The Rotaract Program

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The Rotaract Program

● What is the Rotaract program?● How does a Rotary Club benefit from

sponsoring a Rotaract Club?● What are a Rotary Club's obligations to a

Rotaract Club?● Tips for successfully building up a

Rotaract Club● Pitfalls to avoid● Rotaractors making a difference

What is Rotaract?

The purpose of Rotaract is to provide an opportunity for young men and women to enhance the knowledge and skills that will assist them in personal development, to address the physical and social needs of their communities, and to promote better relations between all people worldwide through a framework of friendship and service.Source: Standard Rotaract Club Constitution Article 2

What is Rotaract?

The 5 goals of Rotaract:● To develop professional and leadership

skills● To emphasize respect for the rights of

others, and to promote ethical standards and the dignity of all useful occupations

● To provide opportunities for young people to address the needs and concerns of the community and our world

What is Rotaract?

The 5 goals of Rotaract:● To provide opportunities for working in

cooperation with sponsoring Rotary Clubs● To motivate young people for eventual

membership in RotarySource: Standard Rotaract Club Constitution Article 2

Benefits of Rotaract

● Mentor dynamic young men and women

help shape the community's future next generation of Rotarians

● Valuable partners-in-service

new ideas & alternate viewpoints more help for your projects access to younger networks

Benefits of Rotaract

“Rotaractors are the enthusiasts who dare to try and explore. Rotarians are the practitioners of Rotary philosophy. By working together, they inspire each other and their horizons are broadened.”

Florence Hui Rotary Club of Macau District 3450, Macau Former Rotaractor who joined Rotary in July 2005

Obligations to Rotaract

● Training

Incoming Rotaract Club officers must be provided with training by the district

Multidistrict training for DRREs● Funding

chartering a club club & district officer training Rotaractors should fund everything else

Obligations to Rotaract

● Meetings

The sponsoring club is encouraged to:

send a Rotarian to a Rotaract meeting once a month

invite Rotaractors on at least a quarterly basis to their meetings and events

Building a Rotaract Club

● Read the Rotaract Handbook(available from rotary.org downloads)

● Another good resource is the Extension Manual by Rotaract in Great Britain & Ireland(available from rotaract.org.uk)

● Visit other Rotaract Clubs ● Meet with your district's DRR and

DCHR● Source a suitable venue for club meetings

Building a Rotaract Club

● Identify potential Rotaractors (18 – 28 years)

Family members Employees / work colleagues Members of other associations Any young adults you come

across in day to day activities Extended networks

Building a Rotaract Club

● Identify club leaders● Start planning activities

Joint Rotary / Rotaract projects Events of other Rotaract Clubs Projects ideas through internet

resources● Help form their own identity

Club t-shirts, website etc

Pitfalls to Avoid

“We don't sponsor a Rotaract Club because...”

● There aren't any colleges in our area● We're busy enough with our other projects● We're a small club fighting for our survival

Pitfalls to Avoid

Relationship damagers:● Treating Rotaractors as children● Instructing / taking over rather than

advising● Expecting help / support from Rotaractors

but not giving any in return

Pitfalls to Avoid

“A comment we often hear from Rotarians is, 'We tried Rotaract and it failed. All the members coupled up and left or got other jobs and left at once.' It is the role of a responsible sponsoring Rotary club to help Rotaractors to constantly recruit new members. Without constant and consistent strong Rotary support, the Rotaract club will not survive for long.”

Source: RGBI Rotaract FAQ for Rotarians

Rotaract in ActionSustainable Recycling ProgramRotaract Club of Northern Caribbean University

Promoting Recycling of PlasticsEngaging community on and off campusPartnering with national agenciesPromote the Rotaract Program

Rotaract in Action

Park Clean UpRotaract Blue Cayman Islands/ Rotary Central

Promoting Environmental Awareness

Addressing the needs of the community

Partnering with sponsoring Rotary Club

Rotaract in ActionANNUAL INTER HOME SPELLING BEE COMPETITIONRotaract Club of Kingston Jamaica

Fulfils Rotary Mandate of Promoting Literacy

Excites children about learning and literacy

8th Annual Staging of event (2010)

Over 100 participants from children's homes and places of safety

Corporate Jamaica funding partners

Rotaract in Action

“Shaken Not Stirred”Rotaract Club of East Nassau/ Rotary Club of East Nassau

Joint Fundraising Event

Fully Coordinated effort of Rotaractors and Rotarians

Over US$ 50,000 raised!!!! for Rotaract and Rotary projects

USEFUL RESOURCES

● www.rotaract.org

● http://www.rotaract.org.uk

● The Rotaract Handbook

THANK YOU