Young people need to learn about themselves and Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) plays a part in doing this.   The aim of RYLA is to encourage the development of teamwork and leadership skills in young people who have the potential to be future community professionals and business leaders.  Globally each year, thousands of young people between the ages of 13 to 30 participate in a residential based week-long set of activities sponsored by Rotary Clubs and run by the club's district committee.

In August this year, Bala & Penllyn Rotary Club and Ysgol Y Berwyn each paid for a student to attend the RYLA week organised by Rotary District 1180 and held at the Arthog Outdoor Education Centre.

This year’s lucky pair were Ceri Dolben-Evans and Dafydd Llŷr Ellis, who both had a fantastic time and returned from the course brimming over with what an amazing time they had experienced, and how much they had developed personally over such a small period of time.

President Norman Jones and Youth Officer Dave Ayres both attended the end-of-week raft race, which was the culmination of a week’s project that involved a business plan and the economics for the building of the raft. Each part of the raft had to be paid for using real “RYLA money”, this not only involved costings for the parts but also the interest payments.  The winning team would be the one that not only did well in the race but also had budgeted the best. 

As an example of the competitiveness of the project one team missed the knot tying lesson, so had to negotiate a price with either the team that had videoed the lesson or the team that was willing to teach them hands-on.

If you want to know more then come along to the talk about the week’s events that Ceri and Llyr will be giving on Monday 20th October at the venue displayed on the website, White Lion Royal Hotel.

How is this done?

• create various environments for them to operate in            
• build team spirit to enable them to work effectively
• encourage the recognition and use of skills in others
• discover things about themselves
• build confidence in themselves and others
• encourage and support each other
• discuss and establish characterisitics of effective leaders
• provide leadership opportunities in practical situations
• provide opportunities to get involved in service to others

• by making the whole experience thoroughly enjoyable

Bala Rotary Club sends its carefully selected students to Arthog Outdoor Education Centre, which is a residential outdoor education centre in the Snowdonia National Park, North Wales, UK. It is owned by Telford & Wrekin Council and has a national reputation for excellent provision of outdoor adventure activities and field studies. Although term-time use is primarily by Telford and Shropshire schools,  facilities and services are available to other client groups during weekends, halfterms and holiday times...