Each year there is the ROTA Pacific programme over three weeks that combines both vocational and leadership training for young adults from the Pacific.  Here the programme is being explained to Fiji Rotaractors.
District 9920 Rotary clubs in New Zealand take turns in organising the international visit and join forces with Rotary clubs in the Pacific Islands to invite young adults with leadership potential to apply to come to NZ for a unique experience not otherwise available to them.
 
Coming from the warmer Pacific climate to NZ’s winter, the ROTA Pacific group gratefully stocked up on thermal clothing before the start of their second week which was spent at the annual Rotary Young-adults Leadership Awards (RYLA).  This is a comprehensive week-long, live-in programme sponsored by District 9920 Rotary clubs for up to 120 awardees (aged between 20 and 28 years).
 
RYLA helps young people develop their team work and communication skills and fulfil their potential as leaders.  The impressive line-up of leadership, team building, skill development and motivational speakers and activities quickly become life-changing as the participants’ perception of themselves and others changed.  RYLA is highly experiential as it includes fitness, survival, problem solving and business promotional exercises, culminating with an outdoor experience that has a surprise component which comes from left field and challenges the awardees far more than most have experienced before. 
  
This value of ROTA Pacific is  illustrated by the participants’ feedback.  “This is my first time to New Zealand”, said ROTA Pacific awardee Jemima, “I’ve made so many new friends and it has opened my eyes to what I can achieve personally and what I can when I return to Savusavu”, and “ROTA Pacific has changed my perspective on life and what I value”, “We started as strangers but left as mates”
 
Further details of RYLA are at www.ryla.co.nz