Youth and Community Services

Our Youth and Community Services Committee actively and regularly look for projects to help our local and wider communities especially in the fields of education, physical and mental health and welfare, the relief of poverty, and the provision of clean water and sanitation.

Our Committee tries to find projects both here and abroad and is able to swell any funds raised by requesting global, district and matching grants. However, a principal focus of any Rotarian is, wherever possible, to help by giving his or her time energy and expertise to those who could benefit from it in our own and other communities.

Rotakids

Walsall Rotary working closely with the primary schools in the Walsall Borough supporting projects around Young Achiever, Citizenship, Reading, Personal skills, including, Painting, Photography and Young Writer.

We currently are work with 4 new schools in 2026, 5 schools in the past year. The Mayor of Walsall has been very supportive of these projects with special days arranged at each school to recognise personal achievement, and awarding medals and certificates. The Mayor has also hosted school visits to the Town Hall and the Mayor’s Parlour.

Books4Home

Books4Home is a project being run in our District 1210. The concept is simple every child can have a book to take home to read. When they are finished they can return the book and, from a Rotary provided Book Store (see photo) in their school, they can choose another book to take home and read, or, keep the book they were given.

Each school receives 200 books and, if required a Book Store can be provided.

Walsall Rotary are working with 9 schools and Ablewell Food Bank to ensure children are not deprived of reading, and have access to books.

The book stores are made by Adults who are in prison but who are also receiving support to learn to read with their own children, as illiteracy in the prison population is high. Reading a book to their own children, not only creates a connection with their family, but also helps reintegrate them back in to society at the end of their sentence.

Rotary Books4Home | Rotary Alumni 1210

Interact

Aimed at older teenage children, Interact encourages them to take on projects in their own local community or overseas.

Interact helps develop leadership, teamwork, planning, fund raising and communication skills when working on their chosen project.

Walsall Rotary is currently supporting 1 school with their projects. Last year Walsall Rotary supported them to organise a concern specifically to raise funds to help 3 young leaders take part in an education project in Cambodia. The concert was well supported with funds over £1100 being raised.

Rotaract

Rotaract is aimed at 18 to 30 years, It helps develop leadership, teamwork, planning, fund raising, and communication skills. Rotaract helps young adults who are starting their adult education or working career and their families to participate in Rotary projects as a project volunteer, friend of Rotary or becoming Rotary Member.

Rotary Youth Leadership Awards RYLA

Age guidelines for District 1210: candidates must be aged 16 or 17 for the duration of the 6-day course which is usually held in early August. The Course objectives to develop leadership experience and skills, gain confidence and learn the importance of competition, fitness, character and tolerance. All Rotary Clubs interview potential candidates to ensure that they understand the nature of the course.

 The cost of the course is paid by the nominating Rotary Club which includes all the facilities, training, food, transport and insurances.  Candidates are given a recommended list of items to take with them.  The venue is based at Kingswood near Albrighton/ Shifnal (one of several similar facilities run under that name in various parts of the country which have their own catering facilities which are good). The course is for a maximum of 32 young people but can operate with minimum of 24. For the leadership groups it is desirable to have a number divisible by four. The course is residential and is for six days and five nights starting in early August to avoid being near exams or result’s.  The candidates are selected via Scout groups, Air Cadets or schools in the area of the Rotary club. There is no bar for e.g. Ukrainian children or any other nationality, with basic English and attending full time school or academy.

The picture below shows Rotary members and professional educators host the Missouri Multidistrict RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) Academy, a community service and leadership training program for approximately 100 high school students. The curriculum includes conducting a simulated service project, team building exercises, and an introduction to Rotary principles of Service Above Self and the Areas of Focus over four days in a residential setting. University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, Missouri, USA.