What
is Rotaract?
Rotaract
clubs are part of a global effort to bring peace and international
understanding to the world.
This effort starts at the community level but knows no limits
in its outreach. Rotaractors have access to the many resources
of Rotary International (RI) and The Rotary Foundation. Rotary
International provides the administrative support that helps
Rotaract clubs thrive.
History
Rotaract
has evolved quickly in its short but dynamic history. In the
early 1960s, Rotary clubs around the world began to sponsor
university youth groups as community service projects. The1967-68
RI president, Luther H. Hodges, and the RI Board of Directors
considered this club activity to have international relevance,
and Rotaract was approved in 1968 as an official program for
Rotary clubs. The first club chartered was the Rotaract Club
of North Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, on 13 March 1968.
Several
decades later, the Rotaract program has grown into a strong,
international network of 7,300 clubs in more than 150 countries
and geographical areas. Rotaract’s 145,000 members are
young men and women (ages 18 to 30) who serve the needs of their
communities, widen their personal and professional contacts,
and increase their understanding of the world.
Goals
Rotaract
has the following goals:
- To
develop professional and leadership skills
- To
emphasize respect for the rights of others, based on recognition
of the worth of each individual
- To
recognize the dignity and value of all useful occupations
as opportunities to serve
- To
recognize, practice, and promote ethical standards as leadership
qualities and vocational responsibilities
- To
develop knowledge and understanding of the needs, problems,
and opportunities in the community and worldwide
- To
provide opportunities for personal and group activities
to serve the community and
- To
promote
international understanding and goodwill toward all people
How
does Rotaract fit into the Rotary family?
Rotary
International is a worldwide service organization for leading
business and professional men
and women, with more than 1.2 million members in over 31,000
Rotary clubs. Each Rotaract
club is sponsored by a local Rotary club. This sponsorship is
a result of Rotary’s belief that young people, or New Generations,
should take an active interest in community life and have the
opportunity for professional development.
Organizing
a Rotaract club is one of the most rewarding activities a Rotary
club can undertake in
its community. The Rotaract program gives Rotarians the opportunity
to mentor dynamic young
women and men interested in providing service to their own communities
as well as the global community. In turn, a Rotaract club can
bring new energy to a Rotary club, inspire fresh ideas for service,
increase support for projects, and help develop future Rotary
club members.
Rotaract
clubs are self-governed and largely self-financed at the local
level. Working in cooperation with their sponsoring Rotary clubs
as partners in service, Rotaractors are an important part of
Rotary’s extended family.
What
does a Rotaract club do?
Rotaract
clubs organize a variety of projects and activities, depending
primarily on the interests of the club members. However, within
the Rotaract program, all clubs undertake three types of activities
in varying degrees: professional development, leadership development,
and service projects
Professional
Development
A
club’s professional development activities should expand
the members’ understanding of the
work environment and business opportunities within their community.
Each
Rotaract club should provide professional development opportunities
to its members through activities such as:
- Professional
and vocational forums
- Business
technology updates
- Management
and marketing seminars
- Conferences
on business and professional ethics
- Presentations
on finance and credit options for business start-up
Sponsoring
Rotarians can enhance the professional development of Rotaractors
by providing
practical
advice on entering the business world and tackling business,
vocational, and professional challenges. Making the club’s
professional development projects into joint Rotaract-Rotary
projects can also help Rotaractors get better acquainted with
sponsoring Rotarians.
Leadership
Development
Important
topics to address in training club leaders include:
- Improving
public speaking skills
- Developing
techniques for marketing the Rotaract program to potential
members
- Building
consensus among members
- Delegating
project responsibilities and ensuring necessary follow-up
- Identifying
channels for project publicity and promotion
- Finding
financial resources for strengthening club development
- Assessing
project success
Service
Projects
Service
Above Self is Rotary’s foremost guiding principle. A Rotaract
club’s service projects are designed to improve the quality
of life at home and abroad. Each Rotaract club is required to
complete at least two major service projects annually, one to
serve the community and the other to promote international understanding.
Each should involve all or most of the members of the club.
Why
organize a Rotaract club?
Now
is the time for Rotary clubs to focus on the future by challenging
the New Generations to test their talents, develop new skills,
and confront issues they will face in their lifetime. The Rotaract
program can instill in its members life skills that can be shared
with others for generations to come.
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