The Inner Workings of the RI Rotaract Committee

2010 Rotaract Preconvention Meeting Highlights

2010-06-15T01:51:00.002+08:00

2010 ROTARACT PRECONVENTION MEETING
18-19 June 2010 – Montréal, Québec, Canada
Program Highlights

This program is tentative and subject to change.

All events take place at the McGill University New Residence Hall, 3625 Avenue du Parc.

This year's workshops are offered in three tracks: (A) basic; (B) professional development; and (C) the district and beyond. You are encouraged to select the most appropriate track for your level of Rotaract experience and attend all the session within that track; however, you are welcome to attend any workshop you feel is beneficial regardless of track.

Friday, 18 June

08:00-18:00 Registration

09:00-09:30 Morning Reception and Networking Time

09:30-10:30 Opening Plenary Session: Bienvenue à Montréal

Welcome and Introduction of 2009-10 RI Rotaract Committee
Roll Call of Countries Icebreaker
Rotaract Around the World: A Status Report
"Dropping the Puck against Polio" by Members of the Rotaract Club of The Athlete Village, Minnesota, USA

10:40-11:50 Concurrent Workshops I

Track A: Rotaract 101
Track B: Leadership and Strategy
Track C: Organizing District and Multidistrict Events

11:50-13:20 Lunch Break

13:20-14:30 Concurrent Workshops II

Track A: Focus on Rotaract Club Officers
Track B: Practical Public Speaking
Track C: Youth and Vulnerable Adult Protection

14:40-15:45 Plenary Session II: Rotaract in Action
Presentations by 2010 RI Recognition of Rotaract Outstanding Projects Recipients

15:45-16:20 Coffee Break and Networking Time

16:20-17:50 Plenary Session III: The Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands

Open Forum I with Rotaract Committee Members and RI Staff
Plenary Address by RI President John Kenny
Award Presentation: 2010 RI Recognition of Rotaract Outstanding Projects
Plenary Address by RI President-elect Ray Klinginsmith

Saturday, 19 June

08:00-17:30 Registration

09:00-09:30 Morning Reception and Networking Time

09:30-10:35 Plenary Session IV: Keeping Rotary's Promise

"My Life in Rotaract" by Rotaractor Abdallah Mehelba
"Cycle to Walk: A 7,200 Kilometer Journey across Canada to End Polio Now" by Rotarian Ramesh Ferris
Rotary's US$200 Million Challenge Fundraiser

10:45-11:55 Concurrent Workshops III

Track A: Public Relations and New Media Technologies
Track B: Marketing Yourself in a Down Economy
Track C: Focus on the District Rotaract Representative

11:55-13:25 Lunch Break

13:25-14:35 Concurrent Workshops IV

Track A: Rotaract Club Finances and Fundraising
Track B: From Rotaract to Rotary
Track C: Multidistrict Information Organizations

14:45-15:55 Concurrent Workshops V

Track A: The Rotary-Rotaract Relationship
Track B: Agile Project Management Techniques for Rotaract
Track C: International Projects

15:55-16:25 Coffee Break and Networking Time

16:25-17:30 Closing Plenary Session: Building Communities – Bridging Continents

"Diversity and Rotaract" by Rotaractor Corina Parschiv
Open Forum II with Rotaract Committee Members and RI Staff
Invitation to the 2011 Rotaract Preconvention Meeting
Introduction of the 2010-11 Rotaract Committee
Closing Remarks

2010 Rotaract Preconvention Meeting Participants Information

2010-06-15T01:43:00.009+08:00

2010 ROTARACT PRECONVENTION MEETING

Dear Rotaract Preconvention Meeting Participant:

Greetings from Rotary International! In less than one week, we will be gathering in Montréal, Québec, Canada for this year's preconvention meeting. To make your arrival in Montréal easier and help you plan your preconvention schedule, useful information is listed below.

Venue and Map
All preconvention events will take place at the McGill University New Residence Hall, 3625 Avenue du Parc. This is also the official Rotaract hotel. Information on the New Residence Hall can be found at http://www.mcgill.ca/nrh/ and a map of the McGill campus housing showing the New Residence Hall can be downloaded at http://www.mcgill.ca/files/residences/rezmap.pdf.

Program Highlights

This year's preconvention offers a number of new and exciting workshop topics along with many traditional favorites. New topics include "Marketing Yourself in a Down Economy," "Youth and Vulnerable Adult Protection," and "Practical Public Speaking."

Featured speakers include accomplished Rotaractors and the RI president and president-elect! Review the program highlights here.

Please note that the preconvention meeting will be conducted in English only.

Workshops This year's workshops are offered in three tracks: (A) basic; (B) professional
development; and (C) the district and beyond. Tracks are noted before the workshop title
in the highlights document. You are encouraged to select the most appropriate track for
your level of Rotaract experience and attend all the session within that track; however,
you are welcome to attend any workshop you feel is beneficial regardless of track.

Registration Information
As of 7 June, 752 Rotaractors and Rotarians have registered for the preconvention meeting. Onsite registration and pickup of registration packets will take at the McGill University New Residence Hall during the following schedule:

Thursday, 17 June – 15:00 to 19:00 hours in Prince Arthur Foyer
Friday, 18 June – 08:00 to 18:00 hours in Prince Arthur Foyer
Saturday, 19 June – 08:00 to 7:30 hours in Prince Arthur Foyer

If the pre-registration confirmation sent by RI did not indicate your attendance at the Rotaract Preconvention Meeting, your registration materials will be waiting for you at the Registration Services Area in the Palais des congrès (1001, place Jean-Paul-Riopelle), Hall 210 D.

Your registration materials will include your name badge (needed to get into preconvention events), a 2010 RI Convention Program Book, transportation guide, convention opening plenary session ticket(s), any previously purchased tickets for RI ticketed events, and a complimentary participant bag (one per registrant, while supplies last). The 2010 Rotaract Preconvention Meeting Program Book will be distributed as you enter the preconvention's Opening Plenary Session.

For security purposes, all registrants must present photo identification (driver’s license or passport) to obtain their convention registration packet.

Individuals who have not pre-registered may do so on-site for US$125.

Social Events
The Montréal Rotaract Host Committee has planned various social events from 17-22 June to help you enjoy your stay. These events include an international welcome dinner, scavenger hunt, dance club outing, Les 7 Doigt de la main (The 7 Fingers) circus show, dinner in Chinatown, a hike and picnic at Mont Royal, and a service project in a local park.

