Write a commentJohn Devlin, Head Prefect of St. Colman’s College Newry, has recently been selected as one of twenty four youth leaders from across the island of Ireland who will represent Ireland at the European Parliament in Strasbourg early next year.
The Area final of this year’s Rotary Youth Leadership Development Competition was hosted by Belfast Rotary Club in the Europa Hotel, Belfast, on Monday December 7 2009. Successful candidates from previous rounds of the competition were interviewed on various topics, mainly leadership and the European Union. As a winner, John will participate in a week long Leadership Development Programme which consists of three days in Belfast and Dublin before setting off for the European Parliament in Strasbourg to participate in the Euroscola Programme early next year. The winners will debate major E.U. issues in the European Parliament building with six hundred students from most countries across the European Union.
The Youth Leadership Development Competition is a joint venture between Rotary and the European Parliament Office in Dublin, and is part funded by the Northern Ireland "Awards for All" grants programme. The competition is run each year and is open to any member of an EU State, living on the island of Ireland. The competition teaches interview skills, builds self-confidence and raises awareness of European Political and Policy issues.
John said “It is an honour for me to represent my country, Newry Rotary Club and my school in the most important and influential institution in Europe. I found the interviews a challenging but enjoyable experience and I would like to thank Newry Rotary Club for supporting me during the selection process.”
