What Is a President's Award Leader (PAL) at Gaisce?

A President's Award Leader (PAL) is the adult volunteer who supports young people through their Gaisce – The President's Award journey. Where a participant works through the challenge areas themselves, a PAL guides, verifies and encourages them along the way. The gaisce.ie homepage treats the two roles as separate entry points: one link for people who want to "Learn how you can become a Gaisce Participant" and another for those who want to "Learn how you can become a Presidents Award Leader." If you are an adult interested in supporting young people rather than completing the award yourself, the PAL route is the one to follow.

How the PAL role differs from being a participant

The distinction is built into how the programme is presented. Gaisce is described as Ireland's National Youth Award and a personal development programme for young people aged 14–25, framed as a direct challenge from the President of Ireland, Catherine Connolly, encouraging young people to realise their potential. Participants are the young people taking on that challenge. PALs are the adults who make that possible by mentoring and confirming progress.

The site does not publish detailed eligibility criteria or a step-by-step application process for PALs on the homepage, so the practical next step is to use the dedicated PAL link and follow the guidance there.

Where the site directs people to learn about becoming a PAL

The homepage presents the PAL option as a prominent call to action alongside the participant option. Selecting "Learn More" under the President's Award Leader heading is the intended route into the role's information. The site also points visitors to a Linktree that collects its Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok accounts, which is useful if you want to see current PAL activity or ask questions through social channels before committing.

PAL-related resources mentioned on the site

Two resources stand out for anyone considering or already in the role:

• The PAL Pack – the site's news feed announces "The 2026 PAL Pack is Here!", indicating that an annual pack of materials is issued to leaders.
• The SUAS Bursary Fund – the site reports that the "Gaisce SUAS Bursary Fund 26/27: Applications Now Open!" with a closing date flagged on Instagram. This is worth checking if cost is a concern for a participant you support, though the homepage does not state what the fund covers.

The site also notes that Gaisce attends the National Ploughing Championships and runs a Challenge Partner Showcase, both of which suggest ways PALs and participants can connect with partner organisations for challenge activities.

First-person PAL perspectives on the blog

The blog includes "Ciarán Sears: A PAL's Voice," a first-person piece from a leader. The site does not reproduce its contents on the homepage, but its presence signals that Gaisce publishes lived experience from PALs — useful reading before you decide whether the role suits you. The Instagram feed similarly highlights individual stories, including a post about someone moving "From Bronze to Gold, and now helping others find" their path, which reflects the progression from participant to supporter that some people take.

Practical next steps

If you want to become a PAL, start with the "Become a Presidents Award Leader" link on gaisce.ie and read the linked guidance before doing anything else. If you are unsure whether the role fits, read the Ciarán Sears PAL piece and browse the Linktree social accounts for current leader activity. If you are a young person rather than an adult supporter, use the participant link instead — the two journeys are separate from the first click.