Click here for a listing of social events. A limited number of tickets to these events will be available on-site. Pre-purchased social event packages can be picked up in the McGill University New Residence Hall lobby on Thursday, 17 June between 15:00 and 18:00 hours, and remaining tickets can be purchased during the preconvention breaks in the Games Room.

For those have prepurchased tickets, please note that 1) the Fancy Dinner will no longer take place at SCENA, but at Lion D'Or, and 2) the Montréal Breakfast has been changed to a lunch. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Montréal Rotaract Host Committee at info@rotaract2010.com or visit their table in the Games Room during the breaks. We thank the Canadian Rotaractors for their hard work and dedication planning these events.

Accommodations
For those who have not already made their hotel reservations, please note that the McGill University New Residence Hall is fully booked. Please inquire directly with the other official RI hotels for room availability. The list of official RI hotels with their contact information can be found at
http://www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_pdf/c10_convention_hotel_list_en.pdf.

Attire
There is no dress code for the Rotaract Preconvention Meeting. The attire for most events is casual and you may wear whatever you feel is comfortable and appropriate (jeans and a t-shirt or blazer with slacks). Since the meeting and plenary venues will be air conditioned, participants are encouraged to bring a sweater or light jacket to all events.

Montréal Rotaract Host Committee social events may require more formal dress.

The weather is typically mild and pleasant in June, with an average high of 75°F/24°C
and an average low of 56°F/13°C.

Roll Call of Countries
Bring the symbols of your country or culture (flags, hats, national dress, etc.) to the Opening Plenary Session for the Roll Call of Countries Icebreaker. Once your country is called, be sure to stand up, cheer, sing, and proudly represent your country and culture.

Rotaract Booth
Would you like to promote both your Rotaract club and the Rotaract program to thousands of Rotarians? You can do it by helping to staff the Rotaract Booth (# 2813) in the House of Friendship at the Palais des congrès during the convention. Volunteers are asked to work for at least one hour at the booth anytime from 09:00 to 18:00 hours on Saturday, 19 June through Wednesday, 23 June. To sign up, please visit http://www.ljhconsulting.co.uk/rotaract/HouseOfFriendship.html.

Rotaract Connections Table
The preconvention is a great way to find a new project partner in another part of the world or to connect with a club to twin with. New for 2010, there will be a table in the Games Room dedicated for such connections. For more information and to download sample forms, visit http://www.ljhconsulting.co.uk/rotaract/Preconvention2010.html and scroll to the bottom of the page.

We look forward to seeing you in Montréal and wish you safe travels!

Sincerely,

Rotaract Program Staff
Youth Activities Department
Rotary International
rotaract@rotary.org

Rotary International Rotaract Committee Newsletter - January 2010

2010-01-17T18:59:00.002+08:00

Dear Rotaractors and Rotarians

I am pleased to announce the release of the third edition of the Rotary International Rotaract Committee Newsletter for this Rotary year, and the first for 2010.

In this issue we cover topics such as:

Message from Chair Dong-Joon Lee
Submit your data by 1st May
New Generations E-Newsletter
2009-10 RI Rotaract Committee - who are they?
Preconvention: have your say
Volunteer for the Rotaract booth
Stay on for Convention
Preconvention: The Event of the year!
Get recognition for your club
Rotaract: how it all began!
End Polio Now: Update
Top 10 Rotary stories of 2009

You can access the newsletter by clicking on the link below and clicking on the January 2010 Newsletter link: www.ljhconsulting.co.uk/rotaract/newsletters.html

The newsletter is in Acrobat PDF format. To read it you need a program called Acrobat Reader, which you can download for free from www.adobe.com.

Help us to spread the word and this newsletter by forwarding it onto Rotaractors and Rotarians in your Zone, District and Club.

Happy reading...
Lisa

Lisa Hunter
RI Rotaract Committee Member 2008-10

2010-01-06T02:28:00.002+08:00

Dear Rotaractors, Rotarians, RYLArians, Foundation Alumni and Rotary Family Members

Rotaract Preconvention
18th – 23rd June 2010-01-05
Montreal, Canada

Firstly Happy New Year from all of the RI Rotaract Committee - we hope you had an enjoyable festive season and are rested and raring to go for 2010.

With less than 6 months remaining until the event of the year, have you registered for the Rotaract Preconvention Meeting yet? No, then what are you waiting for?

Register now: http://www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_pdf/c10_registration_form_en.pdf

Join with Rotaractors and Rotarians from all over the world in Montreal, Canada from 18th – 23rd June 2010.

Come and learn more about the many excellent Rotaract service projects, find out how you can strengthen your Rotaract Club and build lasting friendships with Rotary family members from around the world. Attend the Rotaract Preconvention Meeting and discover how The Future of Rotary is in Your Hands!

What is the Rotaract Preconvention Meeting?

At this meeting, participants will have the opportunity to exchange ideas on a wide range of Rotaract topics in interactive workshops and listen to interesting and informative speakers; all designed to support and enhance the Rotaract activities underway in your community. Keynote speakers will include the leaders of Rotary International.

In addition to the official program, there are social events specially planned for Rotaractors by local Rotaractors on the "Rotaract Host Organizing Committee." Their job is to make sure there is plenty of fellowship!

Remember this is the only "OFFICIAL" Rotary International sponsored Rotaract event for 2010 and the only one where the RI President will address Rotaractors specifically at our own convention meeting.

How do I register?

Don't forget that there are several things you need to do to ensure you're fully registered for the Rotaract Preconvention, including:

Register with Rotary International – click here
Book your hotel/hostel - click here (McGill University is the official Rotaract accommodation)
Arrange your travel e.g. flights, train, car etc
Buy your social event package (as detailed on www.rotaract2010.com)

Come along to discover the true internationality of the Family of Rotary, it’s the event of the year so make sure you don’t miss out!

Yours in the Rotary Family
Lisa

Lisa Hunter
Rotaract is an opportunity to...

Less than 24 days to go for cheap Preconvention Registration!

2009-11-22T23:58:00.005+08:00

Dear Rotaractors, Rotarians, RYLArians, Foundation Alumni and Exchange Students

Do you want to strengthen your Rotaract club?
Do you want to find out how to start a Rotaract Club?
Do you want to learn more about Rotaract service projects?
Do you want to build lasting friendships with fellow Rotaractors from around the world?

