Youth Leadership Development Competition

The Club has actively supported District’s flagship competition. The Youth Leadership Development Competition is one of Rotary’s longest-running youth projects, an all-Ireland annual event aimed at helping young people prepare for their future careers. The winners are judged solely on their potential as leaders from over 2,000 applicants across Ireland. Following a series of interviews at Club and regional levels 24 winners are selected who, with three leaders, visit Stormont, the Dail, European Offices in Belfast and Dublin, meet Political leaders then the highlight is an all expenses trip to debate and present a variety of motions at Euroscola in the European Parliament in Strasburg with approximately 1,200 other students from Europe.

The Club thanks all members who give willingly of their time to carry out interviews.
The competition would not be possible without their support.

In District 1160 it is run with the assistance of the European Parliament Office in Dublin. The Club participates by inviting schools to nominate students who will be 17 or younger by March of the competition year. Members interview these candidates at each school and select one to go forward to the area Regional Final (of which there are 8) where 3 winners are selected. This competition teaches interview skills, builds self-confidence and raises awareness of European Political and Policy issues and is aimed at helping young people prepare for their future careers. The winners are judged solely on their potential as leaders from around 1,800 applicants across Ireland.

The schools are all enthusiastic advocates of the competition and are well aware of the benefits to the students of both taking part and achieving success.

We are particularly pleased that in the last four years the Club’s nominee has won a coveted Euroscola place against finalists of the highest calibre; in 2011 Peter Erskine, Methodist College, in 2010 Charlotte Higgins, Methodist College and in 2009 Niamh O’Hara of St. Louise’s and this year Cameron Chambers RIBI.

In 2010 The Rotary Club of Belfast were delighted to be invited to be one of the eight clubs (Belfast, Cookstown, Carrickfergus, Dublin Viking, Galway, Glanmire, Navan and Waterford) to host a Regional final to select 3 of the 24 Euroscola participants. Report here.

2012 Competition

During autumn 2011 we invited Belfast Schools to nominate students, aged 16-18 years of age, for interviews. They were asked to submit standard application forms, which illustrated their personal achievements to date, work and leadership experience and gave examples of their planning and organisational skills.

The Competition was supported by the participating Belfast schools who are all enthusiastic advocates of the competition and appreciate the benefits to the students of both taking part and achieving success. The pupils were interviewed by Club members and on behalf of the Club we would like to thank all those Rotarians who assisted in this process and gave willingly of their time to carry out interviews.

Cameron Chambers from RBAI was subsequently put forward to the Regional Finals held on 21st November 2011 hosted by the Comber Club. He faced competition from the nominees from the other four Belfast Clubs together with Comber, Bangor, Donaghadee, Newry, North Down, Newtownards and Newtownabbey.

To our delight he succeeded in winning a coveted Euroscola place. And for the fourth year in a row the Rotary Club of Belfast will be sending a winning student in the Youth Leadership Development Competition to the European Parliament!

Cameron is a charming young man who expresses his views in a friendly but convincing way. He has a very broad general knowledge and is a true team player. His academic achievements include excellent GCSE results and a silver award in the U K Senior Maths Challenge. He is the senior flautist in the school orchestra and also plays the piano. On the sporting front he is very keen on rugby – playing at scrum half. Next July he plans to work as a helper in an orphanage in China as part of a World Challenge Expedition for which he is currently busy raising funds. We forgot to ask him what he does in his spare time!..

The winner’s journey followed the usual pattern. Before heading off to Strasburg the 24 finalists met for the first time in Belfast to learn about the government and culture in Northern Ireland and in Stormont met a mixed group of MLAs. They then traveled on to Dublin to learn about the Government and culture in the Republic and in the Dáil they met Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Simon Harris, the youngest serving TD and a former winner of the RYL Competition. The group also visited the European Parliament's office in Dublin (image right - click to enlarge) to be briefed on the Parliament and the EU.  The 25 winners were presented with their certificates by District Governor, Barney Callaghan, before setting off to Strasbourg to debate and present our motions at Euroscola 17 February 2012.

Reporting to the Club 23 April 2012 Cameron stated he was honoured to be one of the 6 chosen to present at the final Plenary Session. He demonstrated 'why' both in his presentation to the Club and in his handling of several questions from members. Photo (click to enlarge) shows Cameron at the Club presentation with PP Albert Baird, President Adrian, PP Courtenay Thompson, Rtn Doris Houston and PP Brian Ferguson.
 

Youth leadership leads to...

Claire Savage, a participant in the Youth Leadership Programme a couple of years ago is now an active member of the Belfast Club.

See also

Youth Leadership Competition 2011

Youth Leadership Competition 2010

Youth Leadership Competition 2010 Reports

District information on the Competition can be found by clicking on the image below.