Youth Opportunities

The committee seeks to raise the awareness of Rotarians, young men and women and those that work with young people, of the rich opportunities offered to promote community service, facilitate greater international understanding; identify and develop the leaders of tomorrow; recognise and celebrate the achievements of young people through Interact clubs, the Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA), Youth Exchange and a range of cultural and sporting activities: actively facilitate the promotion of the wide range of Youth Activities to enable young people of all ages to enjoy the challenges offered and to develop strong bonds of friendship with other participants; and develop a regular and on-going dialogue with young men and women to help them to articulate and realise their hopes, dreams and expectations.

Youth are our future - there is no alternative!
 

ROTARY YOUTH LEADERSHIP AWARD

 2009 marks the 25th consecutive year of Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) and The Rotary Club of Inverness is proud to have been part of this initiative since it started.  The Rotary Club of Inverness has sponsored young people of Inverness every year of the scheme and we were pleased to receive presentations from this year’s candidates at the lunchtime meeting on 27th August.


RYLA is an intensive training programme for young people aged 15 to 18 years old and aims to develop their self confidence and leadership skills.  Selected candidates from all over Scotland attend a 7 day training camp run by Rotarians and Professional Trainers and are set physical and mental leadership challenges (canoeing, windsurfing, gorge walking, mountain biking) to improve their team building skills.  Evening events include lectures from inspirational leaders in the sporting and business world and others who have faced exceptional personal challenges.

 RYLA offers

  • Intensive training for aspiring leaders
  • A camp lasting 7 days, run by Rotarians and professional Trainers
  • The opportunity to meet and work with others as a team
  • Opportunities to develop personal and interpersonal skills

 The programme includes

  • Daily speaker on leadership for 1 hour
  • Daily physical activities (10 am – 5pm) canoeing, hill walking, windsurfing, mountain biking,
  • Rock climbing, gorge walking.
  • The Abernethy Challenge
  • Competitions and other evening events.

 Today’s awardees will hopefully gain as much as those who have preceded them.  As part of the celebration we contacted 45 individuals who have benefited from the RYLA sponsorship of this Club.

 

  
This year the Rotary Youth Leadership Awardees were Natasha MacNicol (Glen Urquhart High School), Andrew Jarvie (Culloden Academy)X and Colin Whyte (Inverness Royal Academy), pictured with Jim Robb the current President of The Rotary Club of Inverness.