If so, you’ll want to attend the 2010 Rotaract Preconvention Meeting!

Taking place in Montreal, Canada from 18th – 23rd June 2010 in come along to discover the true internationality of the Family of Rotary.

Preconvention Meeting
At this meeting, participants will have the opportunity to exchange ideas on a wide range of Rotaract topics in interactive workshops and listen to interesting and informative speakers, all designed to support and enhance the Rotaract activities underway in your community. Keynote speakers will include the leaders of Rotary International.

Remember this is the only "OFFICIAL" Rotary International sponsored Rotaract event for 2010 and the only one where the RI President will address Rotaractors specifically at our own convention meeting. It's truly international, not regional!!

COST
The Rotaract Preconvention Meeting is included in your registration fee for the RI Convention. BUT be sure to take advantage of the early registration discount!
- Rotaractors who register prior to 15 December 2009 will pay US$75;
- those who register prior to 31 March 2010 will pay US$100;
- and those who register on-site will pay US$125.

HOW TO REGISTER
Don't forget that there are several things you need to do to ensure you're fully registered for the Rotaract Preconvention, including:

Register with Rotary International - Click here
Book your hotel/hostel - Click here
Arrange your travel e.g. flights, train, car etc
Buy your social event package (as detailed on www.rotaract2010.com)

Help us to break a record!
The Rotary International Rotaract Committee want to break records this year and have the best attendance at a Preconvention Meeting ever! Join us for fun, fellowship and experience a true international event.

We look forward to welcoming you to Montreal
Lisa

Lisa Hunter
Rotary International Rotaract Committee 2008-10

Rotaract is an opportunity to..

Committee Newsletter October 2009

2009-10-15T02:15:00.000+08:00

Dear Rotaractors and Rotarians

I am pleased to announce the release of the second edition of the Rotary International Rotaract Committee Newsletter for this Rotary Year.

The purpose of this newsletter is to help spread the word of what the purpose of this committee is and who is part of it. This is going to be a regular communication feature from your committee so you can be kept up to date with important matters that affect Rotaract.

In this issue we cover topics such as:
- Message from Chair Dong-Joon Lee
- What is the Rotary Foundation?
- 2009-10 RI Rotaract Committee
- My Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarship
- Rotaract meeting spotlights feats, fun and fellowship
- October: Vocational Service Month
- Get recognition for your club- Montreal 2010 – will you be there?
- New Generations Newsletter

You can access the newsletter by clicking on the link below (you may need to copy and paste the link) and clicking on the October 2009 Newsletter link: http://www.ljhconsulting.co.uk/rotaract/newsletters.html

The newsletter is in Acrobat PDF format. To read it, you need a program called Acrobat Reader, which you can download for free from www.adobe.com.

Help us to spread the word and this newsletter by forwarding it onto Rotaractors and Rotarians in your Zone, District and Club.

Happy reading…
Lisa

Lisa Hunter
Rotary International Rotaract Committee 2008-10
Rotaract is an opportunity to...

Register now for Brum09 and win your place for free!

2009-05-23T19:20:00.001+08:00

Dear Rotaractors

Can you believe that there’s just 4 weeks, that’s 26 days, to go until Brum09 and the best Rotaract party event of the year?

Book online and win your place for FREE!
We’re running one last promotion to encourage you to book online for the Rotaract party events. If you book and pay online before 4th June 23.59GMT you could get your money BACK! See www.brum09.com/free for more information.

If you’re NOT registered yet then you’re going to be missing out on all of this:

An Indian Theme Night – including a 2-course Indian buffet, Indian dance performances and a disco until 1am!
Swinging Sixties Theme Club Night including a free glass of bubbly
Brindley Place Pub Crawl around the great city canals with some great deals
Evening visit to the Snowdome with 30 minutes of tobogganing in real snow!
An afternoon visit to Cadbury World and Bourneville with free chocolate!
Networking with Rotaractors and Rotarians from all over the world
Making new friends and having great fun with them
Learning new skills and ideas for your own clubs
Birmingham is one of the best UK shopping destinations with the Bullring and more

Its also good news for our American/European friends, with the strong Dollar/Euro compared to the Pound you can travel for less - so take advantage while this lasts!

Avoid the hassle of registering onsite and book and pay online at www.brum09.com, that way you’ll have more time to have fun and are guaranteed a place. If you leave it until you’re in Birmingham you’ll have to spend time filling in forms, finding the right money and run the risk of not getting a place at all!

So register today at www.brum09.com and make sure you’re part of Rotary history.

Yours in the Rotary Family

Lisa Burnett
Chairman Rotaract Host Committee Birmingham 2009
Email: lisa.burnett@brum09.com
Website: www.brum09.com

Rotary International Rotaract Committee May Newsletter

2009-05-07T22:35:00.002+08:00

Dear Rotaractors and Rotarians

I am pleased to announce the release of the 4th and final edition of the Rotary International Rotaract Committee Newsletter for this Rotary Year.

In this issue we cover topics such as:
- Message from Chair Terry Phillips “Who is my Brother or Sister”
- Rotary Resource Groups
- Who are the members of the RI Rotaract Committee?
- Multi-District Information Organisations (MDIOs)
- Polio Challenge Update
- Birmingham Goes BIG!
- New Generations Newsletter

You can access the newsletter by clicking on the link below:
http://www.rotaract-thames-valley.org.uk/maidenhead/RICommittee/RIRotaractCommitteeNewswire_May09.pdf

The newsletter is in Acrobat PDF format. To read it, you need a program called Acrobat Reader, which you can download for free from www.adobe.com.

We hope you have enjoyed the newsletter this year and have found them useful for hearing what is happening around the world and where you can get support and advice from.

Help us to spread the word and this newsletter by forwarding it onto Rotaractors and Rotarians in your Zone, District and Club.

Happy reading…
Lisa

Lisa Burnett
President Maidenhead Rotaract, D1090
Rotary International Rotaract Committee Member 2008-09
Chairman Rotaract Host Committee – Rotary International Convention - Birmingham 2009

Birmingham 2009 Preconvention Social Event Website: www.brum09.com

Just 2 months before the swinging sixties hits Birmingham, UK

2009-04-17T18:58:00.001+08:00

Hi everyone,

The Swinging Sixties is coming to back to Birmingham, UK, in just 2 months time, so don’t leave it too late to party on down and get your registration in today!

