The Residential Project is perhaps one of the most interesting and once in a lifetime aspects of taking part in your Gold Gaisce Award. It is a chance for you to step outside of your comfort zone and challenge yourself to take part in something you have never done before!
The following are just a few suggestions on what activities you could take on for your Residential Project, feel free to research your own and then speak with your PAL to make sure it fulfils the requirements of your Gold Gaisce Award.
Requirements and more info on the Residential Project can be found here.
The Gaelteacht
A residential opportunity that is closer to home is to attend the Gaelteacht. If you are training to become a teacher the Gaelteacht is a great opportunity to use towards your Gold Gaisce Award!
Barretstown
Barretstown offers free, specially designed camps and programmes for children and their families living with a series illness – supported behind the scenes by 24 hour on site medical and nursing care.
You can volunteer for ¾ days for family and bereavement weekends to 4 to 9 days for children and teen camps.
For more info, please click here
The Hope Foundation
There is also an opportunity to volunteer abroad with The Hope Foundation. You could join the HOPE Overseas Volunteer Programme where you could be working to help change the lives of the poorest and slum children in Kolkata. For more info click here
Cycle against Suicide.
Rather than trying to explain it why not read about Gold Awardee Ali’s incredible time taking part:
\’For my residential project I volunteered on the Cycle Against Suicide. I wanted to learn how the power of empathy can be used to help people. I also wanted to learn what it took to use empathy to help people on a national scale.
This was a hugely rewarding experience for me. It was eye opening for me to go to each city and hear about how suicide had affected the occupants of that city. I got to understand and share in their experiences and learned a lot about the burdens that people carry around with them every day even if they don’t show it. 
It wasn’t easy doing that much travel on a daily basis but I got used to it and really enjoyed it. I learned about the caring nature of people as we were taken into their homes in each town we went to. People opened up to Jim Breen and to the efforts of those trying to make a positive impact on people’s mental health. 
I was so grateful for the opportunity to take part in the Cycle and it is an experience that I will never forget!
Key Tip:
\’In order to participate in the Cycle Against Suicide I had to take time off from university. This didn’t have an impact on my studies because I chose a time that fit into my college schedule neatly. That is a tip I would give to anyone looking to do their Residential Project – time management and scheduling is key!\’
Check out: http://www.cycleagainstsuicide.com for more info!