Uachtarán CLG Aogán Ó Fearghail today launched a major new training programme for GAA Club Officers, the Club Leadership Development Programme (CLDP).
The CLDP will give the principal officers in each club – Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer & PRO – an opportunity to attend a series of workshops to acquire the key knowledge and skills to fulfil their roles in a confident and competent manner. The Uachtarán said ‘this much needed initiative which will significantly help club officers who require training, education and continuous support to carry out their roles effectively.’
Commencing from the end of January, new and continuing GAA Club Officers from over 20 of the 32 counties will get the opportunity to complete the free programme which has been developed by the Association’s National Officer Development Committee. The participating counties for 2016 are: Antrim, Armagh, Carlow, Cork, Derry, Donegal, Down, Dublin, Galway, Kerry, Kilkenny, Laois, Limerick, Louth, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Tipperary, Tyrone, Westmeath, Wicklow and Wexford.
Paddy Flood from the Truagh Gaels Club in Monaghan, chairs the Committee and he outlined the benefits of developing and investing in leaders. He said that “Leadership development will give officers the knowledge and skills to sustain them in their roles, and will also create greater capacity within the GAA to address the many opportunities and challenges facing clubs”.
The programme is a direct response to the challenges of recruiting and training of officers which Ard-Stiúrthóir, Páraic Duffy noted in his Annual Report for 2015. At that time he felt that it was imperative for a major programme of officer training to be launched. Commenting on the programme, he said “I firmly believe that this programme will help officers successful fulfil their roles through developing leadership, management and communication skills”. His sentiments were echoed by Waterford Hurler and current GAA/GPA All-Star, Noel Connors. Connors – who is doing a PhD on the topic of club leadership – said that club officers had an excellent opportunity to gain invaluable leadership skills which will not only strengthen their Clubs but will help them develop in everyday life.
50 experienced Leadership Associates were selected by the GAA and have undergone an extensive training programme in preparation for delivery of the various modules in the
They will be working closely with the Provincial Councils and County Committees in the coming months to deliver the first phase of the programme.
The dates, times and venues of the courses will be promoted by the local County Committees in the coming weeks.
For more information, visit learning.gaa.ie/clubleadership