Let your hair down, put on your flower-power hipsters and practice saying the words “groovy” at the Rotaract Preconvention Party Program – register today at www.brum09.com.

On top of the great speakers and fantastic workshops during the day you can continue the fun into the evenings with a groovy swinging sixties party program organised for you by Rotaract in Great Britain & Ireland. You’ll be treated to:

An Indian Theme Night with bollywood dancers, a traditional Indian 2-course buffet and party the night away until 1am
A Swinging Sixties Club Night with 7 different rooms to choose from and a free Champaign reception
A traditional English pub crawl around the city canals with some great discounts on food & drink
An evening visit to the Snowdome for some indoor fun on real snow
An afternoon visit to Cadbury World, uncovering a world of chocolate delights

Don’t miss out on the biggest party Birmingham has ever seen and get your registration in today – visit www.brum09.com.

Birmingham is going Big! With 12 weeks to go, Birmingham already had 16,112 people registered, that compares with Copenhagen's final total of 14,807 and Barcelona's 19,052. At the current rate, Birmingham could be the best attended Rotary convention in Europe in recent times.

So let's help break a record! I encourage every Rotaractor to attend the 2009 Rotaract Preconvention meeting taking place in Birmingham, UK from 18th - 21st June. Lets show Rotary the power of Rotaract by having the largest Rotaract attendance ever!

We look forward to welcoming you to the grooviest, most happening Preconvention Party Program ever!

Rotary International Rotaract Committee March Newsletter

2009-03-13T18:51:00.001+09:00

Dear Rotaractors and Rotarians,

Firstly happy World Rotaract Day – this is the day where Rotaractors around the world will celebrate the 41st Anniversary of the formation of Rotaract and I congratulate you all for marking this special occasion.

With this in mind I am pleased to announce the release of the 3rd edition of the Rotary International Rotaract Committee Newsletter. This is a special “bumper” edition of the newsletter that contains a centre-fold/pull-out page (they go together like the middle pages of a magazine) detailing how Rotaract Clubs around the world are celebrating during World Rotaract Week.

Also in this issue we cover topics such as:
- Message from Chair Terry Phillips “Investing in the Future”
- Do you know how to use the Rotaract Logo?
- Who are the members of the RI Rotaract Committee?
- Happy 41st Birthday Rotaract
- Submit your data to RI by 1st May
- The Future of Rotary is in Your Hands
- Rotaract Recognition & Awards
- Rotaract Preconvention 2009
- Bill Gates Announces new US$255 Million Grant to End Polio

You can access the newsletter by clicking on the link below:
http://www.rotaract-thames-valley.org.uk/maidenhead/RICommittee/RIRotaractCommitteeNewswire_March09.pdf

The newsletter is in Acrobat PDF format. To read it, you need a program called Acrobat Reader, which you can download for free from www.adobe.com.

Help us to spread the word and this newsletter by forwarding it onto Rotaractors and Rotarians in your Zone, District and Club.

Happy reading…
Lisa

Lisa Burnett
Rotary International Rotaract Committee Member 2008-09
Chairman Rotaract Host Committee – Rotary International Convention - Birmingham 2009

Birmingham 2009 Preconvention Social Event Website: www.brum09.com

Rotary International 2009-10 Theme Announced

2009-01-20T18:52:00.003+09:00

The 2009-10 RI theme acknowledges the important role individual Rotary clubs will play in shaping the future of Rotary.

RI President-elect John Kenny unveiled the theme, The Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands, on Monday during the opening plenary session of the International Assembly, an annual training event in San Diego, California, USA, for incoming district governors.

"The future of Rotary will not be shaped at RI headquarters -- it will be shaped in each and every Rotary club," Kenny said, "because it is for each of us -- as Rotarians -- to do what is necessary to keep Rotary strong."

Kenny acknowledged the foundation established by past Rotary leaders and laid the responsibility for building upon that success on every Rotarian.

Each one of us is standing on the shoulders of generations of Rotarians past, and it is our responsibility to determine Rotary’s future," Kenny said.

"The goals we set, whatever our action plan, it is in our hands to accomplish or not," said Kazeem Mustapha, governor-elect of District 9125 (Nigeria). "Everybody has to be involved."

Chuck Cicchella, governor-elect of District 6710 (Kentucky, USA), likes the theme's emphasis on the future. "I have always had a strong desire to nurture along young people. It's vital to us."

Read the full story at: http://www.rotary.org/en/MediaAndNews/News/Pages/090119_news_2009-10RIthemekenny.aspx

Rotary International Rotaract Committee January Newsletter

2009-01-16T18:18:00.000+09:00

Dear Rotaractors and Rotarians,

I am pleased to announce the release of the second Rotary International Rotaract Committee Newsletter.

The purpose of this newsletter is to help spread the word of what the Rotary International Committee is, who is part of it and to update you on important matters that affect Rotaract.

This issue contains lots of interesting articles covering topics such as:
- Message from Chair Terry Phillips including an announcement about the Polio Challenge
- Learn to find the answers
- Who are the members of the RI Rotaract Committee?
- New Generations E-newsletter
- How the Committee Communicates with you
- Rotaract Recognition & Awards
- Submit your data to RI by 1st May
- Rotaract Preconvention 2009

You can access the newsletter by clicking on the link below:
http://www.rotaract-thames-valley.org.uk/maidenhead/RICommittee/RIRotaractCommitteeNewswire_Jan09.pdf

The newsletter is in Acrobat PDF format. To read it, you need a program called Acrobat Reader, which you can download for free from www.adobe.com.

Help us to spread the word and this newsletter by forwarding it onto Rotaractors and Rotarians in your Zone, District and Club.

Happy reading…

Lisa Burnett
Rotary International Rotaract Committee Member 2008-09
Chairman Rotaract Host Committee – Rotary International Convention - Birmingham 2009

Rotaract is an opportunity to...

