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We are delighted to launch a partnership with Gaisce – the President’s Award to encourage young women to reach for the sun, moon and stars!
Recognising the similarities between IGG and Gaisce’s award schemes, the two organisations have decided to join forces with the aim of encouraging greater numbers of girls and young women to undertake challenges and activities that will help them become confident, active and responsible citizens.
IGG Chief Commissioner Helen Concannon says that, given the recent re-engineering of IGG’s whole programme for 14-30 year-olds, it is perfectly apt to work in partnership with Gaisce, especially given the organisations’ similar values of volunteerism and empowering young people to be active citizens.
“Recognising the mutuality between the aims and objectives of IGG’s Overall Awards programme and the Gaisce programme, and in order to facilitate delivery of Gaisce in a way that is complementary, IGG has aligned the requirements of the Overall Award to Gaisce at each level. IGG members who successfully achieve a Bronze Star, Silver Moon or Golden Sun Award will now receive a Gaisce Award at the corresponding level.”
Given their joint aim of encouraging young people to reach for the sun, moon and stars, IGG and Gaisce chose Dunsink Observatory, Dublin 15 – part of the Astrophysics and Astronomy Section of the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies – to launch their new initiative. Both organisations hope that the partnership will ensure that greater numbers of young people will engage in a range of activities and challenges, like community action, mountaineering and international travel, that will help them develop confidence, self-reliance, responsibility and other essential life skills.
Yvonne McKenna, CEO of Gaisce – The President’s Award says “We are delighted to announce our special partnership with the Irish Girl Guides. Gaisce’s vision fully aligns with that of the Guides – ‘to enable girls and young women to develop to their fullest potential as responsible citizens of the world’. We recognise that it is through partnership and working together that our shared ambitions can be achieved. We look forward to working together to achieve an Ireland where young people dream big and fulfill their potential.”
Helen Concannon, who herself achieved the Gold Gaisce Award, says: “It was an honour to wear my Girl Guide uniform when President Mary McAleese presented me with my award. It was through my involvement in Girl Guides that I first heard about Gaisce and I think it is wonderful to see the two organisations work together in this way. This partnership is another example that shows the skills, competencies and behaviours fostered in IGG are transferrable to other aspects of our members’ lives.”