Youth Programmes & Activities

In the summer holidays we always arrange a day out at Grafham Water for local young carers, which is greatly enjoyed by all. The participants usually get a choice of outdoor activities such as sailing, archery and team-building exercises, supported by centre staff, Rotarians and representatives from ‘Caring Together’. 

At a similar time, we seek to support one or two young adults (aged between 18 and 26) at the Rotary Young Leaders Award course. This week-long experience is designed to help our young adults to become confident in themselves, understand what they can bring to a team and learn about their own leadership styles and strengths. Without fail, the participants finish the week buzzing with what they’ve achieved, and we invite them back to talk to us about it later in the year. 

Throughout the winter months we encourage local school-age children to enter our Youth Competitions. This year we have developed a fantastic relationship with the Octagon group of Schools, all based South and East of St Ives. They have run their own in-house Writer, Artist and Photographer events, reaching literally hundreds of children in the process. We have helped to identify the overall winners, provide the prizes, and then nominate the best of the bunch as our entry into the District Rotary Competitions. We are excited that George Barnes has won the District Young Artist event this year and has been entered into the National Finals.

In the Spring our ever-popular Primary Quiz is held, with fierce rivalry between the dozen or so schools that enter! Following the format of our Charity Pub Quiz, all schools compete at the same time, and results from each of the three rounds are phoned in during the evening, building the tension until the winners can be named. We are always amazed at how much our young people know! 

Throughout the school year we provide funds towards up to 4 local schools receiving a visit from the Life Education Bus. This valuable resource provides life-skills based primary drug prevention programmes in a high-tech mobile classroom.

Our Youth Committee provide a range of opportunities and competitions for local young people from school age up to 26. More information about each is shown if you click on the appropriate link. 

From time to time we are asked to help fund other initiatives or to support activities, for instance, we have recently helped with interview techniques for Y10s at The Ivo and pruning the orchard at Westfield School.