Case Study: Community Internships Making a Positive Contribution - RYLA

Woodside and its Sunrise Joint Venture participants have partnered with Rotary International on the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) Program in Timor-Leste since 2012.

The RYLA Program focuses on providing young, emerging leaders with a range of leadership skills, techniques, and tools they can use at work, study and in the community.

Participants also engage in a range of activities, including workshops, team-building exercises and guest speaker presentations.

Once participants have completed the RYLA Program they are eligible for a RYLA Internship, a work experience program targeted at unemployed young people.

In 2024, 15 Internship participants were each offered six months valuable work experience within non-government organisations (NGOs) in Timor-Leste.

Of those participating in the RYLA Internship, 80% have gone on to successfully secure employment after the program, with many interns continuing on within their NGO placement organisation.

With significant youth unemployment rates in Timor-Leste, some interns state they would not have been offered employment opportunities without the experience they gain through the RYLA Internships.

"A life changing experience," said one RYLA Internship participant.