Vocational Services Committee

Chairman: Clive Bath                       tel:  01297 489 917
                                                       e-mail : clive_india@hotmail.com

OBJECTIVE:- To provide the vocational knowledge, skill, experience and expertise acquired by rotary club members from their employment for the benefit of the community and young people in particular by structured programmes of learning and development as follows.

MOCK INTERVIEWS

To give those soon to seek employment or placement at college or university, practice, guidance and self confidence to enable best interview performance to be achieved when needed.
At present  during school term time the chairman of this committee together with one other member of the rotary club provides interview experience to year 11 students at the Sir John Colfox School. Individual sessions take place each lasting approx 20 minutes and taking the form of a simulated oral interrogation and dialogue aimed at exposing the candidates strengths and weaknesses by encouraging them to talk about themselves, their achievements and their aspirations as if they were an applicant for a job or a place at a higher education establishment, the students having prepared and submitted their C.V .as if in response to a job advertisement.  The interviewees benefit from a modest level of career counselling and are  given tips on interview techniques aimed at enhancing performance .           
The total process is undertaken in confidence with just a very brief resume prepared by the interviewers being left with the school. Feedback over several years from the students and the school has been very positive.

L to R.  Student Ashley Stewart, Rotary Club President Roger Stoodley, the Schools Vocational leader Graeme Farrow and Brian Evens the scheme organiser.

TECHNOLOGY  TOURNAMENT

To encourage young people to see design and technology as attractive and challenging. To provide opportunities for team building and practicing communication skills, as well as resolving a design and technology problem at National Curriculum level incorporating the assessment criteria.
This programme has yet to be implemented for want of a willing and competent organiser at District level but there is hope that it will be introduced in the near future.

YOUTH  SPEAKS

This is a competition designed to provide young people with the opportunity to speak in public whilst learning from others doing the same and accepting impartial assessment of their efforts together with constructive criticism. There are two categories: Intermediate for those aged between 11and 13 years and Senior for those aged between14 and 17 years. Each team comprises a chairperson, a speaker and a proposer of a vote of thanks who are given 2 minutes, 6 minutes and 2 minutes respectively to deliver a subject of their own choosing. The speaker is then given a further 2 minutes to deal with a question from the audience. The rotary club provides 3 impartial adjudicators who will select a winning team from each category who will then go forward to a District semi-final and if successful to the District final which could be followed by Regional and National finals. The Rotary Club of Bridport normally initiates proceedings in January each year.

ROTARY YOUTH LEADERSHIP AWARD  [RYLA ]

RYLA is an intensive training programme designed to develop the leadership skills of young people with potential. The week long course takes place in February at a purpose built complex at Worth Matravers near Swanage and is a mixture of outdoor and classroom professional tuition. The programme concentrates on leadership fundamentals, interpersonal and communication skills, problem solving and conflict management, building confidence and self-esteem together with elements of community and global citizenship. An explanation of  the role of Rotary is also included and participants have the opportunity to meet up with Rotarians and learn about other Rotary programmes for young people.

YOUNG CHEF

This is a competition designed to encourage young people of 17 years of age and under to develop cookery and food preparation skills , to consider healthy eating options, to prove their organisational and planning skills and to prove their ability to cope in a demanding situation. It provides useful experience for those with aspirations for a career in catering but also for others who simply wish to develop a life skill. The first and local round invites the competitors to produce a 3 course healthy meal for two people costing no more than £6 per head [funded by rotary] with the winner going forward to the District final followed if successful by Regional and National finals. Competitors are allowed 30 minutes setting up time and 2 hours cooking time .Judges are selected for their professsional competence and their ability to relate to young people.

YOUNG MUSICIAN

To encourage and support the wealth and diversity of musical talent in young people. The Club has registered its interest and we now need to facilitate a positive local response.

VOCATIONAL VISITS

The Club has visited a number of differing types of working organisations in the Bridport area including Palmers Brewery, Huck Nets, Bridport Aviation, Bridport Medical Centre, Royal Mail and a little further afield Police Command HQ, RNLI HQ Poole, Westlands at Yeovil and Bournemouth Airport. This has provided special insight into the workings of these organisations and it is hoped to make  visits to other places of work in the future.