to girls of a younger age.

Since 1989 the IGG programme has catered for girls and young women aged five to 30. There are age-appropriate activities and challenges for each age group.

“The Ladybird programme encourages girls to care and share, to think of others and to develop an appreciation of nature and the great outdoors,” says Chair of IGG’s Ladybird Branch, Monica McDonnell, who is also Leader of Cúchulainn Ladybirds in Drogheda.

“Each girl is encouraged to try her best and learn new skills and is rewarded for doing the best she can. The girls can earn badges for all kinds of things, like Road Safety, Healthy Mind, Performing Arts, Environmental Awareness, Voting and STEM. We see the Ladybirds grow in confidence and independence while making new friends and having a lot of fun.”

Monica said the girls are all hugely excited about the upcoming birthday celebration and are counting down the days until the party. “One thing is certain – there will be music, dancing and fun at both parties,” said Monica. “And, of course, a huge cake!”

She added, “The parties wouldn’t be possible without our sponsors – Impression Design and Print, The Galway Bay, Tayto, Fyffes and the staff of Deloitte. All of these have donated to us, which has been a massive help. Also, thanks to Dublin Zoo and Fota for allowing us to celebrate the birthday in their venues. The girls can’t wait!”

Irish Girl Guides welcomes new members from age 5+ and volunteer Leaders from age 18+. No previous experience of Guiding is necessary. See www.irishgirlguides.ie for more information or tel: 01 6683898.

ENDS

Contact details:
Fiona Murdoch, Communications Officer, Irish Girl Guides
Tel: 086 1706923

Notes for editors:

Irish Girl Guides – 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, Aviation, STEM, Climate Action and Global Traveller.

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

Dublin, 19/05/2019 – Irish Girl Guides was awarded its 6th Gold Standard Health Quality Mark (HQM) by the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) in recognition of their work on health promotion for young people, at a special event held in the Irish Girl Guides (IGG) National Office at 27 Pembroke Park, Dublin 4, yesterday [Saturday 18 May 2019].

Presenting the award at the meeting of IGG’s National Programme and Training Committee, Lisa Harold from the NYCI National Youth Health Programme, said, “This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of all at Irish Girl Guides. They are committed to the highest quality standards in health promotion and it is clear that ensuring a healthy and safe place for young people and staff is a key priority here.”

IGG’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, Personal Safety and a Good Health and Well-being badge based on the third Sustainable Development Goal. These badges and activities incorporate such topics as healthy eating, physical health, relationships, self-esteem, bullying and stress management. Guides aged 10+ can also earn Skin Care and Independent Living Skills badges.

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 also helps girls develop body confidence from an early age.

Ms Harold added: “Congratulations are in order to the staff, volunteers and young people of the service, especially those who have guided the organisation through the process to ensure that their work is in line with national and international best practice in the area of youth health promotion. The great work carried out here supports the national Healthy Ireland campaign, which is about increasing our focus on prevention and supporting young people to improve their own health and well-being.”

IGG National Programme and Training Commissioner, Jenny Gannon, 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.

“Irish Girl Guides has successfully maintained the Gold Standard in Health Promotion since the award was launched in 2001. We continue 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.”

ENDS

Contact:

Daniel Meister, Communications Manager at NYCI: 087 781 4903, 01-478 4122 or communications@nyci.ie

Notes to Editors:

National Youth Council of Ireland
The National Youth Council of Ireland is a membership-led umbrella organisation that represents and supports the interests of Irish voluntary youth organisations and uses its collective experience to act on issues that impact on young people. www.youth.ie

National Youth Health Programme
The National Youth Health Programme is a partnership between NYCI, the Health Service Executive and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.

Health Quality Mark
The Health Quality Mark (HQM) is the recognised quality assurance mark for health promotion in youth work in Ireland. It is a health promotion initiative developed by the National Youth Health Programme (NYHP) to enhance best practice and a high standard of quality in all youth organisations.

