How a Young Person Can Become a Gaisce Participant

Updated

A young person aged 14–25 can start by visiting gaisce.ie and following the “Gaisce Participant” pathway on the homepage, which links to a “Learn More” page explaining how to take part. Gaisce – The President’s Award is Ireland’s National Youth Award: a personal development programme framed as a direct challenge from the President of Ireland, Catherine Connolly, encouraging young people to realise their potential.

Who is eligible

The site states the programme is for young people aged 14–25. That age range is the core eligibility condition given on the homepage; anyone outside it is not described as a participant group there.

What being a participant involves

Gaisce is presented as a self-development challenge rather than a competition. The emphasis is on personal goals and fulfilling potential — the site’s social messaging sums it up as “Dream big and fulfil your potential!” The homepage does not list the individual challenge areas or time commitments, so treat those as details to confirm on the participant pages rather than assume them.

Where to start on the site

  1. Go to gaisce.ie.
  2. Find the “Gaisce Participant” section on the homepage.
  3. Select “Learn More” to open the participant information page.
  4. Use that page to understand how to begin your Gaisce journey.

The homepage also offers a separate “President’s Award Leader” pathway for adults who want to support participants — useful if a young person’s school, club or organisation is getting involved.

Checking current opportunities

The site’s news and blog area is where time-sensitive items appear, such as the Gaisce SUAS Bursary Fund 26/27 application announcement and the 2026 PAL Pack. If cost or support is a concern, check the bursary posts for current application windows rather than assuming funding is or isn’t available.

Common sticking points

  • Wrong pathway: the participant and leader routes are separate; start with the participant one unless you are an adult supporting a group.
  • Assuming programme details from the homepage: the homepage gives the purpose and age range, not the full requirements — use the participant “Learn More” page for specifics.
  • Missing deadlines: bursary and event information is posted as dated news items, so check the blog before applying for anything with a closing date.

The clearest first step remains the same: open gaisce.ie, choose the participant pathway, and read the “Learn More” page before deciding how to begin.