Dermot Earley Youth Leadership Initiative applications now open
Since 2014, the Dermot Earley Youth Leadership Initiative has seen over 500 young GAA members across Ireland complete the yearlong programme, gaining a level 6 third level qualification in Youth Leadership and Community Action. This unique programme evokes and honours the values Dermot Earley epitomised and tries to foster them in a new generation of young Irish leaders. Check out the Dermot Earley National Youth Recognition Day which was held in Croke Park last May.
Young GAA club members, male and female aged 15-18 years, in the following counties Donegal, Antrim, Dublin, Kildare, Galway, Roscommon, Offaly and Cork are now encouraged to apply. Applications for 2019 are now CLOSED.
The programme will run over three modules between September 2019 and May 2020. During the programme the young GAA members will gain aptitudes in essential leadership skills in a safe and supportive environment. Module one focuses on the individual and their leadership skills, building their self-awareness, community skills, values and communication skills. Module two focuses on their ability to lead as part of a team enabling them to cultivate their skills further. Module three focuses on their individual leadership aspirations and offered the participants the opportunity to lead their own project within their community from conception to completion. Projects rolled out last year included a coaching and sporting nutrition awareness workshop for an U 14s team in Buncrana GAA; an Easter party for the Letterkenny Special Olympics bowling club; a workshop for mental health in Muff GAA; an intergenerational event for local nursing home residents as part of the Bealtaine Festival; the establishment of a Youth Tidy Town group in Offaly; a motivational event with Declan Coyle in Roscommon; the hosting of a community brunch to combat isolation amongst elderly people in Mayo; and the development of a peer education programme on concussion, mental health and player burnout in Kildare.
For more information please contact the GAA Learning and Development Officer Stacey Cahill on stacey.cahill@gaa.ie