Why Sponsor a Candidate?
The RYLA program promotes positive outcomes for young people because:
- Participants at RYLA have the opportunity to experience a range of learning styles and develop skills in communication, negotiation and assertiveness - all skills essential for participation in their community and in life.
- The RYLA team, all young past participants themselves, act as positive role models for the participants and model behaviour consistent with RYLA's philosophy of utilising your skills and talents, challenge by choice and following your passion.
- Participants interact in a supportive environment to learn from each other and form strong bonds with other young people encouraging the importance of diverse communities.
Rotary's Involvement with RYLA
District 9800 is very proud our program is organised and run by young people who have all participated in District 9800's RYLA previously. The reason our RYLA program is run by past participants is our district’s commitment to youth, youth leadership and supporting young people volunteering. Our committee and district Rotarians provide support and mentoring to our team but in 'acting hands off' during the week and organising periods, we are actively providing learning and leadership opportunities for young people. Being on the team enables past participants to apply the skills they have learnt on RYLA and enables them to gain further skills they can utilise in their careers and personal lives. For example, our management team, who look after the catering, usually includes uni students who are still learning to cook for themselves. We give them the space to learn and if they can cater for 50 for a week they have an amazing life skill to take home that will change how they look after themselves.
As a Rotarian...
Rotary Clubs are encouraged to source candidates form their various communities, a strength of our program is the diversity within our participant cohorts, this is only strengthened when candidates come from all walks of life with individual ideas and talents. The RYLA program aims to provide an opportunity for a diverse range of young people to come together to gain a better understanding of their own strengths, as well as those of others. For this reason we encourage you to 'think outside the square' when sourcing a candidate for RYLA. If you know of a young person aged 18-25 who you think would make a great RYLA Candidate, they can apply here.
Please introduce yourself to your sponsored RYLArian/s. We recommend that you either interview or have an informal discussion with your sponsored participants to get to know them.
Clubs are expected to help their participant/s get to the program, the bus to Camp Getaway departs from International House, Parkville at 9am Sunday morning. Rotarian's need to ensure their sponsored participant/s can get to the bus. If this is an issue for your club please get in touch with your youth director and our committee.
Your sponsored participant will receive communication from both our committee and our program directors after their application is submitted. Closer to the program they will receive more information on what to bring through emails and phone calls with our program directors and team members.
Please introduce yourself to your sponsored RYLArian/s. We recommend that you either interview or have an informal discussion with your sponsored participants to get to know them.
Clubs are expected to help their participant/s get to the program, the bus to Camp Getaway departs from International House, Parkville at 9am Sunday morning. Rotarian's need to ensure their sponsored participant/s can get to the bus. If this is an issue for your club please get in touch with your youth director and our committee.
Your sponsored participant will receive communication from both our committee and our program directors after their application is submitted. Closer to the program they will receive more information on what to bring through emails and phone calls with our program directors and team members.
The RYLA experience is different for each individual. Everyone is on their own journey and elements of the program will resonate differently for each individual. There is an opportunity for Rotarians to come and connect with their participant/s during the week and experience some of what the they have been learning at the RYLA Rotary Club Night hosted by our host club.
Participants are not to make their own way home from the program, it is part of Rotary’s duty of care to help them return home safely. The program is a long challenging week and participants are often tired at its conclusion. Rotarian’s are expected to collect their participant/s from Camp Getaway, in Axedale, Vicotria. If your club is unable to arrange this, please get in contact with your youth director and our committee for further discussion.
Participants are not to make their own way home from the program, it is part of Rotary’s duty of care to help them return home safely. The program is a long challenging week and participants are often tired at its conclusion. Rotarian’s are expected to collect their participant/s from Camp Getaway, in Axedale, Vicotria. If your club is unable to arrange this, please get in contact with your youth director and our committee for further discussion.
Following the RYLA program each year Rotary Clubs are strongly encouraged to invite their RYLA candidate back to their club to share their experience of RYLA. This is a great opportunity to gain a further understanding of how, through RYLA, Rotary has encouraged and supported young people in the development of self-awareness, understanding and community participation
Rotary Host Club
Each year, a Rotary Club or Rotaract Club from District 9800 takes on the role of 'Host Club' to support the RYLA program. This role includes coordinating Rotarian attendance at the annual RYLA Rotary Club night, joining our committee at meetings to see a closer look at how our program is organised and hosting a barbeque on the final day of the RYLA program.
The Host Club for 2022 was the Club of Bendigo Sandhurst. We thank them for their support, and look forward to announcing the Host Club for 2023 shortly. They will be hosting the 2023 RYLA Rotary Club night on Thursday, December 7th, 2023.
The Host Club for 2022 was the Club of Bendigo Sandhurst. We thank them for their support, and look forward to announcing the Host Club for 2023 shortly. They will be hosting the 2023 RYLA Rotary Club night on Thursday, December 7th, 2023.
The RYLA Committee would like to thank the 2022 Host Club, the Rotary Club of Bendigo Sandhurst, for their support.
If you would like to know more information about becoming a host club contact our committee through the link on our contact page.
If you would like to know more information about becoming a host club contact our committee through the link on our contact page.
Annual RYLA Rotary Club Night
Each year, a RYLA Rotary Club Night is held on the second last night of RYLA to provide an opportunity for the RYLA participants to share their experience with the Rotarians of District 9800.
In 2022 the Rotary Club night was be held on Thursday 1st December and hosted by the Rotary Club of Bendigo Sandhurst. The RYLA Committee and Team would like to thank all the Rotarians and Rotaractors who attended and the RYLArians who shared their experience of RYLA with the dinner guests - it was a fantastic night!
We wish to extend an invitation to all Rotarians and their guests to join us for this special night on the 7th of December. If your club is interested in hosting, please let us know! Keep your eye out for an invitation in the mail, or Contact Us for more information.
In 2022 the Rotary Club night was be held on Thursday 1st December and hosted by the Rotary Club of Bendigo Sandhurst. The RYLA Committee and Team would like to thank all the Rotarians and Rotaractors who attended and the RYLArians who shared their experience of RYLA with the dinner guests - it was a fantastic night!
We wish to extend an invitation to all Rotarians and their guests to join us for this special night on the 7th of December. If your club is interested in hosting, please let us know! Keep your eye out for an invitation in the mail, or Contact Us for more information.
RYLA District 9800 Committee
The District 9800 RYLA Committee, consisting primarily of Rotarians from District 9800 and past RYLArians or team members, is responsible for liaising with Rotary Clubs throughout the District regarding the RYLA program.
The Committee meets monthly and it's key tasks include:
The current committee members are: Jess Wheeler (Chairperson), Molly O'Donohue (Co-Director), Kathryn Northill (Co-Director), Jaiden Brandy (Co-Director), Wayne Hunter (Treasurer), and Natasha Karunaratne (Secretary).
The Committee meets monthly and it's key tasks include:
- Sending information regarding the application process and call for applications to each Rotary Club in the District in July each year
- Liaising with each Rotary Club in the District regarding the application process and their nominated candidate
- Contacting each Club to confirm their candidate's nomination, and providing further RYLA details
- Maintaining a database of RYLA participants
- Encouraging Clubs to have the Co-directors, past RYLArians or Chairman speak at their club to raise awareness of RYLA.
- Organising a bus to transport those RYLA participants who live outside of Melbourne to camp.
The current committee members are: Jess Wheeler (Chairperson), Molly O'Donohue (Co-Director), Kathryn Northill (Co-Director), Jaiden Brandy (Co-Director), Wayne Hunter (Treasurer), and Natasha Karunaratne (Secretary).
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