Irish Girl Guides

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 Healthy Body, Healthy Mind, Community Action, Cultural Diversity, Disability Awareness, Drug Awareness, Online Surfer, Science Investigator, Engineering, Aviation, STEM, Climate Action and Global Traveller.

Minister of State for European Affairs Helen McEntee launches Europe badges developed by Irish Girl Guides and European Movement Ireland

Dublin, 07/05/2019 – Members of Irish Girl Guides are set to broaden their horizons following the launch today of three Europe badges by Minister of State for European Affairs Helen McEntee TD.

The badges, which have been developed by Irish Girl Guides (IGG) in partnership with European Movement Ireland (EMI), will help girls from age five upwards gain an understanding of the European Union (EU) and how it affects the lives of Irish citizens.

The badges were launched at an EMI ‘Handshake for Europe’ event held in Iveagh House, the headquarters of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, ahead of Europe Day (9 May).

There is a different badge and curriculum for each age group. In order to earn the badge, the youngest members of Irish Girl Guides (Ladybirds aged 5-7) will learn to recognise the European Union (EU) flag, learn greeting customs from three other EU countries, name some other EU countries and make rubbings of Euro coins.

Brownies (aged 7-10) will discover which countries are members of the EU, learn about the role of MEPs and, through a variety of activities, identify ways of respecting and including different cultures. They will discover who their local MEPs are and will write letters to them.

Guides (aged 10-14) will learn why the EU was formed in 1957, when Ireland joined (1973) and the advantages of being an EU member. They will make posters illustrating why Ireland is a member, will celebrate an international cultural festival (e.g. host a Eurovision-style talent competition) and invite a politician to come and talk to them about the EU.

Launching the badge, Minister Helen McEntee said: “This is a fantastic initiative that I am delighted to launch today. The initiative developed by the Irish Girl Guides and European Movement Ireland is yet another way to promote, learn and understand the workings of the European Union.  It is vitally important to educate our young people about why the EU exists in a way that engages them and encourages them to want to learn more.

“This is a timely launch ahead of Europe Day – a day that I will be travelling to Sibiu in Romania with the Taoiseach to outline Ireland’s position on the Future of Europe. This follows from our Citizens’ Dialogue process that was conducted last year and will help to shape the Future of Europe for all of our citizens.”

IGG Chief Commissioner, Helen Concannon, said: “The Irish Girl Guides has always been a movement of young people, responding to the needs of our global society. In recent times, our news channels have been filled with talk of Europe, the EU and potential leavers. As a responsive organisation, it made sense for us to enter a partnership with another non-governmental organisation to enhance the girls’ understanding of the relationship between Ireland and Europe.

“It has been a pleasure to work with European Movement Ireland to develop the three Europe badges. We were delighted that both organisations have a joint advocate in Jillian van Turnhout who worked with our National Programme and Training Commissioner, Jenny Gannon, and our branch committees to ensure the Europe badges become permanent fixtures in our educational Journey Programme for over 10,000 girls and young women.”

 

Jillian van Turnhout, Vice Chair of European Movement Ireland and former Chief Commissioner of Irish Girl Guides, said: “The Irish Girl Guides empowers girls and young women to be leaders. The introduction of a Europe Badge will give members an opportunity to develop their knowledge of the European Union equipping them to engage and shape the European project.”

Noelle O’Connell, Executive Director of European Movement Ireland, said: “European Movement Ireland is delighted to be partnering with the Irish Girl Guides in developing a range of Europe badges that we hope will inspire the over 10,000 girls and 1,800 young women leaders to both learn and, indeed, shape Ireland’s relationship with Europe.

“Irish Girl Guides has a long and established track record of empowering young women on a range of education and learning programmes. As the National Implementation body for the Blue Star programme, which itself has over 1,000 primary schools and 90,000 pupils getting creative and learning about Europe. As an organisation founded to develop the connection between Ireland and Europe, EM Ireland is delighted to be partnering with the Irish Girl Guides on this exciting and timely new project at a crucial time in Ireland’s EU relationship.”

