Fourteen members of staff from the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) have completed training as Gaisce President’s Award Leaders that will help them guide young footballers in Ireland.

As an official Gaisce Award Partner, the FAI will now roll out Gaisce training to young people taking part in various FAI programmes.

Gaisce - The President’s Award is a direct challenge from the President of Ireland, Catherine Connolly, to encourage young people to realise their potential through a proven Positive Youth Development Programme that provides structure, support, and certification for non-formal learning experiences for young people aged 14 to 25.

FAI Head of Education & Development Niall O’Regan: “As part of the FAI’s Education and Development Strategy, one of the things we want to look at is how we can incorporate education in football. The mantra is, ‘where there’s football there’s education and where there’s education there’s football’. One of the things we looked at from an international perspective is that we have a lot of young players part of the National Pathway Programme who are learning new skills and while they are away they have the opportunity to develop themselves. 

“At the FAI, we are not just developing footballers, we are developing people and Gaisce - The President’s Award is an excellent opportunity to do this and have 14 staff trained as mentors allows more young footballers to become community leaders through Gaisce.”

Head of Programme and Strategic Development at Gaisce - The President’s Award, Karol Quinn, said: “We get a lot of people approaching us who are using football as part of their Award and so we have partnered with the FAI to further recognise that football training. We see a huge benefit for young people to learn within the football environment. 

“We have trained FAI staff on the application of the Award and we are seeing the benefits of young people developing confidence and leadership skills and bringing what they’ve learned into their working environment. This new partnership shows how important football clubs are for their community and it’s great from the FAI to recognise this and join up with us.”

FAI staff trained as President’s Awards Leaders

Niall O’Regan, Craig Sexton, Will Kinsella, Darren McGarry, Trevor Scanlon, Nick Harrison, Michael McCarthy, Richie Fitzgibbon, Neil Keoghan, Jason McGuinness, Ross Kenny, Paul Smyth, Nigel Naughton, Cameron Molloy Moules