Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is an intensive leadership experience organised by Rotary clubs and districts where young people can develop their skills as a leader while having fun and making connections. Ipswich East Rotary Club paid for some of our young adult carers to take part in this unique opportunity.
Finn Baxter and Kimberley Burrell Atkins share what an amazing experience the RYLA programme was and what they learnt.
Finn
I’m Finn and as you know, I was a delegate on RYLA District 1080 2018. I’m now 20 and have just moved to study Chemistry at Nottingham Trent University with the hopes of going into Veterinary Medicine.
I’m sure the other delegates here will agree with me, that there are many words to describe RYLA; bananas, scary or just plain mad. Either way, I can successfully say RYLA was and has been one of the best experiences of my life. Besides the water sports, including the occasional capsize, the high ropes and the late night ‘treks’, the lessons we learnt either from our tutors, the guests we had, our peers or ourselves, truly benefitted us and allowed us to develop further as people.
My experience, as well as the other candidates here, was different to others, everyone came from different backgrounds and places around the country with different family situations, mine? I’m a carer, like your other amazing speakers here. I’ve been a carer for my little sister since I was 5 which only became harder when my rock, my mum, became debilitatingly ill when I was 11 and I became her full-time carer too. That’s what I do, correction that’s what WE do. Being a carer is a whirl wind, and it has the ability for you to feel disconnected from the rest of the world however, I’m proud of what I do, of who I can help but what RYLA really taught me, was to be proud of myself, of everything I am and to believe in myself more than I do.
On that note, despite a million-people saying otherwise, I finally made it to University and it’s been interesting to say the least. However, one specific message from RYLA struck more than I anticipated whilst waiting for a late lecturer on my first day. Those who know RYLA, know what I’m about to say, and believe me when I tell you we heard this expression a lot. If we didn’t learn anything else from the week, we learnt this.
“To be early is to be on time, to be on time is to be late, and to be late, is unforgivable.”
Although maddening on RYLA, I had a great joy explaining this to my lecturer on his ‘feedback for the lecture form’, unfortunately, he didn’t seem to share the same joy I did.
I honestly cannot thank you, the Rotarians, enough for the opportunity that you gave me, and I cannot justify the effect it has had on my ability to trust myself, believe in others and grow as an individual. I’ll admit I was sceptical, didn’t know what I would gain or be able to give to this course. The truth? I gained my confidence, my independence and some truly amazing friends along the way. Before RYLA, I believed everyone had a front to life, an act they portrayed to be strong, hard as nails… I know I did… the reality? RYLA saw through that, for all of us. Opened doors and scars we didn’t expect, but more importantly opened opportunities. Opportunities to make new friends, to find ourselves, and to develop into stronger, encouraging young people. Young people who now believe we can actually inspire the world in a different and truly positive way. And for that, I am so thankful and truly truly honoured. Thank you all, for listening, and now, ending in true RYLA form,
Kimberley
Firstly I would like to say RYLA has brought me to broaden my horizons, and believe in myself. It allowed me the opportunity to experience many challenges, and has enriched my life with more possibilities, and the confidence to reach out and explore life! RYLA was in fact a rather unexpected venture, as I only found out I was going less than 24 hours before it began. RYLA let me experience things i never would have imagined, from capsizing in a canoe to swimming with wooden planks from what was left of my teams raft, from hiding in a corner of a room to gaining a family. I know if it wasn’t for RYLA and the way it helped me become self reliant I would not be able to stand here now making this speech.
We all came a long way from the start of that challenging week at RYLA but i know what i have taken from it, strength, confidence, leadership skills and courage. Those are things i will carry with me my whole life. RYLA made me realise my potential and how far i can push myself, to be honest, i even surprised myself. I never knew i could walk 13 miles with limited breaks, i didn’t know that i could be standing here with so much confidence and within just one week i never would have thought i’d be able to achieve as much as i did.