 

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

ENDS

Contact details:

Lisa Nic An Bhreithimh, Communications and Campaigns Manager, EM Ireland

Email: lisa@europeanmovement.ie

Tel: 087 950 3539

T: @emireland

Fiona Murdoch, Communications Officer, Irish Girl Guides

Email: communications@irishgirlguides.ie

Tel: 085 8570565

Notes for editors:

 Irish Girl Guides – 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, Aviation, STEM, Climate Action and Global Traveller. www.irishgirlguides.ie

European Movement Ireland – Founded in 1954, European Movement (EM) Ireland is the longest established Irish NGO working on European affairs. A non-partisan, independent, not-for-profit, membership-based organisation, EM Ireland works to develop the connection between Ireland and the rest of Europe.  For more information, visit www.europeanmovement.ie .

– Dr Niamh Shaw is named as Irish Girl Guides’ Honorary Ambassador –

Dublin, 06/04/2019 – Award-winning space explorer and science communicator Niamh Shaw PhD is set to blaze a trail for Irish Girl Guides (IGG) over the course of the next 12 months.

Dr Shaw, who describes herself as an Irish engineer, scientist, artist, performer, space explorer and award-winning science communicator with a passion to ignite curiosity about space and the world around us, was named Honorary Ambassador at IGG’s annual Council meeting held in Tallaght this afternoon (6 April 2019). Dr Shaw was chosen in recognition of the trail she has blazed for girls and women in Ireland.

IGG President Maureen Murphy said IGG members were excited to have Dr Niamh Shaw as the organisation’s new Ambassador. “She has stated her wish to ignite people’s curiosity and has a big dream to travel in space,” said Ms Murphy. “Niamh has already met some of our members at the FIRST LEGO League finals in Dublin City University.

“Guiding is about providing new experiences and challenges to enable each girl to reach her own potential in today’s world, so Niamh is a very appropriate role model, inspirer and Honorary Ambassador.”

Dr Shaw, who is Dublin-based but regularly travels to Blackrock Castle Observatory in Cork where she is artist-in-residence, is particularly interested in encouraging girls and women to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) subjects. This ties in nicely with IGG’s aim to encourage girls and young women to consider STEM careers by inviting them to earn STEM, Engineering, Science Investigator and Online Surfer badges.

“What I’m particularly interested in, during my term as Ambassador, is empowering Girl Guides to pursue in life what they are most passionate about, which is usually what they are also most curious about,” said Dr Shaw. “STEM will naturally play its part in that exploration, so rather than promote STEM in isolation, I want to encourage them to see STEM as a suite of tools with which to unearth and explore what they are most passionate about. And they can use this knowledge to enhance this passion directly or indirectly.

“STEM subjects can belong in a creative environment as much as a technical one. If I can achieve success in delivering that message to Girl Guides in the next year, then I will feel that I have made a worthy contribution to Irish Girl Guides. And, since my passion is space, I would also like to explore the creation of a space badge too, if possible.”

Dr Shaw, who was a member of IGG for some of her childhood, has fond memories of her time in the organisation. She was disappointed that it was difficult to stay involved because the family moved location frequently.

“I remember one time we had to collect the leaves of different trees, which led me to read and research more on the topic. And there was no internet then to do a simple Google search! Thankfully, we had the children’s encyclopaedia, so I referred to that a lot, and to other nature books in the house. To this day, I still test myself on tree identification!”

Dr Shaw said she was delighted to be selected as IGG Ambassador. “It’s a huge honour,” she says, “And I’m really looking forward to the year ahead.”

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:

Dr Niamh Shaw – nshawster@gmail.com. Tel: 086 3486529

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.

