Over 500 young people in Waterford recognised by President for 'commitment' and 'creativity'

516 young people in Waterford have achieved the Gasice Award in the past 12 months.

This year marks 40 years of Gaisce, also known as The President's Award.

It was designed to empower young people by enhancing their confidence and wellbeing through personal, physical, community, and team challenges.

New research by Maynooth University has highlighted the value of the Award, showcasing the enhanced employability of young people who have completed it.

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The research shows that the skills associated with Gaisce – which include resilience, communication, teamwork, motivation, self-confidence, and problem-solving – are among those most valued by employers.

Employers surveyed saw the Award as a mark of initiative and viewed it as a positive differentiator among candidates.

However, lack of a formal recognition of the programme’s impact means that the full value of the Award is not consistently recognised.

While Gaisce is a proven non-formal learning pathway, the research recommended that stronger integration into formal systems could enable it to play an even greater role in supporting young people’s growth and achievement.

It also called for practical guidance and awareness campaigns to help recruiters recognise the value of Gaisce and to encourage participants to highlight their Award experiences in CVs and interviews.

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"Lá Gaisce is a celebration of the achievements, perseverance, and resilience of thousands of young people across Ireland, including an impressive 516 who achieved their Gaisce Award in Waterford over the past 12 months, each demonstrating incredible commitment, creativity, and community spirit. Lá Gaisce is an opportunity to recognise the Award programme’s lasting impact in equipping young people with the tools and self-belief that help them succeed in life and in work," Avril Ryan, CEO of Gaisce, said.

"The new research reinforces Gaisce’s value for Awardees, showing its vital role in cultivating the skills, experiences, and qualities that enhance employability. For those on a journey of renewal in particular, Gaisce offers a powerful narrative of growth, resilience, and rehabilitation — attributes employers increasingly recognise and value as indicators of determination, adaptability, and potential for strong workplace performance," she added.

Last year saw record levels of participation in the National Youth Award, with the highest ever number of registrations (26,737) and Award completions (15,621), through a record 792 delivery partners.

Of last year’s Awardees, 2,015 availed of the Gaisce SUAS Bursary Fund, which enables access for young people facing barriers to participation, including those from disability services, special schools, DEIS schools, youth diversion and youth probation, detention and other hard to reach youth settings.

"The Gaisce framework has remained largely unchanged in the past forty years since its founding, yet it feels more relevant than ever. Gaisce’s emphasis on building potential, encouraging self-discovery and goal setting instils a sense of purpose, fostering confidence, belonging and a can-do attitude among young people across the island of Ireland. Recognising young people’s achievements through an inclusive Award that celebrates individual strengthens, qualities, learning experiences and contributions to society is as essential today as it was 40 years ago," Avril said.

Today is the final Lá Gaisce with President Michael D. Higgins as our Patron.