Our club is regularly involved in the following Rotary Programmes (plus some extras) and provides all, or part, of the funding needed for local youngsters to participate:

  • Rotary Youth Leadership Awards-RYLA

    RYLA events are organized locally for participants ages 14-30. It may take the form of a one-day seminar, a three-day retreat, or a weeklong camp. Typically, events last 3-10 days and include presentations, activities, and workshops covering a variety of topics. The participants may expect to:

    • build communication and problem-solving skills

    • discover strategies for becoming a dynamic leader in their school or community

    • learn from community leaders, inspirational speakers, and peer mentors

    • unlock potential to turn motivation into action

    • have fun and form lasting friendships

  • Young Totara Award

    The Maori people liken their leaders to the mighty totara tree. It seems appropriate that within New Zealand we should identify the leaders of tomorrow as “Young Totaras”

    The over-riding criteria for award recipients is compliance with the Rotary principles of service to the community and placing the community and others before yourself. Truth, fairness, building goodwill and friendship, and benefiting others are components of this.
    The Young Totara Award:

    • recognises the positive achievements of our young people,

    • promotes sound role models for our youth, and

    • fosters responsible attitudes towards the community.

    The future of the planet will be in the hands of the youth of today. To lead the world of tomorrow we will need young people with

    • strength of character,

    • courage of conviction,

    • care of the community, and

    • pursuit of excellence.

    By singling out and recognizing young people with these qualities we can promote these ideals and encourage positive role models for the growing generations.

  • Speech contest for Year 8 students (approx. 20 schools)

    The Rotary School Speech Competition is an engaging event that encourages young students to develop confidence in public speaking and express their ideas effectively. Each local school arranges their own internal competition and nominates their best student to present their speech at a “Finals” evening held at the Rangiora Town Hall, one evening in June each year.

  • Peer support

    Peer Support is a secondary school programme, which seeks to assist new students arriving at a secondary school in January/February each year. The Peer Support programme was introduced into New Zealand in the mid ‘80s and is running successfully in about 70% of the schools across the country. 

    Trained senior students (Year 12 or 13) are allocated a small group of Year 9 students and, during a specified time allocation within the school programme, work with these students so that they feel part of the wider school community. Topics covered during these sessions may include the school’s co-curricular programmes and opportunities, peer pressure, bullying, verbal and physical abuse, cultural differences, and how to deal with them. 

    The training of the school teachers is carried out in two-day workshops by specially trained tutor consultants who have several years experience in running a Peer Support programme.

  • University of Canterbury Summer Science Camp

    The UC Science Summer Camp is a five-day event that gives participants a taste of university life and what it's like to study science at UC so that they can make informed decisions about their future.

  • Rotary National Science and Technology Forum (occasionally)

    A programme aimed at high achieving, well-rounded science, maths and technology students in Year 12 at New Zealand Secondary Schools who will be returning to Year 13 and who are planning to study science or technology subjects at tertiary level in New Zealand.

  • Rotary Youth Driver Awareness

    Young people aged 15-24 represent less than 15% of the population yet account for around one quarter of deaths and injuries on our roads.

    The RYDA Program is conducted at an out of school venue, chosen to highlight the road safety messages and is targeted at 15-17 year olds as they begin to drive or ride in cars driven by their peers. During RYDA, students take part in six interactive sessions on a broad range of road safety topics.

     Over 30,000 students have attended the RYDA program across venues from Kaitaia to Timaru.

  • Boyle River Leadership Course

    Through the Boyle Potential Leaders Programme participants become more informed and gain credits towards the National Certificate in Educational Achievement (NCEA)- all while developing valuable leadership skills.
    Participants will;
    • develop leadership and communication skills
    • develop self-confidence, initiative and self reliance
    • learn recreational outdoor skills in a variety of activities
    • enjoy a residential experience that encourages independence and a chance to mix with students from other schools
    • have an opportunity to gain the Outdoor Management Unit Standard 32844 (L3 C3)  - People credited with this unit standard are able to: demonstrate knowledge of factors that contribute to group performance in an outdoor activity; apply knowledge of group processes while participating in an outdoor activity; and evaluate personal contribution to the group performance in an outdoor activity.

  • Spirit of Adventure

    Our local senior schools are encouraged to select a group of their students (either 5 or 10) to attend a 5 day voyage of “Discovery” on the tall ship “Spirit”, which sails from Auckland harbour into the Gulf of Hauraki. Activities in the programme include ship-handling, teamwork, problem-solving, debating, and water sports (in and on the water). Students go ashore and complete tasks and enjoy competitive games that involve ingenuity, leadership and fun. Rangiora Rotary sponsor part of the expenses of the trips.

  • Outward Bound

    A three-week course, limited to students aged 16-18.  The Course is held in July during the school holidays.  Usually, there are only two scholarships available for New Zealand.  The closing dated for nominations is 27th April.

    Outward Bound teaches social and emotional behaviour within a strong values framework. The competencies/ abilities to be developed include:

    Self-awareness, Self-management, Social awareness, Social skills.

  • Rotary Youth Exchange

    An exchange offers a very unique experience whereby a student is immersed in another culture for 12 months in a way that is not possible as a tourist. The student will experience the daily challenges and rewards of this experience as they make friends and get to know their new culture. An exchange brings significant personal growth and development from which the student builds their self-confidence, independence and general communication and social skills. In 12 months and exchange brings experiences that develop life skills that otherwise would take years to accumulate.

    Rotary stated objectives for the RYE programme are:

    • To enable students to advance their education by studying for a year in an environment entirely different from their own, and undertaking the study of courses and subjects not normally available to them in their own country.

    • To give students opportunities to broaden their outlook by learning to live with and meet people of different cultures, creeds, and colours and by having to cope with day-to-day problems in an environment completely different from the one they have experienced at home. 

    • To have students act as ambassadors for their own country by addressing Rotary Clubs, community organizations and youth groups in their host country; by imparting as much knowledge as they can of their own country, its attributes and its problems to the people they meet during their year abroad.

    • To provide sufficient time to study and observe another country's culture so that upon returning home students can pass on the knowledge they have gained by addressing Rotary clubs and other organizations and assimilate the positive aspects into their everyday living.

    • Swimming lessons

      The club has provided funding towards a three year programme of lessons for primary school children.

      All of these programmes are arranged through our liason with the Heads of our local senior schools and students should indicate their interest in being involved, through their senior school staff.

    • Big Brothers, Big Sisters

      Support whānau, families and communities to see our young people thrive. Their aim is to make a  positive difference in the lives of children and youth through professionally supported, mentoring relationships. Rangiora Rotary make grants to the North Canterbury branch of this organisation, from time to time, to help finance the training of volunteer mentors.

Rotary has adopted the following Statement of Conduct for Working with Youth:

“Rotary strives to create and maintain a safe environment for all youth who participate in Rotary activities. To the best of their ability, Rotarians, Rotarians’ spouse / partners, and other volunteers must safeguard the children and young people they come into contact with and protect them from physical, sexual, and emotional abuse.”