The Rotary Club of Ingleburn has a proud history of sending a local representative to the District 9750 and now District 9675 RYLA residential program. Our 2013/2014 RYLA participant was Joel Harris. Joel is a Scout Leader and Chair for Rover Scout Events, a team leader on rescue response teams for NSW SES and has completed a Cert 3 in Commercial Cookery. We thought that Joel was an excellent candidate to attend this years RYLA week.
Joel Harris and our Director for New Generations Reg Robinson at a club meeting after the RYLA weekend,
Rotary Youth Leadership Award program is a no-cost to participant leadership training seminar for young adults between 18 and 25 years. It is conducted on a district basis annually with participants through local clubs and sometimes work places.
The residential program is aimed at encouraging and developing leadership and social skills so that awardees can, more effectively, contribute to their communities in a practical manner. Each Rotary club is invited to sponsor potential young leaders by providing the financial support for a seminar of one week's duration and by transporting them to and from the venue.
Wherever possible, awardees should be invited to meet their sponsoring club members prior to the seminar and to report back after its conclusion. Maintaining contact with awardees is desirable as they can be a valuable resource for the development of ongoing youth programs. During the seminar it is usual to provide a formal occasion to which Rotarians are invited as visitors. Normally this will be a dinner where awardees can relate experiences to sponsoring club members.
It is the responsibility od the District RYLA Committee to present a stimulating, informative program featuring prominent business and professional people who have proven records of achievement. The week culminates in the awarding of a RYLA Certificate of Achievement, which can be presented back in the Rotary environment.
The seminar offers the opportunity of disseminating the Rotary ideal of service to the community as well as creating an awareness of the range of programs available through Rotary sponsorship.