Michael Duignan, DJ Carey and Ann Purcell making sandwiches
GAA Games Development provides individuals across Ireland and internationally with the opportunity to connect with, participate in and contribute as part of a community. It aims to positively impact and inform the lives of the GAA’s members and communities through development, research and innovation that:
- maximises participation;
- optimises performance;
- embeds a culture of Applied Lifelong Learning (ALL).
These objectives are delivered through the Grassroots to National Programme (GNP), a series of activities designed to be developmentally appropriate, delivered through voluntary and personnel structures and aligned to the values of the Association.
Games Development policy is developed and implemented by the National Games Development Committee and its associated Provincial, County and Club equivalents.
We believe that a Grassroots to National Programme that delivers the following will result in children, young people and adults being afforded an opportunity to come together as a community and ‘Play to Stay with the GAA’.
- Enjoyment
- Effort
- Belonging
- Positive Feedback and
- Empowerment
The GNP is recognised both nationally and internationally as a values-laden and organisationally effective model of best practice. As recognised by Pierre Mairesse, Director General for Education and Culture in the European Commission, it serves to ‘go beyond the traditional divides between sports, youth work, citizenship and education’.