Junior Ambassador Programme

What Is It?

We kicked off our Junior Ambassador (Jambos) Programme in September 2022, and it has grown massively over the last couple of years.

We invite schools to nominate 1-3 students total, each from different year groups. These students should be in 4th, 5th, or 6th year for the 2025/26 school year.

This helps us build a line of succession for our Junior Ambassador Programme within your school.

Jambos need to be able to commit to attending monthly online meetings (evening time).

Through our programme, we support these students as leaders who promote kindness, positivity, inclusion, and resilience within their schools. (Jambos)

Our long-term goal? To have an Ambassador in every school in Ireland!

This year (and until the end of the school year in 2027 – yep we did just say 2027), our Junior Ambassador Programme will be supported by our incredible friends at Fidelity Investments Ireland! So a big thank you to them for helping us grow our programme and allowing us to meet even more of you – our incredible future leaders and change-makers!

What Do Junior Ambassadors Do?

Jambos will be nominated by their schools because they believe that she is a leader who is kind, inclusive, motivated, trustworthy and confident in her ability to win over even her quietest classmate.

Once on the programme, a Jambo will:

Be a Positive Role Model: Welcome incoming first years, promote kindness and inclusivity, and represent Shona’s and the school’s values with confidence.

Champion Shona Initiatives: Share Shona’s resources, promote competitions and campaigns, and help bring our programmes into your school.

Stay Engaged: Attend at least 6 out of 9 monthly online meet-ups and actively participate in the Jambo WhatsApp group.

Contribute Creatively: Join Everything Club (optional), help generate ideas, and get involved in writing, content creation and projects.

Lead in Your School: Deliver a short welcome speech, connect with staff to explain your Jambo role, and carry out at least one Shona activity during the year.

What Outcomes Do We Measure?

Empathy | Advocacy | Skills | Aspiration | Perspective | Confidence | Voice | Belonging

Is It Working?

Through our evaluation of ambassadors after the 2024-2025 programme, our Jambos noted:

  • A better understanding of social issues

  • More confidence to speak up and share their views

  • Development of a stronger growth mindset

  • An increased sense of belonging within The Shona Project

  • Increased confidence and resilience

  • Increased practical skills for school, life and future work

  • Higher aspirations for education, careers and relationships

  • Feeling empowered knowing young women’s voices can reach decision-makers

Just like all of our programmes, we aim to ensure that our programme creates a safe space for our ambassadors to have open and honest conversations, and support them in realising their full potential. In addition to this, our Jambos will:

Connect & Grow: Take part in monthly online meet-ups with inspiring role models to talk about teen life, leadership, confidence, and more.

Make an Impact: Spread kindness, promote positivity, and help shape a more inclusive school and community.

Get Involved: Join exciting events and projects like Shine Festival, national media opportunities, and the Shona Summit.

Support & Guidance: Access a network of mentors for advice on careers, subjects, and life decisions, plus references for future opportunities.

Build Your Future: Boost leadership and communication skills, grow your network, and have the chance to become a Senior Ambassador after school.

Gaisce Award: Students who complete the programme can use their participation as part of the Community Involvement section of their Bronze Gaisce Award

What Do Junior Ambassadors Get From The Programme?

Ready to make a real difference in your school and complete the Community Involvement Challenge Area for your Bronze Gaisce Award? Join the "Kindness Revolution"! 

The Objective is to raise awareness about bullying, promote a positive and inclusive school environment, and encourage acts of kindness through creative poster designs and a school-wide campaigns. 


In collaboration with The Shona Project and Gaisce - The President’s Award is a 13-week campaign and your chance to step up, lead, and spread serious positivity. Students have the opportunity to design eye-catching posters, running school-wide initiatives, and take action to make their school a more inclusive and supportive place. It's all about using creativity and leadership skills to bring people together, promote kindness, and tackle bullying. Plus, it's a fun and impactful way to earn your Gaisce Award while leaving a lasting mark on your school community. Let's do this! 

Learn more

How To Get Involved!

As a school, you can decide how you would like the Jambo to be selected. This could be simply selecting a student whom you think is perfect for the role, or putting a call out to a year group for nominees and conducting short interviews to choose the candidate.

Selection is entirely up to school staff as we cherish and trust that you know your community of girls best! 

Once your girls are nominated, our team will take it from there and will reach out to their parent/guardian to get the nescessary permissions, and invite our new Jambo to our programme!

Teachers are asked to check in with them periodically during the year. We would also ask that nominating teachers support Jambos as they look to introduce Shona initiatives in their schools.

The Shona Project will keep teachers updated on the programme throughout the year so that they know what’s happening.

Nominate Your Junior Ambassadors

But, don’t just take our word for it, here’s what Mairead had to say:

“The hope and determination that everyone involved with the Shona Project displays is a constant inspiration to me…

I truly believe we could all achieve incredible things if we were freed from the idea that because we cannot change everything at once, we can change nothing, and it is my greatest hope that more and more young people can find something that inspires them to keep fighting for the world we all deserve as Shona has done for me"

FAQs

  • Yes! We welcome new Jambos at any stage during the school year.

  • No, it is not mandatory, and typically, teachers do not attend, but you are more than welcome to come along. Typically, the girls will make their way either to a shuttle bus in Dublin City (where a Shona team member will meet them and travel with them to the venue) or, if it is more convenient, the girls can travel directly to the venue!

  • No! Thanks to our friends at Fidelity Investments Ireland, we can deliver the Junior Ambassador Programme at no cost to the schools.

    If transport costs to the summit are an issue for Jambos, please get in touch with us to discuss options!