Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, January 2024
By Peter Searles
Leadership isn’t all about standing in front of a room full of people and issuing orders. Rather, it’s a quality we all have which manifests in various ways. Everyday things like making decisions and speaking up in class require leadership skills, and approaches to leadership vary between people.
These are some of the insights I got from Jacob Webb when I met with him to talk about the upcoming Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA), a week-long leadership camp for young people aged 18 – 28. Jacob (who will be attending RYLA for the Canberra area district in January 2024 as a mentor) told me that busting myths around leadership is part of the work that takes place at the camp. There is not a singular, correct way to lead. It is a matter of personal style. This is demonstrated when you give a group of people the same leadership-oriented task and find that each of them will approach it in their own way. And it is activities like this that enable RYLA attendees to discover their own leadership style at the camp.
Rotary is an apolitical, secular organisation that aims to bring about positive change by fostering community engagement. Rotary organises community volunteer projects and has led initiatives to address issues such as domestic violence and disaster relief, as well as supporting public vaccination programs. RYLA forms part of Rotary’s mission to upskill the youth, empowering them to address future problems. The camp aims to encourage community mindedness and give young people the skills required to lead with compassion.
Jacob’s first experience at RYLA was in 2020. Shortly after registering to attend the event, his family home was destroyed in the devastating bushfires of that summer. With the encouragement of those close to him, Jacob decided to attend RYLA despite the difficult time he was going through. He found that the camp was the ideal space in which to share and receive support from his peers. He told me that RYLA is as much about self-exploration as it is about gaining theoretical knowledge. While there is no expectation for attendees to share the more personal aspects of their experience, RYLA is a safe space and attendees often form strong friendships that last far beyond their time at the camp. It is the personal growth and friendships Jacob gained from RYLA that have led him to return to the camp in the role of mentor for a second time, in 2024.
RYLA will be held in Murrumbateman from the 6th to the 12th of January 2024, covering the Rotary district that spans from Nowra and Bateman’s Bay on the coast, and west to Wagga Wagga (those who live outside this area will have RYLA camps organised for their own districts). Applications close on the 30th of November 2023 and should be sent to the RYLA committee. Please find the RYLA application link here, and more information on how to apply can be found here. Attendees may even receive sponsorship from their local Rotary or Rotaract club to cover part of the cost of their attendance. So, reach out to your local club or discuss sponsorship with the RYLA committee who may be able to assist.
My conversation with Jacob made it clear that RYLA is a valuable experience for any young person, regardless of their background or chosen career. It’s an opportunity to learn more about yourself, form friendships, and gain practical experiences in leadership that can be applied to all aspects of life.