LLANELLI Rotary Club members are embarking on their annual search for candidates for the Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA).
The Llanelli club has a long history of selecting candidates for the residential leadership course, usually selecting one student, sometimes two, to take a place on what is regarded as a prestigious programme.
Candidates should be aged 16 or 17 at the time of the course in July.
Youngsters can register their interest by emailing Llanelli Rotary’s RYLA coordinator, Dr Kevin Jones, on k305jones@gmail.com
Dr Jones said: “RYLA is a residential leadership course designed to meet the needs of 16 and17-year-olds.
“The course is basically an outdoor pursuit course which incorporates team building and problem-solving exercises. Our nearest RYLA centre is at Storey Arms in the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park.
“The course begins on Sunday afternoon and finishes after lunch on the following Friday. The course is run by Cardiff City Council employees. All employees have the requisite qualifications and the Storey Arms staff are regarded as experts in their field.
“The cost of the RYLA programme is more than £400 per student, but Llanelli Rotary Club happily sponsors one candidate, or perhaps two, every year.”
“There will be a lot of walking and other physical activities, and so the candidate must be reasonably physically fit. They may have to walk up Pen Y Fan. No specialist skills are required. Being able to swim is not a necessity.
“The course is particularly useful for students wishing to add to the Duke of Edinburgh award qualifications.”
Llanelli Rotary President Cerith Owens said: “Each year, we encourage students who have participated on the RYLA course to come back to the club and give members a short talk about their experiences.
“Down the years, we have heard some great stories about how students have embraced the experience and used it as a building block for developing their leadership skills and future careers.
“Our RYLA candidate last year, Ross, gave us a very entertaining talk at The Diplomat Hotel on his experiences on the RYLA course.”
- Interested in joining Rotary? Contact Llanelli Rotary Club’s membership chair, Julie Jones, on 07929 444662 to become part of Llanelli Rotary Club’s continuing story of community service and friendship.
Photos – Ross (no surname), last year’s RYLA student, with Rotary President Cerith Owens – and with Dr Kevin Jones. Logos attached. And illustrations of RYLA poster and students.
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