RYLA students

Guest speakers to the club were Robert Thomson and Lily Driscoll. Both were sponsored by the club to attend the week long challenge at  Camp RYLA (Rotary Young Leadership Award) 2022.; both said they had thoroughly enjoyed and benefitted from the opportunities offered to them at the camp. Robert, from Arbroath, is studying online for A levels in History and Politics. He explained how the young people were organised into teams of 8 for different activities or challenges, including hill walking, rock climbing, then abseiling down (he doesn’t like heights!). A team leader was elected for each activity. Individuals were pushed out of their comfort zones, their ability to adapt in unfamiliar circumstances with with unfamiliar people tested. He described the series of presentations which took place during the week on subjects including leadership skills, communication, understanding people’s strengths and weaknesses, overcoming oyour fear with bravery and discipline. Lily is a student in the 6th form at St Leonards School; her hobbies are hockey, rifle-shooting and painting. She described how the team activities such as rock-climbing, walking up a Munro, gorge-walking and abseiling, were designed to test the group's ability to overcome fears and rise to challenges. She explained how being in a team with unfamiliar people and learning how to communicate was a good way to gain confidence; she described it a ‘a crash-course in communication’. Everyone was supported during the week and emerged more confident with better people-skills, the ability and courage to achieve, increased self-confidence and trust in others. It gave her a different outlook on life. Both Lily and Robert recommended Camp RYLA to others for the future, saying it was ‘an inspiration’. The vote of thanks was given by Gordon Wowk.