Dr Niamh Shaw

• LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/niamhshaw/
• YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/nshawredscientist/
• Website: www.niamhshaw.ie
• Twitter: @dr_niamh_shaw
• Instagram:@dr_niamh_shaw
• Also some links below to recent speaking events: at Aras an Uachtarain, at WIRED UK etc – LinkedIn  Website   YouTube

Artist in Residence, CIT Blackrock Castle Observatory

New Scientist Live 2018

WIRED UK 2018

Recent: IWD at Áras an Uachtarain

– Members of Irish Girl Guides carry out 84,000 good turns every week –

Dublin, 01/04/2019 – The Irish Girl Guides are inviting members of the public to join them doing good turns during National Good Turn Week (1-7 April 2019).

When girls join the organisation, they promise to do a good turn every day. Given that there are 12,000 members, this makes a whopping total of 84,000 good turns every week!

During National Good Turn Week members share their good deeds on social media using the hashtag #GoodTurns and encourage members of the public to do the same.

In this way, it is hoped to spread kindness and goodwill throughout the country, thereby making a positive impact on individuals, families, communities and on society as a whole.

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. Some Girl Guide units are organising litter picks in conjunction with An Taisce’s Spring Clean and sharing their photos with the #trashtag hashtag, which has taken social media by storm in recent weeks.

“By carrying out good turns daily, the value of volunteering is impressed upon our members from a young age,” says IGG Chief Commissioner Helen Concannon. “Our youngest members from age five 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. 

Irish Girl Guides are issuing this statement in response to recent public and media commentary.

Dublin, 27/02/2019 – While discussing Scouting Ireland public references have been made to ‘Scouting and Guiding’.  We request that when referring to ‘Scouting’ and ‘Scouting Ireland’ references to ‘Guiding’ are omitted. Scouting Ireland caters for both boys and girls and offers a different programme. Scouting Ireland is a completely separate organisation from our organisation. Scouting and Guiding are not interchangeable terms.

The Irish Girl Guides recognise the welfare of our members is of paramount importance and we have policies and procedures in place to safeguard the children in our care. Our Safeguarding and Child Protection policy and practice has been developed to comply with the Children First Act 2015, Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children (2017), and Tusla’s Child Safeguarding: A Guide for Policy, Procedure and Practice.

The Irish Girl Guides believe transparency and openness are the best way to protect children. In light of the revelations over the past year in relation to Scouting Ireland, our organisation has reviewed our files. We have no historic or current internal cases of alleged child abuse. In line with best practice, we report any concerns we have over the welfare or safety of a child to the relevant statutory authorities.

If one of our volunteer leaders has a concern for a child who they believe is at immediate risk they are advised to contact the Gardaí. If a leader has a concern for the welfare of a child, they are directed to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. Our Safeguarding Officer and volunteer safeguarding teams follow up with local leaders to ensure all reporting requirements are met.

The Irish Girl Guides offers an exciting programme for girls and young women from 5 to 30 years of age, and opportunities for women of all ages. We cater for girls only because we strongly believe that girls need time in a girl-only safe setting with a programme facilitated by women who will act as role models and encourage them to challenge themselves and follow their dreams. Through participation in Guiding, girls experience leadership from a young age via our programme and structures. Girls take on various roles and use the skills and knowledge gained throughout their lives. In society, tradition places certain expectations on girls and women. In Guiding, girls and women challenge those stereotypes and take on positions of leadership, using their talents and abilities to contribute to a more equitable world. This develops girls’ confidence, improves self-esteem and offers a unique opportunity to grow and develop as responsible citizens of the world.

We believe it is essential that every member has a voice that will be heard and acted upon. We thank our volunteer leaders for continuing to ensure Guiding provides a safe and fun environment for all our members.

ENDS

Contact details:

Irish Girl Guides Chief Commissioner Helen Concannon – chief.commissioner@irishgirlguides.ie

Irish Girl Guides National Office Tel: 01 6683898

– Irish Girl Guides team up with Trócaire to tackle climate change –

Dublin, 09/02/2019 – Thousands of girls throughout Ireland are set to take steps to combat climate change following the launch this morning [9 February] of a Climate Action badge at Irish Girl Guides’ national conference in Galway Bay Hotel, Salthill, Co Galway.

