Lunchtime Meeting - 12.45pm - Speaker RYLA Students

Each year, Rotary Clubs around the UK, and the world select and sponsor young people aged 16-18 to take part in the Rotary Youth Leadership Award programme. RYLA aims to provide an effective training experience to encourage leadership of young people by young people.

This year, Jack Roberts from North Shropshire College and Georgia Barnett from The Marches were the Rotary Club of Oswestry's chosen candidates for the course during the last week of August and both were invited to give a presentation to the Club about their RYLA experience.

On the date chosen, Georgia was unfortunately unable to attend because of a last minute school commitment although she sent a message to say how much she had enjoyed the week and sent her thanks to the Club for sponsoring her, however, Club members were pleased to hear Jack's presentation.

Jack detailed how the course went after the students met up on the Sunday afternoon. Divided into 4 teams, students took part in various challenges during the week, each having the opportunity to lead their team.  Forming a boat building company, each team appointed its own CEO, Treasurer and Secretary to give the students some insight into the demands they might face in their future careers.  Each challenge earned `RYLAnian' dollars to trade and exchange for equipment needed to build a raft for the final leadership task - a daylong competition where each team had to build its own raft and paddle across the Dysynni estuary near Tywyn.

With his team 'pipped at the post' on the final day, Jack was still able to deliver an engaging talk telling the Club how valuable the experience had been for his personal development and future career.  "I may not be able to achieve every task but I certainly now have the confidence to tackle it" Jack said.

District 1180 RYLA Organiser, Merrick Corfield, present for Jack's talk said "If there's one thing that Rotary Clubs spend their money on each year, RYLA has got to be the most worthwhile".

Concluding, Jack thanked the Club for the opportunity to attend RYLA and tell us all about his experience "I wanted to make sure RYLA gets the praise it deserves" he said.