There is nothing like a good youth program to stir the enthusiasm of Rotarians.

In his September Presidential Message (page 3), R.I. President Carl-Wilhelm
Stenhammar colourfully refers to Rotaract/Interact, RYLA and Youth Exchange as the “three flowers" in “our bouquet of youth programs".

The three mentioned programs are certainly the “flagships" of our Rotary youth initiatives and demand countless hours of service time from Rotarians and Rotary clubs everywhere.
However, how often do we take time to carefully consider the future of these
programs? Each are successful in their own right but are we really doing enough lateral thinking to take them to the next level?
Rotaract continues to struggle for numbers and support “down under", RYLA
has followed the same format for many years and Youth Exchange numbers are
down considerably in all parts of our region.

Perhaps Youth Month is the time for healthy discussion in your Rotary club to appraise the future of our prized “bouquet"?

Only a handful of Rotary clubs really support their local Rotaract/Interact clubs. We can surely involve these young people in a much closer relationship with our Rotary clubs?

RYLA is too good a program to be confined to a sameness year after year. There are Districts within the United States of America that are now conducting RYLA courses for Rotarians – of all ages!

Youth Exchange is surely one of Rotary's most famous and popular programs
but it is regularly under attack from those people who see it as the exclusive property of “rich families" who send their kids on great holidays!

It has been my long-held belief that clubs and Districts don't stretch themselves with YEP. It's certainly a simple and easy process to allow those who can afford to pay to take up exchange places.

Perhaps there would be more general support if EVERY District elected to fund at least ONE student from an underprivileged family EVERY year. At around $8,000 an exchange it's not a cheap exercise but even individual
Rotary clubs could plan for such sponsorship one year in three, or even five?

The family that leads together stays together: District 9630 Governor Ailsa Hay is maintaining a fine Queensland tradition of nurturing governors from the same family. Ailsa’s husband Don was governor of the District 9630 in 2001/02, but they are not the first husband-and-wife gubernatorial team from the Sunshine State. In 2000/01, Heather Yarker followed her husband Ian as Governor of District 9640. Ian occupied the “chair” back in 1994/95. Of course, Ailsa Hay follows another dynamic Governor in Des Lawson in 9630 – and Des’s “kid sister” Cathy Roth was also a District Governor in Rotary’s Centenary Year, in District 9780.

The ABC Giving Tree: A collection of Victorian Rotary Districts has developed a productive partnership with ABC Radio around the wonderful ABC Giving Tree project. It has been running three years and last year gathered some 8,000 gifts for disadvantaged people of ALL ages. The unwrapped gifts are delivered by community members to ABC shops and centres throughout Victoria, and then passed on to Rotarians from various clubs. Rotary clusters work together on the project. The gifts are wrapped and delivered to needy people all over the state. Organisers believe the project creates great public awareness for Rotary and the ABC, and has the potential to “go national”!