Cancellation of RYPEN

Traditionally the Army has provided a half-day “assault course” exercise.  This has been a keystone event that has taken young people well out of their comfort zones within a safe environment.  Unfortunately on Friday 16 September the Army advised that they were unable to host RYPEN this year.   The army PTIs volunteer for RYPEN.  Their training schedule was changed thus preventing them from taking part in RYPEN.   The army programmes’ organiser at Waiouru was very mindful of how this decision had impacted on RYPEN.  Although setting up an alternative assault-type course might have been possible, there was precious little time to find a venue, do the work and assemble a team of qualified instructors.

 

The PT Instructor who was to lead the RYPEN activities could not get his Outdoor Education First Aid qualification renewed in time.  Although not an insurmountable barrier, finding replacements, suitably qualified in outdoor education First Aid, would have been difficult.

 

Of the 48 young people expected to attend, two thirds were young women.  Although there was a sufficient number of male supervisors, there was a lack of female supervisors.  In addition, not all volunteers had current Rotary vetting approval.

 

The prime concern in deciding to cancel RYPEN this year was the safety of the young people, which in the circumstances, could not be assured.  We advised attendees as soon as possible so that they could cancel transport and any other arrangements they had made. 

The Rotary Club of Taihape has been running RYPEN for some 25 years.  Club members Bill and Jan Byford have worked tirelessly to ensure the success of RYPEN for the last 10 years.  Their organisation and communication has been of the highest standard and has always been focused on the welfare and enjoyment of the young students who have attended.  Bill and Jan have been ably supported by the Rotary Club of Taihape, with Club members providing catering, transport and the bulk of supervision required.

In Rotary we sometimes have to make these difficult calls to ensure that we are continuing to offer high quality programmes in a safe environment for our young people. 

While the Rotary Club of Taihape (due to no fault of their own), contributing Clubs, schools and students will be disappointed, the consequences and risks involved if the programme were not postponed could have had a much longer and deeper impact on our ability to run RYPEN and attract students in the future – for example, imagine if students had reported that with the absence of the army the course was not particularly valuable to them.