Get involved

Y oung people can take part in RYLA at the local or international level. The 2008 International RYLA will be held in Los Angeles before the RI Convention. Attendees will have the opportunity to collaborate and network with exceptional RYLArians from around the world and learn advanced leadership techniques through guest speakers, training sessions, and group discussions.

This event will be held 12-15 June 2008 in Los Angeles, California USA, immediately preceding the 2008 Rotary International Convention and will include up to 150 participants.

Participants are individuals between the ages 18-30 who have extensive experience with any Rotary or Rotary Foundation program.  This includes alumni from Interact, Rotaract, local district RYLAs, Youth Exchange, and Ambassadorial Scholarship programs.  All applicants are sponsored by their local Rotary club or district.

If you have any questions about the 2008 International RYLA, please contact us at ryla@rotary.org for more information.

Aside from this annual event, local RYLA programs are typically organized and carried out at the district level. To get involved with RYLA in your district, contact us.

Organize a RYLA event

Organizing a RYLA event is a challenging and exciting undertaking that requires a concerted effort among many people. After developing a RYLA team, questions of timing, location, funding, and participant selection need to be considered.

Though RI has established a basic framework for RYLA events in the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards Handbook (PDF), Rotarians are strongly encouraged to develop programs based on participants’ needs and the resources available through their club or district. A number of variables, including duration, age groups served, venue, activities, goals, and level (i.e., club, district, or multidistrict), will shape your RYLA program and make it unique and useful.

It’s recommended that a RYLA event focus on young people within a two- to three-year age range. Individuals ages 14-18 require a different approach than those ages 19-30. RI recommends visiting other RYLA events to get ideas for organizing new programs and improving existing ones.

If the event is being organized by more than one district, the district governors need to obtain the approval of two-thirds of the clubs in their district and write a letter indicating this approval to the general secretary. The organizing committee also needs to send the following documentation to the general secretary: a brief description of the RYLA event (including dates); a statement indicating that the event will be carried out under the RI Board's policy regarding multidistrict service activities and projects; a list of multidistrict committee members organizing the event; and signatures of the district governors.

If a district is organizing the RYLA event itself and merely wants to invite others, no authorization is required. As a matter of courtesy, the organizing district should discuss what the event will involve with the governors of the invited districts.

Promote RYLA

Rotarians can promote RYLA events with colorful posters and participant certificates, which are available online, through RI Publications Order Services  (Phone: 847-866-4600), and through the international offices. 

Looking for RYLA pins, hats, banners, or stationery? Find a licensed supplier of Rotary merchandise.

Interested in using the RYLA logo? Be sure to follow RI's guidelines (PDF). You can also download the Rotary emblem.