Email: lisa.burnett@brum09.com Birmingham 2009 Preconvention Social Event Website: www.brum09.com

2009-01-05T20:12:00.001+09:00

Dear Rotaractors, Rotarians, RYLArians, Foundation Alumni and Rotary Family Members

Firstly Happy New Year from all of the Burm09 crew - we hope you had an enjoyable festive season and are rested and raring to go for 2009. With less than 6 months remaining until the event of the year, have you registered for the Rotaract Preconvention Meeting and Social Program yet? No, then what are you waiting for?

Join in the Swinging Sixties fun, let down your hair and socialise with Rotaractors from all over the world. We've got an amazing social program planned for you that includes:

An Indian Night - enjoy traditional curry, the UK's national dish, and Indian Dance
Swinging Sixties Theme Club Night including a free glass of bubbly
Brindley Place Pub Crawl around the great city canals
A Medieval Spectacular - Warwick Castle (HOC Ticket Event organised by Rotary)
Evening visit to the Snowdome - Snow, Ice & Leisure
Afternoon visit to Cadbury World and Bourneville

It's going to be a superb event but places are limited so get in quick and join the other Rotaractors who have already registered - visit www.brum09.com to book your place.

New Packages Added
We would like to extend a very warm welcome to all Rotary Family Members and invite you to join in the amazing social events that we've planned for Birmingham 2009.

Even though the events have been planned with Rotaractors in mind there's no reason why Foundation Alumni and RYLArians can't join in the fun and fellowship. We've even created some packages especially with you in mind! Visit www.brum09.com to find out more.

Feeling the penny pinch?
Remember, as stated in the Rotaract Handbook (page 10), it states that the sponsoring Rotary Clubs/Districts should pay for Rotaract Leaders to receive official training…and the good news is…Birmingham qualifies. So do talk to your Sponsoring Club and ask for assistance with the cost of attending the Rotaract Preconvention 2009. Download the Rotaract Handbook from http://www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_pdf/562en.pdfg

With more good news for you - it's now cheaper than ever to come to the UK as the VAT (Value Added Tax) rate has just been lowered, meaning you pay less for hotels, food, entertainment etc. Its also good news for our American/European friends, with the strong Dollar/Euro compared to the Pound you can travel for less - so take advantage while this lasts!

Preconvention Meeting
During the day you can join in the discussions at the Preconvention meetings taking place at the National Exhibition Arena (NEC) covering a wide range of topics relevant to Rotaractors today. Keynote speakers include the leadership of Rotary International.

Remember this is the only "OFFICIAL" Rotary International sponsored Rotaract event for 2009 and the only one where the RI President will address Rotaractors specifically at our own convention meeting. It's truly international, not regional!!

How can you register?

Visit our website www.brum09.com and book for the Rotaract Social Program
Get registered with Rotary International by downloading the pdf booking form:http://www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_pdf/c09_registration_form_en.pdf
Book your hotel – the ETAP International is the official Rotaract hotel but you’ll need to book your room now to ensure you get in! Visit http://www.rotaryconvention2009.com/hotels.html
(N.B This has been arranged by Rotary International and not the Rotaract Host Committee)
Buy host event tickets online from www.rotaryconvention2009.com

So don't miss out on this great opportunity to visit Birmingham and take part in some great social events. Visit www.brum09.com for more information.

Promote the 2009 Rotaract Preconvention
Help us to spread the word about the 2009 Rotaract Preconvention by downloading the RI brochure and sending it round the Rotaractors in your club/district/MDIO. Click on the link below to access the brochure: http://www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_pdf/rotaract_preconvention_guide09_en.pdf

We’ve also created a promotion video for the Rotaract Social Program– click on the link below to view it:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=2cbRh3yoxmY&eurl=http://www.brum09.com/index.php

We promise to show you a good time in Birmingham, the Heart of England, with a fun-filled social program and the opportunity to network with fellow Rotary Family members from all over the world.

Yours in the Rotary Family

Lisa Burnett
Chairman Rotaract Host Committee Birmingham 2009
Email: lisa.burnett@brum09.com Birmingham 2009 Preconvention Social Events Website: www.brum09.com

Rotary International's New Generations e-newsletter

2008-11-27T01:54:00.001+09:00

Hi everyone

Rotary International have recently started producing a New Generations e-newsletter each month.

New Generations is monthly e-newsletter designed to inform program participants and Rotarians about news and developments in Interact, Rotaract, and RYLA and to give you ideas on how to get more involved with these programs in your communities.

The RI Rotaract Committee would like to encourage as many of you as possible to subscribe to this e-newsletter to hear about the success stories from around the World.

To be added to the distribution list for the New Generations e-newsletter, please click on the link below:
http://visitor.constantcontact.com/d.jsp?m=1101424972933&p=oi

When the web page has loaded enter your email and click on submit. On the next page select New Generations_ Rotaract from the list and complete the other information, following the instructions on the screen.

Please note for the purposes of maintaining RI’s contacts' information, they are maintaining three separate contact lists for this newsletter (Interact, Rotaract, and RYLA) but all will receive the same publication.

We hope you enjoy the e-newsletter

Lisa Burnett
Rotary International Rotaract Committee Member 2008-09
Chairman Rotaract Host Committee – Rotary International Convention - Birmingham 2009

Rotaract is an opportunity to...

Email: lisa.burnett@brum09.com Birmingham 2009 Preconvention Social Event Website: www.brum09.com

Welcome to our first newsletter from the RI Rotaract Committee

2008-11-22T19:23:00.001+09:00

Dear Rotaractors and Rotarians,

I am pleased to announce the release of the very first Rotary International Rotaract Committee Newsletter.

The purpose of this newsletter is to help spread the word of what the purpose of this committee is and who is part of it. This is going to be a regular communication feature from your committee so you can be kept up to date with important matters that affect Rotaract.

This first issue contains lots of interesting articles covering topics such as:
- What is the Rotaract Committee supposed to do?
- Rotaract Committee Chair Address
- Meet the 2008-09 RI Rotaract Committee
- Make Dreams Real
- Rotaract Resources
- Rotaract Club Recognition & Awards
- 2009 Rotaract Preconvention
- Rotaract around the world
- Address: RI President Dong-Kurn Lee

You can access the newsletter by clicking on the link below:
http://www.rotaract-thames-valley.org.uk/~maidenhead/RICommittee/RIRotaractCommitteeNewswire_Nov08.pdf

The newsletter is in Acrobat PDF format. To read it, you need a program called Acrobat Reader, which you can download for free from www.adobe.com.