The result of an ongoing partnership between Irish Girl Guides (IGG) and Trócaire, the badge was inspired by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 13 – ‘Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.’

Ladybirds (age 5-7) and Brownies (age 7-10) will learn through a series of activities how important it is to care for the environment and how they can take steps to combat climate change.

Guides (age 10-14) and Senior Branch members (age 14-30) will learn how climate change has resulted from human activities and will discover how climate change is affecting communities in Trócaire’s partner countries e.g. drought and food insecurity in Ethiopia, migration in Kenya and extreme flooding and sea level rise in Honduras.

They will be encouraged to make the link between human rights and climate justice and consider how Ireland overall, and their own actions, are contributing to climate change. Through a series of activities, they will then be supported to consider what actions they can take to address climate change.

Sinéad Crilly, Chair of IGG’s Membership, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee and a Guide Leader in Drogheda, said IGG was delighted to partner with Trócaire to launch the Climate Action badge and she looked forward to seeing many girls earning the badge.

“We all need clean food, water and air,” she said. “There is enough for everyone but some of us are using more than our fair share by wasting resources. We cannot continue as we are and we encourage our members to play their part in helping look after the environment.

“We already have an Environmental Awareness badge, which encourages girls to recycle, conserve water and save electricity. Working on the new Climate Action badge will reinforce this message and, rather than feeling helpless in the face of climate change, girls will discover how they can play their part to protect the world.”

 

Aine O’Driscoll, Trócaire’s Development Education Officer Youth, said climate change was the greatest injustice of our time. “Those who are contributing least to climate change are suffering the most, while those with the most power are failing to address the issue,” she said.

“Families that depend on rainfall to grow crops are particularly vulnerable, as an increase in drought and floods makes it more difficult to produce enough food to feed themselves. Out of necessity, people may resort to activities such as deforestation, sand harvesting and charcoal-making, which further impacts on the environment. Individuals and whole families are migrating from rural areas to urban areas in search of work.

“Trócaire is supporting communities affected by climate change in different parts of the world. It is also raising awareness of the urgent need to address climate justice and is calling for action by our government at national and international levels.”

 

ENDS

Contact:

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

Niamh McCarthy, Communications Manager, Trócaire Tel: 086 8124352

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, Aviation and Global Traveller. 

– Cork and Kildare Guide leaders earn top accolade for Irish Girl Guides’ leaders –

Dublin, 29/11/2018 – Two leading lights in Irish Girl Guides (IGG) have become the first Girl Guide leaders to earn the organisation’s top accolade for young women.

Aisling Claffey (24) from Cork and Aoife Leamy (25) from Newbridge were presented with the Golden Sun Award at a recent conference held in the Guiding centre at Lorne Estate, Hollywood, Co Down, attended by 60 members of Senior Branch (the IGG branch for 14-30 year olds).

The duo, who undertook a series of challenges over the course of two years, are chuffed to become the first two women to receive the award, which IGG launched for leaders in 2015. Girls from age five-plus in IGG have over 130 badges that they can earn; the Golden Sun Award was introduced so that adult members could work towards a goal too.

The award includes the same components as the Gold Gaisce with some additional Guiding challenges. Aisling and Aoife completed community challenges, developed life skills and undertook outdoor challenges as well as completing an adventure journey and a residential project. Aisling, a sales and marketing executive at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork, and Aoife, a laser eye surgery manager with Optilase Eye Clinic in Dublin, were so keen that they completed 30 challenges more than they had to!

The duo greatly enjoyed doing the challenges, including craft evenings, discussions, debates and trying new physical activities, and felt a great sense of accomplishment on completion. Some they did together, including an 80 kilometre hike and camping trip in Co Kerry, which Aoife says was her favourite part of earning the badge.

“It was tough-going,” she says. “Some days were easier than others but, as we lay in our tent at night, it was nice to chat about the day and reflect on the good parts!”

