Youth Leadership
The Club actively supports Rotary Ireland's flagship competition.
The Youth Leadership Development Competition, run with the assistance of the European Parliament Office in Dublin, is one of Rotary's longest-running youth projects, an all-Ireland annual event aimed at helping young people prepare for their future careers it rewards young people with clear leadership potential based on their extra-curricular activities. It teaches interview skills, builds self-confidence and raises awareness of European Political and Policy issues. The winners are judged solely on their potential as leaders from over 2,000 applicants across Ireland. The Competition was paused by Rotary Ireland during Covid and the Club has not participated since then until this year.
Club Candidates - see menu right
The Club participates by inviting schools to nominate for interview students who will be 18 or younger by March of the competition year. They are asked to submit standard application forms, which illustrate their personal achievements to date, work and leadership experience and gave examples of their planning and organisational skills. Members interview these candidates at each school and select those to go forward to a Club final where one is selected for the area Regional Final (of which there are 8) when 3 are selected to travel resulting in 24 finalists. The Club thanks all members who give willingly of their time to carry out interviews. The competition would not be possible without their support.
The schools are all enthusiastic advocates of the competition and are well aware of the benefits to the students of both taking part and achieving success. We are particularly pleased that in recent years the Club's nominees (see here) have, in the main, won a coveted Euroscola place against finalists of the highest calibre.
We are always delighted to welcome back to the Club the nominees to hear their report.
2025 Club nominee was Alexander Eagan, Methodist College
The Zone 1 Final for the Youth Leadership Competition 2025 was hosted by the Rotary Club of Newtownabbey Tuesday 18 November. Congratulations are extended to Club nominee Alexander Eagan, Methodist College Belfast who has been offered a place on the Rotary-Ireland group to visit the European Parliament in Strasbourg and take part in the Euroscola Debate early in 2026.
We look forward to hearing his report later in the year.