Help us to spread the word and this newsletter by forwarding it onto Rotaractors and Rotarians in your Zone, District and Club.

Happy reading…

Lisa Burnett
Rotary International Rotaract Committee Member 2008-09
Chairman Rotaract Host Committee – Rotary International Convention - Birmingham 2009

Greetings from the RI Rotaract Committee

2008-11-17T23:06:00.001+09:00

Greetings from the Rotary International Rotaract Committee.

Your committee has just completed a three day meeting qt Rotary International Headquarters in Evanston, Illinois, USA. One of the major topics covered in our two day meeting was the Preconvention meeting in Birmingham, England, June 19-20, 2009. We are planning an exciting and informative meeting for those who attend. There will be many opportunities for fellowship with Rotaractors from around the world. While attending the meeting you will be able to share your projects and practices with others and pick up new ideas. Join us in Birmingham if you can and help us Make Dreams Real around the world – visit www.rotaract.org or www.brum09.com for more information.

We also met with committee members for RYLA, Youth Exchange, and Interact. We discussed how we might work together to strengthen each others programs and how we might find more ways to cooperate with each other.

We will be working this year to serve you, to improve communications, and to provide feedback to the Rotary International Board. Watch for additional messages from the Rotaract Committee and share these communications with Rotaractors in your Districts and Clubs.

Linked in Rotaract and Rotary,

Terry Phillips, Rotary International Rotaract Chair
Dong-Joon Lee, Vice-Chair

Members:
- Hector A. Boffel
- Eva Brodehl
- Donald H. Craighead
- Michele D. Guy

Rotaract Representatives:
- Lisa J. Burnett
- Mary Kathryn DeLodder
- You-Sun Lee
- Juan Jose Martinez Rivas
- Krishnakumar Narayanan
- Lawi Sultan Njeremani

Ideas para la celebración del 40 Aniversario de Rotaract

2007-09-26T15:11:00.000+08:00

Hola amigos, he creado este post para escuchar y leer sus ideas de todo el mundo sobre la manera en que debemos celebrar el 40 aniversario de Rotaract. Por favor no tengan pena y dejen fluir su imaginación, el Comité Rotaract estará escogiendo las mejores ideas y las estará mostrando en la página web de Rotaract www.rotaract.org

Saludos

Alvaro Ortega Noel
Comité Rotaract para Rotary International
Club Rotaract de Panamá

Ideas for the celebration of the 40th Rotaract Anniversary

2007-09-26T14:44:00.000+08:00

Hello my friends, I created this post to listen and read your ideas from all over the world about the way we should celebrate the 40th Rotaract Anniversary.

Please don't be shy and let your imagination flow, the Rotaract Committee will be picking up the best ideas and will be posting them at the http://www.rotaract.org/ website.

Regards

Alvaro Ortega Noel
Rotary International Rotaract Committee 2007-2008
Rotaract Club of Panamá

Call for Nominations for 2008/09 Committee

2007-09-03T21:54:00.000+08:00

The current RI Rotaract Committee is seeking recommendations for nominees for the 2008/09 RI Rotaract Committee to forward to RI President Elect D.K. Lee for his consideration.

Please ask your DRRs and MDIO Chairmen to recommend any outstanding, active Rotaractors that have the qualities to be an active member of this team. Please send their curriculums to the current RI Rotaract committee as soon as possible (before the end of this week!).

Posted by Simone on behalf of Alvaro Ortega

Rotary Code of Polices. Article 41.020 (Related to Rotaract Program)

2007-08-28T23:48:00.000+08:00

Rotary Code of Polices.
Article 41.020 (Related to Rotaract Program)

Hello my friends, I am sending you this resume of the Article 41.020 that is part of the Rotary Code of Polices were you can find interesting information that can help you to improve your relationship with your sponsor Rotary Club and also let them know that there are several recommendations and suggestion that are already written in the Rotary Code of Polices referring responsibilities and other issues regarding Rotaract.

I strongly recommend to read all the article, since is very interesting and take the time to read the rest of the code, I guarantee you that by doing this, will give you a better understanding of the Rotarians and how they work.

41.020. Rotaract
This is a structured program of Rotary International, adopted by the Board in 1968.

There are 9 official Rotary International structured programs, RYLA, Rotaract, Interact, Youth Exchange, Rotary Community Corps, World Community Service, Rotary Volunteers and Rotary Friendship Exchange.

Rotaract Statement of Policy

22. Governors are requested to appoint district Rotaract committees, composed of Rotarians
from various parts of the district, to assist the governor in publicizing the Rotaract program,
promoting the organization of new Rotaract clubs, and administering the program of Rotaract within the district. Where feasible and practicable in the appointment of district Rotaract committees, there should be provision for continuity of membership by appointing one or more members for a second term.

This point is very important since the District Committee chair is the link between what is happening in a Rotaract District and the Governor.

23. Rotaract organization and meetings beyond the club level:
e) The purpose of the district-wide meeting of Rotaract clubs is to promote community
service projects, increase international understanding and enhance professional development in a context of friendship and camaraderie.

Note in this point the purpose of the meetings beyond club level, “promote community service projects and international understanding” in these last years in many places a degeneration has occurred in this kind of meetings, being more parties than rotaract instruction.

25. Leadership Training
a) All incoming Rotaract club officers shall be provided with Rotaract club officers
leadership training at the district level, such training to include a one to two-day
leadership training seminar conducted by the district Rotaract committee in coordination
with the RI district Rotaract committee for all incoming Rotaract club officers, directors,
and committee chairs to be paid for by the sponsoring Rotary clubs, or where
circumstances dictate, by a mutually agreed-upon financial arrangement involving the
sponsoring Rotary clubs, Rotary district, and the Rotaract participants.

Here are two points that needs to be discussed with your governor, first Rotaract club officers need training and is responsibility of the District Rotaract Committee to provide it and second there is a strong recommendation for sponsoring Rotary clubs, to pay or help financially these officers to attend to the training.

41.020.1. Purpose of the Program
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
among all people worldwide through a framework of friendship and service. (June 1998
Mtg., Bd. Dec. 348)

For those who didn’t know it, this is the purpose of Rotaract.