Working towards the award also saw Aoife increase her community involvement, develop her cooking skills, try out new forms of exercise and take part in a week-long residential event in France. She learned from her experiences that reflecting on an activity and project by writing a log makes it a lot easier to write a report months later! Also, that true friends can get you through anything!

Similarly, Aisling says the award allowed her to go on a great adventure with a great friend. “We laughed, cried, supported and motivated each other,” she says. “From meeting at a Guide camp over 10 years ago, when we bonded over beans and ribbons, we have completed a number of Guiding experiences, challenges and activities together. Completing the Golden Sun together only seemed right!”

Working towards the award helped Aisling face her ongoing battle with anxiety. “The experience made me step out of my comfort zone, making me feel anxious at times but, having the right supports around me, allowed me to continue through the process,” she says. “I learned that, although something may scare you and make you anxious, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it. Facing fears and anxiety head on is one of the scariest things to do but, when you start to overcome them or deal with them better, you will realise you are a much stronger person than you allow yourself to believe.

“For me, this pin means more than the challenges that were done to achieve it. It represents the experiences that were undertaken, the people who were there to support us, the amazing memories, the fantastic friendships and the personal journey.”

Aoife says she loved the fact a challenge was introduced for adult IGG members and was particularly motivated by the idea of being one of the first people to achieve it. She felt very proud to be one of the first recipients.

“As leaders, we are so committed to encouraging the girls to reach their goals and be proud that we forget that leaders sometimes deserve to be proud too!” she says. “From the outset of the award, I wanted to be the first to get it. It’s not about boasting rights, but it is about being an ambassador for the award – to show our members that it is an achievable goal. It is hard – it take a lot of time and commitment – but getting it first means that now the next person who sets out to do it has a reference.”

Guiding has been a massive part of Aoife and Aisling’s lives since they joined IGG age 11 and age 10 respectively. “I have gained confidence, life skills, camping skills, a songbook of campfire songs, bush craft skills, leadership skills, friendship and an appreciation of international cultural differences,” says Aoife. “But, mostly, I have gained the certainty of who I am and what mark I want to leave on the world.”

“Guiding has given me so much,” says Aisling. “I have made amazing friends, learned so many skills, have had once-in-a-lifetime experiences, travelled, lived in another country and much more – all because of my involvement in Guiding. I’ve gained brilliant experiences and been able to take great opportunities all while learning skills that will last a lifetime.”

Irish Girl Guides welcomes new members from age 5+ and adult volunteers from age 18+. No previous Guiding experience is necessary. See www.irishgirlguides.ie or tel: 01 6683898 to find out more.

ENDS

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 investigator, online surfer, STEM and engineering.

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

Dublin, 18/11/2018 – 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 17 November 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 with an assessor 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 National Programme and Training Commissioner Jenny Gannon said the organisation was delighted to undertake the project with Brownies from Dublin, Meath, Louth, Cavan, Monaghan, Cork and Carlow. “Earlier this year 200 Brownies from Wicklow, Kildare and Dublin took part in the first phase of IGGIES and it’s been great to give another 200 Brownies from other counties the same opportunity,” she said.

“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.”

 

Prof Deirdre Butler of the Institute of Education, Dublin City University, said, “The need to address the gender imbalance in STEM disciplines and careers is well documented. We in DCU are excited about our partnership with the Irish Girl Guides and believe that this organisation is uniquely positioned to address gender equity in STEM education in Ireland as, through their organisation they have reach to approximately 10,000 females aged 5-30 years.

“To ignite early kernels of interest, we are working with the Brownies and building on the need to develop girls’ understanding of how STEM subjects can be applied in real-life situations, we have been focusing on a project based around the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal of Water.

“Encouraging these young girls to ask questions about the world, to problem solve and to use natural creativity through play, creativity, and experimentation we believe can lead to them engaging in innovative STEM-related careers in the future.”

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. 

