May is Youth Service month. Youth is close to my heart. For many years I was involved in the Dutch multi-district for Youth exchanges. I never got to go on youth exchange with Rotary but, at 15, I traveled by myself to visit family in Canada. I stayed with them for 3 weeks. When I was back home I was a changed person. For the first time in my life I experienced real freedom and no fear. The experience is still with me and I am very sensitive to the lack of any kind of freedom and the hurt it causes.
The thrill of new adventures abroad, away from home, speaking another language and learning different habits is still very much in me. Working with youth either in interact, Rotaract, youth exchange, New Generations Exchange, Rotex or RYLA resonates with me and I will support the young person as much as I can.
Therefore I am looking forward to work closely with the international Rotaractors in Tilburg in the Netherlands. I hope our international club can mentor them as they move forward with the project in Ghana.
In April I was an accessor in the RYLA of D1610. Every time I join this event I am thrilled by the young leaders. How much they learn in one weekend and how appreciative they are towards Rotary. Many of them did not know Rotary before. The experience will connect them to Rotary for the rest of their lives.
In our fellowship meeting of May 3rd I learned that many members of E-club of One World share experiences of the same kind.
Our guest speaker, a young woman from Bulgaria. Shared her experiences of youth exchanges and her membership of Interact. Her skills of English were excellent and a great example of how important it is to speak different languages. In a foreign languages she was a great ambassador for her country. “What a great example of Youth Service”.
The second topic was about mental health issues of children. The presentation of our member, Tamara Thorn, clearly showed us that when child and family traumas are untreated they will cause more harm in their future life. In the absence of a clear call for help, how can we help locally to identify adverse childhood experiences? For more information in the subject please contact us. There is so much more to say about it.
I hope that we stay connected with youth, that we mentor them because in a way we are shaping the future. What a nice thought: "Rotary Youth Programs are shaping the future.”
I hope you will enjoy all your activities in May.
PTA meeting at the school (photo by Dela Quarcoo Bedzra)
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Service Above Self!
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