More than 100 young Gaels from GAA Clubs across Ireland graduated from the Dermot Earley Youth Leadership Initiative, which is an accredited programme by University of Ireland Galway (NUIG) in partnership with the GAA and Foróige. This year nine counties Kildare, Offaly, Dublin, Mayo, Galway, Roscommon, Antrim, Donegal and Monaghan were represented in NUIG, along with family, friends and the Earley family.

During the programme the young GAA members gain aptitudes in essential leadership skills in a safe and supportive environment. Module one focused on the individual and their leadership skills, building their self-awareness, community skills, values and communication skills. Module two focused on their ability to lead as part of a team enabling them to cultivate their skills further. This module engaged them with a team research project developing their capacity to project manage, lead and learn from team work.

Module three focused on their individual leadership aspirations and offered the participants the opportunity to lead their own project within their community from conception to completion. Some projects included a coaching and sporting nutrition awareness workshop for U 14’s team in Buncrana GAA, organised Easter party for the Letterkenny Special Olympics bowling club, facilitated workshops for mental health in Muff GAA, planned intergenerational event for local nursing home residents as part of the Bealtaine Festival in Dublin, establishment of a Youth Tidy Town group in Offaly, organised motivational event with Declan Coyle in Roscommon, hosting of a community brunch to combat isolation amongst elderly people in Mayo and the development of a peer education programme for concussion, mental health and player burnout in Kildare.

Since 2014, the Dermot Earley Youth Leadership Initiative has seen over 500 young GAA members both male and female aged 15 to 18 years complete the yearlong programme, gaining a level 6 third level qualification in Youth Leadership and Community Action for their efforts. The programme is delivered in partnership with Foróige and NUIG and honours the leadership skills of Dermot Earley Senior the programme, while providing our youth with the opportunity to acquire accredited leadership skills.

To help facilitate the programme a troupe of tutors who are both GAA and Foróige volunteers received a four-day training from NUI Galway, achieving a Foundation Diploma in Training and Education (NFQ level 6) along their journey, enabling them to support their participant groups effectively and efficiently.

If you would like to enhance your own leadership skills, either as a trained tutor (must be over 18 years) or a participant (must be aged between 15 to 18 years) for 2019 programme, please contact the GAA National Coordinator Stacey Cahill stacey.cahill@gaa.ie / 01 8192387 for more information.