Girls age 5+ are doing science experiments and engineering projects

Dublin, 14/11/2018 – Irish Girl Guides (IGG) is launching a brand new STEM badge during Science Week (November 11-18) to encourage girls from as young as five to develop an interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.

Hundreds of Ladybirds – IGG members aged five to seven – will earn the badge by taking part in science experiments and engineering projects, like building towers, making telephones using string and using magnets.

By taking part in these fun activities, the girls will learn about balance, stability and planning, how sound travels, magnetism etc. It is hoped that doing this will spark an interest in STEM subjects that they will pursue inside and outside of school.

IGG Programme and Training Commissioner Jenny Gannon said: “We are delighted to launch our new STEM badge for Ladybirds during Science Week. It complements the Science Investigator and Engineering badges we already have for Brownies (aged seven to 10) and Guides (aged 10-14).

“Girls aren’t always encouraged to pursue STEM subjects in school and we want to rectify that by introducing girls from a young age to STEM activities. Women are under-represented in STEM careers but we believe that, by encouraging an interest in these areas in a non-formal setting, girls will be more likely to pursue these subjects as they get older. In doing this, we hope to help address the gender imbalance in these fields.

“Taking part in STEM activities, like doing all Guiding projects and challenges, is also a great way for girls to develop problem-solving, teamwork and other life-skills while also growing in confidence,” Jenny added.

Some girls, including Bray Ladybirds, have been so keen to earn the new badge that they have already completed all the activities.

Sinead Bayliss, a leader with Bray Ladybirds, said: “The STEM badge is a unique opportunity to cover a wide range of topics in a fun, creative and informative way. Doing the STEM activities is a great excuse for girls to get messy with slime or oobleck, investigate with magnets and slopes, experiment with water and food colouring, play with numbers and stack or build with anything.

“There was a great excitement in the air as they set about the tasks, fascination as girls stuck pencils into bags of water and they didn’t leak everywhere and infectious laughter as they mixed various concoctions from cornflour and made a terrible mess. This is the most fun badge we have ever worked on because the girls were so enthusiastic and the possibilities were endless!”

 

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, Engineering and Global Traveller. 

– Dragon’s Den investor Alison Cowzer supports initiative that helps girls develop business skills –

Dublin, 01/11/2018 – Thousands of members of Irish Girl Guides (IGG) around the country are aiming to address gender imbalance in Ireland’s boardrooms by selling 30,000 packets of cookies as part of the organisation’s National Cookie Month [November].

Last year almost 4,000 Girl Guides from age five-plus raised €44,000 by selling 30,000 packets of cookies and the girls are all set to do the same this year. The money raised was used to fund camps and day trips and to buy equipment for the girls to use at their weekly meetings.

It’s not all about the money, though. By deciding how many packets to order, how to go about selling the biscuits and how to spend the proceeds of their sales, the girls develop valuable decision-making, goal-setting and business skills.

The choc-chip cookies are made in East Coast Bakehouse in Drogheda. Alison Cowzer, co-founder of East Coast Bakehouse and Dragon’s Den investor, has proved an invaluable mentor for IGG members, sharing with them her insider tips for making sales.

Ms Cowzer is delighted to lend her support to the cookie initiative, given that “it could take centuries to achieve equality without serious efforts to bring women into male-dominated spheres such as business and politics. No other organisation in Ireland is specifically working with girls to tackle the gender imbalance in business and so I am very happy to be a part of this project, which is helping foster a spirit of entrepreneurship among Irish girls and young women.

“The Irish Girl Guides is a proactive and forward-thinking organisation, which gives girls confidence and the opportunity to develop essential life-skills. I have seen my own daughters greatly benefit from their involvement in IGG.”

 

Ms Cowzer is looking forward to welcoming members of Merlin Woods Guides, Galway, to the Bakehouse tomorrow [2 November]. The girls won a trip to the factory by being the IGG unit to sell the most cookies during IGG’s inaugural National Cookie Month last November – 1,560 packets!

