Garda Division Youth Awards
Young community leaders in Clare to be recognised with inaugural Garda Division Youth Awards
Shannon Airport sponsored event now open for nominations
DATE: The true young leaders of Co. Clare will be honoured for their outstanding civic awareness and contribution for the first time in a special Garda Siochana led competition now open for nominations.
The inaugural Clare Garda Division Youth Awards, the winners of which will be unveiled at a special event at the West County Hotel, Ennis on December 3rd next have been established by the county’s Community Policing Unit to recognise the selfless efforts of six individuals and one group towards others and/or their community.
Entry forms for the competition are now available and can be accessed on the Garda Siochana website www.garda.ie or at the website of awards sponsors Shannon Airport www.shannonairport.ie The awards are open to teenagers from ages 14 to 19 from across the county, with a separate award for a group of young people involved in community activity. The closing date for entries is Wednesday, September 30th.
Announcing the awards, Chief Supt of the Clare Garda Division John Kerins said that the awards will honour unsung young heroes in our community who are showing outstanding leadership.
“Generally in terms of awards, as a public we tend to be preoccupied with success in the likes of sport or entertainment fields. But there are many, many young people who equally deserve recognition for their efforts to make society a better place for others.
“They are the real winners but perhaps heretofore haven’t got recognition they deserve but the inaugural Youth Awards will help address that. We want to encourage as many nominations as possible as we see plenty evidence of incredible civic leadership among young people right across the county.”
The organisers say the criteria for what constitutes a nominee is completely open and examples could include a young person helping to look after a parent, grandparent or a neighbour; someone who is overcoming a health issue; perhaps someone who is taking a leadership role in their local youth club.
Shannon Group Chairman Rose Hynes said that the awards will further encourage young people to become leaders of society tomorrow. “When An Garda Siochana approached us and asked that we support these awards, we didn’t have to think twice as they will single out the outstanding young people working for their communities in Co. Clare and hold them up as an example to others. The winners of these awards will most likely go on to become the community leaders of tomorrow and any awards programme that encourages them to continue in this vein and gives them a platform for recognition, is fully deserving of our support.”
All details and terms and conditions can be accessed on the Garda and Shannon Airport websites or by contacting the Community policing office at Ennis Garda Station 0656848164 or email sandra.m.heelan@garda.ie.
