The Rotary Youth Leadership Award, or RYLA, is a 10-day sponsored leadership development programme run by Rotary International to help young adults develop personal skills that are useful to the local community.
Under the auspices of RYLA, each year since 2012 the Rotary Club of Banbury has sponsored two students from the Griffiths Centre, Frank Wise School to attend the Calvert Trust, Exmoor. This programme enables people with disabilities to achieve their potential through experiencing exciting, challenging and enjoyable outdoor activities.
Fizan Hussain and Archie Fox were the lucky participants this year and were transported to and from Exmoor by a Rotarian accompanied by a mentor from Frank Wise. Their course started at 4pm on Friday 14th July and they were collected at 10am on the following Monday.
The immediate challenge for the boys was that, although the course is fully accommodated and catered, they had to be individually independent outside the carefully supervised daytime activities. They were shown around the facilities for 30 mins by their accompanying Rotarian and escort before being left to fend for themselves ahead of their evening briefing by Calvert Trust staff. This was their first experience of living in a single room away from their family or school. They had been issued with mobile phones to record their experiences and, of course, to contact their parents and school staff when necessary.
Over the weekend the students took part in adventures such as archery, canoeing, zip wire and abseiling, cycle riding and assisting other less capable participants in organised and social group activities both during the day and evenings. After attending the course both students talked of their experience with Rotarians at a coffee morning presentation.
Club is extremely proud to have worked with students and teachers from the Griffiths Centre at the Frank Wise School, and the Calvert Trust, Exmoor, and we know that our continued support is also much valued by them.