IGG Chief Commissioner Helen Concannon says, “Last year’s Cookie Month was such a success we decided to do it again this year. We have given the project the hashtag #FutureCEOs, which stands for Creating Entrepreneur Opportunities, and it is hoped that all girls who get involved will develop and strengthen their goal-setting, decision-making, communication and entrepreneurial 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 boardrooms all around Ireland and beyond. And this begins by giving girls opportunities to develop confidence.

“We heard numerous stories from leaders and parents last year saying how their girls started out as shy salespeople unsure of how to even begin and ended up savvy businesswomen. The number of units that came to us to order more cookies to sell is testament to the success of the girls developing their skills.

“As a non-profit organisation, all monies raised are invested in the organisation to help fulfil its mission to help girls and young women reach their fullest potential,” Ms Divilly added.

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, Engineering and Global Traveller. 

East Coast Bakehouse, based in Drogheda, Co Louth, produces cookies and biscuits for the Irish market and for export to over 20 countries around the world. With a team of 65, the company is Ireland’s only large-scale biscuit manufacturing business. Approximately 99% of biscuits sold in Ireland are imported – we’re aiming to change that and our Irish Made range is now available in all major retailers nationwide.

– Teen girls to receive Trail Blazer National Guide Award at Croke Park ceremony –

Dublin, 14/10/2018 – Over 130 Girl Guides will receive the Trail Blazer National Guide Award – Irish Girl Guides’ highest award – at a special ceremony in Croke Park tpmorrow [13 October 2018].

The 137 Girl Guides, aged 14-15, will be travelling 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 from Irish Girl Guides (IGG) President Maureen Murphy and a National Guide Award certificate from IGG Assistant Chief Commissioner Áine Divilly.

IGG President Maureen Murphy says the girls have been committed and have worked hard to gain the Award and have gained valuable life-skills in the process. “Everyone has put her own stamp on the challenges, which is inspiring,” she says. “Each one of them has the skills to make a positive contribution to her community and society going forward.”

Carina Egan, Chair of IGG Guide Branch, says that, without the hard work and commitment of the 137 girls, there would be no celebrations tomorrow. “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 members of Irish Girl Guides to help them develop confidence, independence and essential life-skills.

“We are delighted for all the girls and know that they have worked to their fullest potential to earn the Award and hope they will continue to use many of the life-skills they have achieved wherever life takes them in the future.”

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 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 fullest 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, Engineers and Global Traveller.

Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you would like further information. 

– Irish Girl Guides’ members are designing superheroes with superpowers –

Dublin, 11/10/2018 – Members of Irish Girl Guides are joining the 10 million Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in 150 countries in celebrating International Day of the Girl (11 October) by designing their own superheroes with superpowers.

These powers focus on the abilities, characteristics, powers and strengths of superheroes rather than their looks.

To mark International Day of the Girl, a member of the Irish Girl Guides (IGG) Executive Committee, Jenna Goodwin, is also heading up the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) for the day at their London office. She will be interviewing WAGGGS Chief Sarah Nancollas in a Facebook Live video and will be brainstorming with various teams how to include young women more in decision-making.

WAGGGS chose the power and potential of girls as their focus for this year’s International Day of the Girl.  “We know girls are already powerful, but sometimes they need a helping hand to reach their fullest potential,” says Irish Girl Guides Chief Commissioner Helen Concannon. “That’s where Girl Guiding comes in!

“Our mission is to help girls and women reach their fullest potential and we do that by encouraging them to take part in a range of activities, challenges and projects to build up their confidence and help them to develop resilience, independence, problem-solving, teamwork and other essential life-skills.

“We want all girls to be their own superheroes and use their powers to change the world for the better!”

Irish Girl Guides welcomes new members from age 5+ and new volunteer leaders from age 18+. Find out more at www.irishgirlguides.ie or tel: 01 6683898.

ENDS

Contact:

Fiona Murdoch, Communications Officer, Irish Girl Guides.

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. 

– 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.