NewsFour talked to Marion Byrne about her achievement and her work with the Girl Guides.

Tell us about the award you recently received?
I received ‘The Outstanding Young Person of the Year Award’ from the Junior Chamber Ireland (JCI) and was honoured under the category of ;Contribution to Children;. I was nominated because most of my time I’m working with children, as a job and also on a voluntary basis.

What organizations are you currently involved in and what role do you play in them?
I am the leader of Baion Colmcille Guide and Ranger Group which is part of the Catholic Girl Guides of Ireland (CGI) and my full-time job is running a child care centre as part of the Bright Horizons Group.

What advice would you give someone who wishes to get involved working with youth groups?
The reason I am involved is because I was a guide and want to give something back. I get a lot of enjoyment and fun as a member of CGI. It is important to have lots of patience with young people and to always have a back-up plan as sometimes what you think will take all night may only take ten minutes. There is a lot of preparation beforehand with training courses, weekends away and hikes.

You introduced new activities within the Catholic Girl Guides. What were they and how do you feel they benefited the members?
The Rangers group for the over 14s was only formed in Ringsend three years ago. This gave the older teenagers a chance to plan and organise their own activities under supervision. It helped them gain independence and confidence. Taking part in camping trips and learning camping skills were all new experiences for the Ringsend Guides. The girls gained a love for the outdoors and were encouraged to budget, prepare and cook the food themselves. This year we took part in an eleven day international trip to Holland which broadened our horizons.

What future do you see for the Girl Guides?
Guiding will have no future without people willing to volunteer. I’ve been lucky to have been given the chance to mentor two of our 18 year old members who have just started their training to become leaders. With new leaders on board our membership can grow.

Do you have any upcoming projects?
The guides are currently practising a puppet show (above) to perform for the younger members at their Christmas Party. We plan to brighten up the CMWS Hall with a Christmas tree and decorations.

What ambitions do you have?
Over the past fourteen months I have lived out a number of my ambitions. I have trekked the Great Wall of China, completed a Diploma in Nursery Management at UCD and taken up a new management role in work. I hope to take on another trek in aid of charity to the Grand Canyon or Peru.

“NewsFour’ wishes Marion continued success in the future.