Athlete Mentor Opportunities for Lidl #SeriousSupport Schools Programme

The Lidl #SeriousSupport Schools Programme will return this academic year and Youth Sport Trust are currently recruiting for additional Athlete Mentors. Please see the full detail below:

ROLE: ATHLETE MENTOR

CONTRACT: SEPTEMBER 2025 – AUGUST 2026

PAY RATE: €355 full day / €270 half day plus travel expenses or pound sterling equivalent, if preferred. (based on current xe.com exchange rates)

Days depend on the capacity of the Athlete Mentor. This could be anything from 6 days a year to over 20 days, however we would expect you to be able to offer a minimum of 6 full days across November 2025 – June 2026.

The Youth Sport Trust (YST) are looking for current or retired Inter-County Adult Gaelic Football Players from across Ireland to join our Athlete Mentor team. This is not a part time or full-time role, but all Athlete Mentors would be assigned to a number of school visits annually.

Through our partnership with Lidl and their wider partnership with the LGFA supporting Ladies Gaelic Football, you will work on Year 6 of the #SeriousSupport programme. The programme aims to reduce the drop-off rate in sport participation amongst girls aged 12-15.

As an Athlete Mentor you will visit schools, sharing your personal experiences as a successful Gaelic Football Player and deliver workshops to young people that explore the value of participating in sport and the role of healthy eating and physical activity in our overall wellbeing and life chances. Using Gaelic Football as the focus the sessions will look at the values of Respect, Recognition, Responsibility and Trust and how as an elite athlete these have helped you to achieve success and be the best version of yourself.

Visits will take place across Ireland, and we welcome applicants from across Ireland with specific needs across Leinster, Fermanagh, Cavan, Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim. The majority of the work will be county based but at times and for larger events the post holder will be expected to travel.

Athlete Mentors will be expected to liaise directly with schools and teachers, provided by YST, to organise and deliver visits. As highlighted, there would be an expectation that you could deliver a minimum of six days within an academic year.

Successful applicants will be contracted by the Youth Sport Trust on either a self-employed consultancy basis (if residing in the Republic of Ireland) or Casual Workers (if residing in Northern Ireland) and the work will be primarily during school term time. The initial contract will run from September 2025, through the 2025-2026 academic year, finishing in August 2026.

Please feel free to contact: Kathryn Staves at kathryn.staves@youthsporttrust.org or Lyn Savage at lyn.savage@lgfa.ie if you have any questions.

THIS POSITION IS SUBJECT TO A GARDA VETTING/POLICE CHECK OR ACCESS NI CHECK.

Applications should be made using the online Youth Sport Trust application form.

Click HERE to access the online recruitment system to find out more or submit an application.

Closing date for Applications is 09:00am on Friday 18th July 2025.

Shortlisting
Shortlisting will take place between Friday 18th July and Monday 21st July 2025. All successful candidates will be contacted by email by Wednesday 23rd July 2025.

Selection Day
The Selection Day including formal interview will take place on Wednesday 20th August 2025 (face-to face) in Dublin (venue TBC)

Training Days
There will be a 2 Day training programme that will take place in Dublin (venue TBC)
Day 1 – Wednesday 10th September
Day 2 – Wednesday 17th September
(there will be a potential follow up training day on Wednesday 1st October).

Please download further information by clicking on link below:

YST Ireland Athlete Mentor Further Information