Youth Services Committee

Youth Services Committee

The Youth Opportunities/New Generations Project Group is involved in a number of projects including-

• The Rotary Youth Leadership Award programme;
• The Rotary Youth Sailing Scheme;
• The Technology Tournament;
• Assisting students undertaking specific projects with small amounts of sponsorship.

Through these projects the club works closely with Harrogate High School, Rossett High School and Harrogate Grammar School.  We are proud to be associated with numerous other youth schemes and provide sponsorship to both groups and individuals to undertaking charitable work at home and overseas.

Rotary Youth Sailing

Following the successes in recent years, the Rotary Club of Harrogate is looking to sponsor young people to participate in a voyage on the sail training ship the James Cook which is operated by the Ocean Youth Trust (North East). 

The voyages are 5 or 6 days and it is normally possible to find one to fit in with each candidates wishes.  Whilst on-board James Cook the lucky participants will be taught to sail an ocean going yacht.  They will learn how to navigate, how to read charts and nautical almanacs, lay a course and to check their work against GPS fixes.  They will be taught big vessel handling, how to steer, how to set and trim the sails (it takes 4 people to pull up the sails of around 2,500 square feet!).  They will learn boat management, cooking a meal at sea for 18 people and many other maritime related disciplines including knots and lashings.  Teamwork and the development of leadership skills will be fundamental to all activities. 

All the staff on board are suitably qualified and very experienced; they ensure that the safety of the children is paramount.  Further details of the Ocean Youth Sailing can be found on www.sailjamescook.com .

Teenagers between the ages of 14 to 16 are eligible to apply, and need no previous experience.  All applicants are interviewed by Rotarians from the Harrogate Club.  Anyone interested in finding out more, or applying for the James Cook experience should contact Rotary Club of Harrogate, Ascot House, 53 Kings Road, Harrogate, HG1 5HJ.  Applications will be considered at any time; students are sponsored every year and there is no closing date.

Rotary Youth Leadership Award

The Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) is designed to develop the leadership skills of young people with potential.

The course programme includes

• Fundamentals of leadership
• Ethics of positive leadership
• Importance of communication skills in effective leadership
• Problem-solving and conflict management
• What Rotary is and what it does for the local community
• Building self-confidence and self-esteem
• Elements of community and global citizenship

The RYLA programme is an amalgam of the thoughts of the participants, Rotarians and professionals who have experience of working with young people in a challenging environment through education and recreation, including physically challenging activities.

For further information about RYLA see http://www.ryla.org/ or contact Rotary Club of Harrogate, Ascot House, 53 Kings Road, Harrogate, HG1 5HJ. or complete the contact form below.