Join your fellow student volunteers at a Gaisce Residential

24/11/2025

Are you volunteering? Or maybe you would like to start volunteering? Join your fellow student volunteers at a Gaisce Residential to build your volunteering skills!

A new Residential Experience: 

Gaisce – The President’s Award is delighted to offer a Gold Award Residential which will be taking place over two weekends on 9th to 11th of January and 16th to 18th of January 2026.  The first weekend will be hosted in Ratra House, Phoenix Park, Dublin.  The second weekend will be hosted in Ben Lettery Hostel, Connemara, Galway.  Places on the residential will be available to young people who are registered for their Gold Award and/or currently in Higher Education, and who are interested in Global Citizenship. The residential will cover the requirements of the Gaisce Gold Award for participants.  Roots and Shoots: A Higher Education Global Citizenship Initiative is a collaboration between Gaisce – The President’s Award and Student Volunteer Ireland, funded by Irish Aid.

The Programme:   

This Residential will look at concepts of Global Citizenship Education, with a specific focus on the role of volunteering in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, links between local action and global issues, and different approaches to understanding the root causes of global issues. This will require your participation in workshops with different organisations, meeting other students from across the country, and working on a creative project over the course of the Residential.   

Registration for the Residential is free and all activities, training, meals, accommodation is included. Participants have to make their own travel arrangements to get to both weekends at their own expense. There will be a designated meeting point in Galway and Dublin for participants, with transportation from there if necessary.  

Participants must:   

Application

Submit an application here

Open until 11pm on Sunday 30th November 2025 .

Successful participants will be contacted directly to secure their place on the Gold Residential on December Tuesday 9th 2025.

About the Gaisce Medal 

You can achieve the Gaisce Medal as a volunteer! Start your Gold Gaisce medal and gain recognition and support for your volunteering and community engagement.

The Gold Medal invites participants to undertake:

• Community Volunteering
• Skill Development
• Physical Activity
• Residential Experience - learn more below!
• Adventure Hike

You are supported by a mentor called a PAL - President's Award Leader, and you complete a Portfolio of your reflections. Learn More on the Gaisce website.