Rotary Youth Leadership Development Competition

Youth Leadership Development Competition 2024/2025

Rotary is committed to offering young people opportunities to unlock their potential, develop their skills and broaden their horizons.

The Rotary Ireland Youth Leadership Development Competition, in conjunction with the European Parliament Liaison Office in Dublin, will take place again in 2024/2025. Rotary Ireland has been organising this event for over twenty five years and we see first-hand the opportunities and benefits it gives to the young leaders of today and tomorrow.  It is an opportunity to enhance their personal development and improve their communication and teambuilding skills. Students learn life skills, as well as gaining confidence in public speaking and debate. Every year great friendships are formed that last for years.

The Competition:    Stage 1:

 Rotary Clubs will invite local schools to encourage their students to enter the competition. This involves completing an application form and then attending an interview with Rotary members. Interview questions are based on the application form, and also on leadership, Rotary, their knowledge of EU, their involvement in their local community, current affairs.  At the end of this stage a school winner will be selected from each school. 

The Competition:  Stage 2:

All school winners will attend another interview to determine the Rotary Club winner. Similar questions may be asked, but it is expected that students would display a deeper knowledge of the topics. The interview panel is again Rotary members. 

Interviews for Stage 1 and Stage 2 are held during Sept & Oct 2024.

The Competition : Stage 3:

All Rotary club winners now move into the Zone Final. There are 11 Rotary Zones in Ireland and each zone has 4 – 8 Rotary clubs. Again, students attend an interview. The interview panel at this stage are non-Rotarians. They are experts in the field of Leadership, working with young people, and in adjudication.  After the interviews, 1- 3 students will be selected as Zone winners, from each zone. 

Interviews for Stage 3 are held during Nov.2024.

The Prize:

The prize includes a visit to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, in February 2025, to take part in Euroscola where young people will become an MEP for a day.  The Euroscola programme brings together students from all over Europe for a hands on experience in parliamentary democracy.

NOTE 

 All entrants must be over 16 years of age on 1st January 2025 and under 18 years of age on 31st March  2025

PASSPORTS

The competition is open to students from Northern Ireland who hold a UK or EU passport.  European Union passports are mandatory for students who are living in the Republic of Ireland.

As Ukraine has been granted “Application Status “ by the EU, students from Ukraine are eligible to enter this competition.

Passports need to be in date (valid) up to six months from date of trip.

Application Forms for this competition will be available from your  Rotary Club in September 2024, or at the link below. Application forms must be signed by a parent and teacher and returned to a local Rotary Club. 

For further information contact the YLDC Coordinator at 

youthcompetition24.25@gmail.com