41.020.3. Rotaract Training
All incoming governors-elect are encouraged to provide adequate training to their
incoming Rotaract club presidents and, where appropriate, include such training as part of
the program of the Rotary district assembly. (June 1998 Mtg., Bd. Dec. 348)

41.020.7. Rotaractors at Conventions
There shall be provision for full participation by registered Rotaractors at the
international conventions, including opportunities for attendance at all plenary, ticketed
and discussion group sessions.
As a part of the official program of the convention, there should be a Rotaract
preconvention meeting prior to the commencement of the convention, to be arranged and
implemented by RI and to include discussion of issues identified by the RI Rotaract
committee as important to Rotaractors. The preconvention meeting should be conducted
in accordance with RI policy regarding convention operations and procedures. The
general secretary should ensure that Rotaractors have opportunities to participate in the
development of the Rotaract preconvention meeting program. The preconvention
meeting should include a separate district Rotaract representative training session. Such
training session should focus on the roles and responsibilities of district Rotaract
representatives. Governors are encouraged to defray all or part of the costs associated
with the attendance of district Rotaract representatives-elect at the annual Rotaract
preconvention meeting. (March 2005 Mtg., Bd. Dec. 214)

Again we can see that RI encourage the participation of Rotaractors in international convention and encourage governors to help the Rotaract Representative elect to attend at the annual Rotaract Preconvention meeting.

41.020.10. Rotary/Rotaract Relations
Clubs that sponsor Rotaract clubs are encouraged to invite Rotaractors on at least a
quarterly basis to their regularly scheduled meetings, project planning meetings and special
events. It is recommended that at least once a month, each sponsoring Rotary club
designate one or more of its members to attend the meetings of its Rotaract club. Rotaract
clubs are encouraged to cooperate with their sponsoring Rotary clubs in carrying out
community programs and projects. Sponsoring Rotary clubs are encouraged to do the same
with their Rotaract clubs. Members of Rotary clubs are encouraged to invite qualified
Rotaractors and past Rotaractors into membership of their clubs or consider sponsoring a
new Rotary club. However, membership in both a Rotary club and a Rotaract club
simultaneously is not permitted under the RI Bylaws. (June 2004 Mtg., Bd. Dec. 236)

This article strongly supports the Rotary- Rotaract Relationship and we should used it to promote it in clubs were this relationship is weak or non existent. Also note the part of inviting qualified Rotaractors and past Rotaractors to become members of Rotary clubs or helping them by sponsoring a new Rotary Club.

41.020.15. Rotaract Finances
3) Sponsoring Rotary clubs shall pay for the attendance of their Rotaract club officers, directors and committee chairs at district-level leadership training meetings (or, when circumstances dictate, these meetings shall be paid for through mutually agreed upon
financial arrangements involving the sponsoring Rotary clubs, the Rotary district and the
Rotaract participants).
4) Rotary districts shall pay for the attendance of their districts’ Rotaract representatives
at district-level or multidistrict leadership training meetings.

Again reinforcing that the DRR’s training should be paid by sponsoring Rotary clubs, we should ask for a part of the budget to be assigned to this issue, so it won’t become a problem later or a last time expense as usually happens.

41.020.18. Make-up Attendance at Rotary Clubs
Rotaractors should be allowed to make-up Rotaract club attendance at meetings of Rotary
clubs at the discretion of the individual Rotary club.
Rotary clubs that sponsor Rotaract clubs are encouraged to invite to their regularly
scheduled meetings individual Rotaractors desiring to make up absences from their
regularly scheduled Rotaract club meetings. (November 2000 Mtg., Bd. Dec. 111)

This article creates a way to promote a better relationship and understanding between Rotary and Rotaract clubs and its members.

Regards

Alvaro Ortega Noel

Rotaract Committee for RI 2007-2008

Rotaract Club of Panamá

Workshop about Rotaract at the RI Convention

2007-05-19T10:24:00.000+08:00

The RI Rotaract Committee has secured a workshop slot at the upcoming RI Convention to discuss the Rotary / Rotaract relationship with Rotarians (and any Rotaractors who stay on for the Convention), primarily aimed at raising their awareness of what Rotaract is and how they can best support us.

Although I am not able to attend the Convention this year, I am helping put together a PowerPoint presentation to be used during that workshop, and this is where I need your help!

I would like to include quotes, from Rotaractors and Rotarians, about your experiences with the Rotary / Rotaract relationship:

How is it in your district? Do you think it works well?
If so, what elements do you think make it successful?
If not, what do you think would improve it?
How do you think supporting Rotaract benefits the Rotarians in your district?
How has Rotaract impacted your life?

It would be greatly appreciated if you could leave your thoughts as a comment for this post.

The intention is that the PowerPoint presentation, which is aimed at Rotarians, will be made available from the RI website for use by anyone, to help encourage Rotarians to support Rotaract in their district.

Also, if you are able, it would bring more "life" to this if you could make a short video of Rotaractors and / or Rotarians talking about their experiences - it will motivate the Rotarians more if they see people talking passionately about why Rotaract is worth supporting rather than just reading words on a screen. We *may* be able to show some of these during the workshop, and it would be nice to have a collection of links to such movies that anyone can refer to in future. So if you are able to make a short video and upload it to a site such as YouTube, please post the link as a comment here. I am happy for the videos to be in any language; I plan to get the PowerPoint presentation translated into as many languages as possible so that it can be used as widely as possible.

Challenges facing Rotaract..?

2006-11-04T23:10:00.000+08:00

Participants at forums such as Interota and the Rotaract Preconvention have raised a few issues that they consider to be important to Rotaract's future, but only a relatively small number of Rotaractors (and in some cases, the same people) have been able to attend such conferences and have their say.

We want to hear from as many of you as possible as to what you believe are some of the core issues affecting Rotaract that need to be addressed (aside from those covered in earlier posts, such as the age limit and Rotary / Rotaract relationship).

Is there something you think needs to be changed? If so, why?

Is there something that is just not being implemented in your district, which you think needs more outside support, such as training? Is there something you have seen work well in another district or country, that you just can't get support for locally? If so, how do you envisage this being addressed from beyond the district level?

Please leave your comments here, along with an indication as to where you are located to help us see if some problems are localised to a region, or perceived to be an issue all over the world.

The Rotary / Rotaract Relationship

2006-11-04T18:37:00.000+08:00

The Rotary / Rotaract relationship is one of the issues that has been raised by the RI Rotaract committee that needs to be addressed in many parts of the world. In some countries, the relationship works well, whereas in others, the relationship is extremely poor. We are keen to know what works, and what doesn't.

