“Go Fast Alone. Go Far Together” was the slogan of RYLA Oceania’s Elevate which I have had the enormous privilege of attending in the Blue Mountains, Australia this past week.
Elevate is the flagship programme of RYLA Oceania designed to bring together leaders from all across Australia and New Zealand - most of whom have participated in a RYLA programme within their district before - to recharge, reconnect and rise to the next level of their leadership journey.
It was spectacular! I don’t think my brain has stopped whirring since getting off the plane and hitting the ground running back here in NZ. I feel invigorated and deeply grounded and connected to my purpose, goals and community. RYLA opened the door to this, and Elevate has provided a further match to the fire to ignite even further growth and expansion through the delivery of impactful tools and strategies, reflection and connection.
I attended my first RYLA in 2021 and can say hand on heart it changed my life. It opened ideas and possibilities I didn’t know possible, it gave me tools to connect and relate to others through team experiential learning all interwoven through an intentionally designed programme to foster connection, leadership and growth. I’ve since been back every year since to ‘drink the kool aid’ if you will, and give back to a programme that I whole-heartedly believe in.
I want to pass on my deep gratitude to everyone who supports RYLA - to my RYLA team and the RYLA committee for their passion in committing to running and providing this opportunity to myself and other young adults, to those at District level, to those at international level and to the Elevate team, to all the participants and team before me who have shaped the RYLA programme, and to every Rotarian out there on a club basis and individual basis. To those who have been involved in any part of RYLA, whether that be support of this programme, your passion for development, fundraising and/or seeking out participants to nudge in our direction - some of who you recognise leadership in that might not even recognise in themselves yet. Thank you.
A few paragraphs in a bulletin is not enough for me to convey the impact this has had for me personally in my life, and the impact I know it has had on many other participants. We are creating RYLA magic again in Masterton on 14-18 January 2026. If you know of anyone in your community aged 18-24 who would like to join us in Masterton, we would love to hear from you/them…Emma.
