Gaisce – The President’s Award was proud to host four fantastic young people and their families along with their two President’s Award leaders (PALs) from Prosper, Leighsbrook Service, Navan at an awards ceremony in Gaisce HQ in Phoenix Park.
Adam, Cian, Robbie, and Louise were each presented with their Bronze medals after completing thirteen weeks of the Gaisce programme. The four did amazing work to achieve their Gaisce Awards including engaging in a Disability Awareness Programme with a local school, learning Irish Sign Language for a performance of Silent Night and making Christmas care packages for residents in a local nursing home for the Community Involvement aspect of their Gaisce Award. Louise, Robbie, Cian, and Adam also completed a 40km walk through the Hill of Tara and Green Way to complete their Adventure Journey requirement for the Gaisce Award. For their Personal Skill Challenge Areas, Cian and Adam learned to shave, Robbie engaged in horse riding and Louise worked with dogs to overcome her fear of them. The four are especially proud of the Bronze Award books they created, where they documented their Gaisce Journey.
The event also recognised Orla Houlihan for becoming a Gaisce Support PAL and she was given a Gaisce Support Leader certificate. Gaisce kept the certificate a secret from Orla and everyone else who were all delighted to see her work recognised. Becoming a Support PAL has given Orla a sense of purpose and instilled confidence in her abilities to lead and support others. The group benefited from having Orla as their Support PAL as she was approachable, helpful and encouraging throughout. Orla gave input into how the Gaisce process was pitched to the group making sure that the award is accessible to everyone.
Their proud PAL Kellie Cunniffe said at the ceremony: ‘’From when we started to the very last day, they encompassed what Gaisce is all about. It was lovely because we did lots of activities every day from dancing, fitness, and horse riding but it had no end goal, no purpose, we were doing it just for the sake of doing it. Gaisce could give the activities we do a purpose, which was beautiful.’’
Gaisce Development Officer Mary Yore, who supported the Participants and their PALs on their Gaisce Journey said: “The participants are an amazing group of young people, they worked so hard to earn their award over the year and they put so much into it. They got involved in their community, which was something new for them and they got out of their comfort zone.”
The Prosper Group provides services and support to adults with an intellectual disability in Meath & North County Dublin. The organisation is directed by its core purpose to “support everyone to live the life they choose, in the same way and same places as everybody else. Today the Prosper Group supports approximately 500 individuals across Meath and Fingal.
Louise, Robbie, Cian, and Adam did amazing work to support their local community in achieving their Gaisce Award and are examples of how the Gaisce programme can build bridges between Participants and their local communities, help young people to step out of their comfort zone and let them shine.
