The Presidents Award, or Gaisce, is a self directed challenge for young people to better themselves. The Bronze, Silver & Gold awards are for maintaining weekly activities over 3, 6 & 12 months respectively, with a few additional requirements. The activities are chosen to challenge and benefit each participant personally, within the following areas:
- Personal Skill
- Physical Activity
- Community Involvement
- Adventure Journey
- Residential Project (Gold only)
Bronze
I first heard of the award in Scouts where we were encouraged to signup for Bronze. I remember putting the blue Gaisce logbook into a ziploc bag to keep it safe, where it would live for almost a decade. Even then I dreamt of the day I’d meet the president to get my Gold.
My scout leaders helped me make a plan. This included guitar lessons (which became a huge passion), a gym training plan (which did not) and volunteering in a local charity shop. I built my routine around this for my Junior Cert year and felt very motivated to see them out. For the adventure journey we did a 2-day hike across the Nagle mountains. Bronze was awarded by our group leader at a small ceremony. Success!
Silver
Scouting Ireland was transitioning at the time, replacing the old awards programme to make it more transferable. It was a great idea; align awards so that earning a certain stage in hillwalking or paddling for example, would transfer to actual certs from Hillwalking Ireland or Canoeing Ireland. Making the work you put in more valuable in the wider world.
I was one of the last to complete the old Chief Scout Award (CSA); at that time the single highest award for the organisation. Moving to Venturers at 15, there were now five CSA’s, one for Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Venturers & Rovers. For transferability the Scout, Venturer & Rover CSA’s were designed around the Bronze, Silver & Gold Gaisce. With additional requirements like an environmental activity over the same period, and earning proficiency stages in Scouting’s adventure skills (more on these later), amongst other things. So by completing CSA you’d earn your Gaisce too, but given long time frames they could now be started upon entering a section unlike the old CSA which had to be worked up to.
It seemed perfect so I signed up for the Venturer one and began logging hours. Not being able to repeat activities I took up running, volunteered as a beaver leader and learned to drive. The adventure journey was a 3-day hike near home. What I loved about Gaisce was the flexibility. Miss a week, miss a year, it didn’t really matter because you had until you turn 26 to finish it. As long as you were always chipping away at it, which I was. However, this was actually not the case for the CSA’s, with the deadline for the Venturer award being your 18th birthday. So time was ticking, and now for the hiccup.
The adventure skills were organised into 9 areas, each with 9 stages of proficiency. I needed a stage 7 and two 6’s, each to be assessed by someone two stages higher. This was exceptionally difficult in a country where these were brand new, and almost no one had 8’s & 9’s. I know people who gave up due to the difficulty in getting these. I even tried to quit myself after a few months, attempting to ‘cash out’ and just get the Silver Gaisce as I had all its requirements finished, but that’s a strict no as I was technically never registered for that. It took a lot more time and resilience than expected, but when I finally earned a Stage 7 in Emergencies (First Aid), I was awarded the Venturer CSA & Silver Gaisce. The same time as I finished school and was prepping for college. This was an amazing chapter to have finally closed.
Gold
Having realised these CSA’s were all or nothing, I was not as fast to jump into the Rover award. As much as I wanted to do it via that route, it made me nervous. The requirements included an 8 and two 7’s, as well as a host of other things that made the Gold Gaisce look easy. Proud that I saw the previous one through, and annoyed with myself that I ever tried to give up, I signed up and promised myself no matter what happened; I was not quitting.
And off I went. A new life at the University of Limerick and a new challenge. I took my time and chose activities that truly interested and suited me. It took me five years to work my way through, but as slow as it was, I always knew I was one step closer than yesterday. My activities suited my passions, and guided me along an incredible college experience.
Freestyle kayaking became a huge love of mine and led to a summer in Uganda which changed my life. Videography brought me similar joy and let me capture my memories.
I served four years on the UL Kayak Club committee, including a year as Captain, taking home the Irish Kayak Intervarsity’s trophy in this time. I organised the annual Shannon River Clean Up event which had me invited to UL’s Green Flag award ceremony, where I was thanked by UL’s President for my part in attaining it. I paddled the Shannon with friends, camping on its islands as an adventure journey, and travelled Europe on several kayaking adventures.
By the time I graduated college I was in a similar position. All requirements done aside from the pesky adventure skills. By this time I’d heard a lot of stories of people giving up on this award, including a very close friend of mine. Tracking down Stage 9’s was still incredibly difficult and I required two assessors for my Stage 8. This took a long time. Finally in 2018 it was done. After 9 years I had ticked the final box.
Calling into my old scout leaders to go through the final signatures and send the books off was a wonderful experience, something I had really looked forward to. Their influence has been everything in what I’ve achieved and I’m eternally grateful for the time they took to mentor and guide me. Adrian and Trish, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.
The closeout was not without difficulties. The Scouting Ireland office threw up constant issues and reasons why they wouldn’t award it. Changing requirements, new assessment procedures, the fact I hadn’t maintained membership for two of the nine years so those wouldn’t count, among other things. To be honest, it left a sour taste in my mouth and made me appreciate how we were shielded from the politics of the organisation during my time as a youth member. I was happy to pay whatever money they wanted, and luckily I had saved the original (unedited) requirements to prove what I had done was by the book at the time, but it upset me to think of people who may have jumped through all the hoops just to be turned away at this point, as many were. That was not me however and I fought and fought until I persevered!
The first award ceremony was for the Chief Scout Award in Trinity College Dublin. The Rover award had now been available for ten years, and amazingly (but not surprisingly) I was the fourth ever recipient of it. This is a testament to the difficulty of the task, and I’ve great respect for the others that have also, and since completed it. All previous difficulties aside the ceremony was a lovely day.
The next ceremony was the big one. The 2018 Gold Gaisce ceremony was held in Dublin Castle. The 70 or so awardees were asked to bring one significant item from their journey, to showcase to the president and his wife Sabina. Everyone else brought something small and convenient, but for me it had to be my paddle. They told me they were impressed I’d brought it all the way there, walking it around the city, but this was an easier journey than most places this thing has been!
Everything about the night was amazing. It was surreal to finally be here after all these years dreaming about it. All the work had paid off and I was so excited to close this final chapter and look onwards to new challenges.
I have always spoken highly of the Gaisce programme and recommend it often to people. Every interaction I’ve had with their staff has been positive. I’ve always felt that they want nothing more than to encourage and support in any way they can. They show great interest and pride in every journey, and shower praise throughout. They are a hugely positive organisation for young people. Flexible, open and inclusive to all.
Signup is done through a President’s Award Leader (PAL), and there is one in nearly every school, college and youth organisation in the country at this stage. The recent push by some teachers to give all students the Bronze award for attending classes is a shame, detracting from the whole idea, but I like to think this is a minority. The fact that the opportunity is presented in schools is great, once some element of personal challenge remains the emphasis.
The new later CSA’s are more difficult to recommend knowing the challenges in getting support that I had to face. There are a lot of very impressive people in this country who simply couldn’t overcome the roadblocks Scouting Ireland put in front of them. I think the system had it’s flaws and hope it’s better now, but as a whole I couldn’t be happier to have taken it on and made it out the other side.
This journey was big enough that it always made projects in school, college and work feel that bit more achievable. It inspired me to take on more in all aspects of my life and gave me an underlying meaning and purpose for a lot of years. One I’ve tried to continue with further education, fitness challenges and adventures.
I’m always happy to help in any way I can for anyone on, or considering starting, their own Gaisce journey. Thanks for reading.
