PRESS RELEASE

Youth to benefit from Rotary's Leadership Residential

"Youth today are the community leaders of tomorrow" and that is why some 70 young men and women will be given an all expenses paid, away from home, week of intensive leadership training by local Rotary Clubs during January 2002. The program of Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) has benefited nearly 2000 young people in the local Rotary District since its inception in the late 1960s.

All the Rotary Clubs in District 9690 (an area bounded by Burwood, Parramatta, Lithgow and Liverpool) are at present seeking nominations from young people between 18 and 25 years of age who have an interest in youth work or have the potential to develop as future business or community leaders.

Do you know someone who might fit this profile?

In the past candidates have come from a range of backgrounds including local business, larger companies and organisations, universities and industrial employers.

The Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) residential seminar week is an opportunity for young women and men from different backgrounds in vocation, cultural, religion, social and academic interests to work together, to exchange experiences and to develop their leadership skills. The Rotary Leadership program includes group sessions and communication skills development as well as opportunities for the acceptance of responsibility. The daily sessions of seminar topics, given by professional presenters, are supplemented by group activities each evening, including a campfire, a bush dance and a formal dinner.

This year the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards residential seminar will be held from Saturday 11th January 2003 until Saturday 18th January 2003 at the Blue Gum Lodge, located at Springwood in the Lower Blue Mountains.

Are you aware of a young person over the age of 18 years who could benefit from a Rotary leadership seminar?

Maybe its you!

For an all expenses paid week involving an excellent program of speakers and activities, here is the opportunity of a lifetime. A pathway to the future.

Rotary International, whose phone number is 9635 3537, can tell you the name of your local Rotary Club's Youth Director and how to make contact."

For further press release information contact:
Maureen Manning, District 9690 R.Y.L.A. Secretary.
Telephone 0297716400(W) or 0411594265(M)

Chairman David Wright ( Burwood) B; 9693 1300
14 Badgery Avenue H; 9764 4418
Homebush 2140 F; 9317 5639

Secretary Maureen Manning (Lower Blue) B; 9711 6400
53 Drake Street H 4733 1475
South Penrith 2750 M; 0411594265

Treasurer Joan Wells ( Padstow) H; 9534 4389
F; 9533 8373
M; 0409983258

Steve Elliott (Nepean) B; 4732 2622
H; 4754 3343
F; 4732 2449
M; 0412 322688

Ron Charker(Bankstown) H; 9773 9668

John & Joyce Barnard(Padstow) H; 4677 1472
M; 0402218720

Dushan Djukic(Prospect) B; 9795 7540;
H; 9629 7223 F; 9795 7589
M; 0412996101

Marlene Plummer B: 4757 2371
H: 4757 1121

Brooke Gillett B: 9385 5219
F: 9313 6774
M: 041467817

Important Criteria for the selection of Rotary Youth Leadership Awardees
1. At least 18 years of age
2. Not a current overseas exchange student
3. Demonstrates leadership qualities
4. Motivated to be involved in an intensive series of presentations and activities designed to enhance leadership skills
5. Displays ability to comprehend sometimes complex material

Some other important points;

*Applicants should be sought from a range of areas, e.g. local businesses, larger companies and organisations, universities, industrial employers. Targeting the business sector recently has helped to address the imbalance observed in past years whereby an overwhelming majority of participants at RYLA were 18 or older. If you know of secondary school students who fulfill the criteria, consider waiting for a few years before nominating them for the Award. Perhaps enlist the assistance of businesses/companies to suggest or select employees who can then be invited by your club to apply for an Award. What about sponsorship?

*Before RYLA, awardees should attend a meeting of their sponsoring club to speak about themselves and their expectations of the Seminar, or to at least be introduced.

*Awardees who need to spend significant periods of time away from the Seminar will not derive the full benefits of RYLA. Furthermore, their absence disrupts the program and the manner in which the group functions as a whole. Encourage people in this position to attend RYLA the following year.

*Transport to and from RYLA must be arranged by the sponsoring Rotary Club

*Endeavor to obtain more applicants than your club can afford to sponsor and then select the best candidates. The caliber of awardees at RYLA is in direct relationship to the benefits to arise from the Seminar for Rotary, for society and for the awardees themselves. If RYLA is a competitive award, its reputation as an outstanding and esteemed privilege will be upheld