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National Youth Council of Ireland award recognises high standard of health promotion
Ireland, 01/06/2016 – Irish Girl Guides has been awarded a 5th Gold Health Quality Mark by the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) in recognition of its high standard of health promotion.
The organisation’s wide-ranging programme for girls and young women aged 5-30 includes a number of health-promoting activities and badges, including Active Body, Healthy Mind, Healthy Friendship, Drug Awareness and Personal Safety. These incorporate such topics as healthy eating, physical health, relationships, self-esteem, bullying and stress management. Guides age 10+ can also earn badges on Skin Care and Independent Living Skills.
Irish Girl Guides (IGG) members regularly take part in a variety of indoor and outdoor challenges, which help them develop teamwork and leadership skills, resilience and self-confidence – all of which contribute to a healthy body and mind.
A five-week body confidence programme called Free Being Me, which was introduced two years ago, helps girls realise that there is no such thing as ‘the perfect body’. Girls are encouraged to accept their natural shape and to use their bodies for activities that they enjoy – whether that is sport, dance, drama etc.
Young women from age 16+ can apply to take part in the Chief Commissioner’s Award – a five-day adventure challenge that sees participants hike 60 kilometres while carrying all their camping and cooking equipment, living on less than €4 a day and completing eight projects along the way.
NYCI’s Health Quality Mark aims to enhance best practice and a high standard of quality in health promotion work in youth organisations. IGG was the first national volunteer-led youth organisation to achieve this standard in 2003 and has succeeded in retaining it ever since, with monitoring checks held every three years.
IGG Chief Executive Officer Linda Peters said she was delighted that the organisation’s ongoing health-promoting work was being recognised in this way. “We take great pride in the high quality youth work our 12,000 members are involved in across the country and welcome this acknowledgement of that work,” she said.
“In the last three years, since our last award, we have continued to incorporate health-focused approaches in our programmes, events and weekly meetings because we believe that they form the basis of good quality youth work relevant to today’s young people. This involves training for leaders, staff, support and resources for our youth members in fun, participative and educational ways.”
Congratulating the Irish Girl Guides on their achievement, NYCI Director Mary Cunningham said the Gold Award was testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone involved in the organisation. “This service is managed and staffed by people who are committed to the highest quality standards in health promotion and to the well-being of all who use the youth service.
“Congratulations are in order to the staff and 1,800 leaders throughout Ireland who ensure that IGG’s work is in line with national and international best practice in the area of youth health promotion. I have every confidence that this service will continue to be a healthy and safe place for young people, volunteers and staff and that health promotion will remain a key priority.”
Irish Girl Guides welcomes new members from age 5+ and volunteer leaders from age 18+. For further information, see www.irishgirlguides.ie or tel: 01 6683898.
ENDS
Contact:
Fiona Murdoch,
Communications Officer at Irish Girl Guides
Tel: 085 8570565
Email: communications@irishgirlguides.ie