Celebrations of Girl Talk

The Celebrations of Girl Talk

Anna Lee Dowling

On 29th

October 2020, I had the pleasure of accepting a Garda National Youth Award on behalf of Girl Talk. We won an award under the Community Safety category. We were the only award winners from Laois this year.

The Garda Youth Awards, at Divisional and National level, celebrates outstanding young people aged between 13 and 21 years, and recognises the good work they are doing throughout their communities.

The first ever Garda Divisional Youth Awards was created by a local Juvenile Liaison Officer in West Cork in 1995. He noticed that the young people in the community were doing tremendous things which deserved recognition. The awards has grown in leaps and bounds since then.

In 2019, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris launched the first ever An Garda Síochána National Youth Awards saying “The inaugural Garda National Youth Awards will be a showcase for the positive contribution young people are making in their communities. The awards at national and divisional level are a great way for Gardaí to develop strong relationships with community groups and young people in their area.” This year the ceremony took place online. We were first welcomed by Cork Gaelic Footballer and Garda Tony Davis. Garda Commissioner

Drew Harris presented awards to seven young people from the Individual category. The group awards were presented by Minister for Justice Helen McEntee. She recognised that this year has been a “challenging year for young people” and commended us on our “perseverance, strength and determination that [we] have shown during the last few months.” Acting Deputy Commissioner Anne Marie McMahon presented the Special Achievement Awards. Entrepreneur and Dublin Gaelic Footballer Bernard Brogan presented Girl Talk with our Community Safety Award.

“Girl Talk Youth Group from Laois/Offaly is a group of 15-21-year-old women from various backgrounds who come together to a safe place where they can empower, support and encourage each other and those in the wider community.” Over the past few years Girl Talk has provided young women in Laois a safe place to discuss feminine issues and to support each other through life’s obstacles and celebrations. We would meet weekly over a cuppa. There were many tears and laughs as we grew up together. In 2019, we raised money for Laois Domestic Abuse by participating in the VHI Women’s Mini Marathon. We also started a fitness program at Ladies Only Lifting gym in Laois with Yvonne. Unfortunately, many of our plans and hopes for 2020 have been dashed with the pandemic, however that didn’t stop us from encouraging and supporting each other!

There will be 1000 failures before success.. Use these as energy and opportunities for success.

Bernard Brogan

It has certainly been an empowering experience that I will never forget. Many thanks to all the members of Girl Talk, our youth workers Elaine and Simone and all of the staff at YWI Laois for the support and happy memories.