We want to hear from you: What has been your experience with working with Rotary Clubs / Rotarians? How can it be improved?

We are especially interested in finding out the following things in your district:

1. Relationship with the DG

What is your DG's relationship with the DRR and the Rotaract clubs like?
Has your DG ever visited a Rotaract meeting or project?
Does the DG meet with Rotaractors in your district at any stage, prior to or during his/her term of office?
How much does your DG really know about Rotaract in your district?
Does your DG invite the DRR or other Rotaractors to Rotary district meetings?
Do you invite your DG to District Rotaract meetings or events? Does he / she attend when invited?
Does your DG allow Rotaract news to be included in their DG newsletter?
Do Rotaractors receive a copy of the DG newsletter?
Do you think it is appropriate for DGs to be involved in organising a Rotaract leadership training day?
In what way can we better inform DGEs about Rotaract in general, and about the clubs in their district in particular?

2. Relationship with Sponsoring Rotary Clubs

How active a role does your sponsoring Rotary Club play in relation to your Rotaract club? It is also useful for us to know how long your club has been running for, to assess whether Rotary clubs start off being active in order to charter a new Rotaract club, and then gradually forget their obligations to support Rotaract.
Do you conduct joint service projects with your sponsoring Rotary club? How successful have they been, and how "joint" are they? Does your sponsoring Rotary club just view Rotaract as a "slave labour force" or do they allow you to fully share the organisation of projects?
Does your sponsoring Rotary club invite your club members to special events?
Does your club invite your sponsoring Rotary club to attend special Rotaract club events? Do they attend?
Do members of your club attend meetings of your sponsoring Rotary club? If so, how often? Do they charge you a fee to attend?

3. Graduating from Rotaract to Rotary

How many Rotaractors make the passage from Rotaract to Rotary in your district?
Does your Rotaract club notify Rotary clubs of Rotaractors who are approaching 30?
How common is it for Rotary Clubs to follow up notices of a Rotaract alumnus who is now eligible to join Rotary?
Do Rotaractors decline invitations to join Rotary? If so, why?
Do you think the best solution is for past Rotaractors to join together to form a new Rotary club (such as a New Generations Rotary club), if they are unable to unwilling to join an existing Rotary club? Or is there another way?

Deadline for Recommendations to join the Committee

2006-08-04T10:27:00.000+08:00

Hot off the press!

I have recently been informed that RIPE Wilf Wilkinson needs to make his appointments for the 2007/08 RI Committees & Task Forces by SEPTEMBER this year!

The reason for this is that they need to be submitted to the RI Board at December for their approval, and submission of items for Board meetings needs to be done several months in advance.

As far as I know, this is the first time it has been required that the RI Board approve the RIPE's selections...

So if you would like to be considered for the committee next year, find a senior Rotarian to write you a letter of recommendation NOW!

The Age Debate

2006-07-06T18:17:00.000+08:00

Something that is raised every year, both for the RI Rotaract Committee / RI Board to consider and on RotaractNET and even ROTI, is the issue of the upper age limit of Rotaract. So it was little surprise that the very first item someone asked Marcos to raise with the RI Rotaract Committee, before this new year had even started, was to raise the age limit...

The issue is usually brought up by the older members of Rotaract facing the prospect of having to leave. They aren't ready to go, so they suggest, wouldn't it be better to raise the age limit, to 35, or even 40? That way, we would have more members in Rotaract, right?

Wrong!

There is a very good reason why raising the age limit is always rejected by the RI Board. Quite simply, it will cripple the Rotaract program. Let's take a look at the reasons for this, as discussed on RotaractNET last year:

Problems with having mostly older members in a club:

The difficulty with younger members relating to older members

The age gap between 18 and 30 is huge, particularly if you are at the younger end of the scale. 18 year olds can have immense difficulty relating to 20 year olds, let alone 25 year olds, 30 year olds, and god forbid, 35 year olds. :p
(On a personal note, a couple of years ago one of our 21 year old members was complaining how she disliked a particular pub because the main people who go there were so *old*, because they were all 25!! I was 25 years old at the time, so that made me feel very old!)

There is a world of difference between younger members - generally uni students who are living at home and don't have much in the way of disposable income - and members in their mid-late 20s who generally have jobs, have moved out of home, and a larger income; they are even starting to settle down, get married, maybe even start families. Without a balance of members throughout that age range, you run the risk of alienating younger members by organising events that don't interest them or that are out of their price range. Once you start allowing members in their 30s, they may have children etc, totally different interests and income levels again, and that risk of alienation increases even more.

Another thing to think about, excluding Rotaract, as an 18 year old, how many of your friends were 25? 30? 35? 40? And vice versa... how many 30 year olds generally hang out with 18 year olds? What about 35 year olds hanging out with 18 year olds? As you can see, the bigger the age gap, the less likelihood of "naturally" associating with people of those ages, because the differences in maturity, interests, and financial status is staggering. Having members aged 30+ in a club are a big turn off for any 18 - 24 year olds considering joining, especially if there aren't many younger members for them to associate with.

If you aren't convinced, take a look at your local Rotary clubs. In Australia, Rotary is still very much seen as an "old boys club". Most of the Rotarians are aged 50 or above, though of course you have the exceptions. How many Rotaractors here join Rotary? Practically none. The primary reason they give? The age difference. Rotaractors of 30 don't feel they can relate to Rotarians who are old enough to be their parents or grandparents. Another reason is the cost; the older Rotarians generally have much larger incomes, which generally prohibits young people from being able to participate as Rotary fees and events generally cost more than younger people can afford.

Lack of opportunities for younger members to take on leadership roles

If you keep older members around, they tend to stay in the leadership positions, which tends to deny younger members the ability to assume responsibility. That can make them lose interest, if they feel they have to wait many years before getting the opportunity to participate on the board at least, let alone assuming a leadership role at the district level. Rotaract is all about providing leadership opportunities for all members, and if young people aren't getting those opportunities within a year or two of joining, you run a very high risk of losing them as members.

A wide age range does not guarantee a larger membership base

While you would expect a club with a larger age range to have a larger membership, you may find that it would actually stay the same, or decrease.

The Rotary clubs in my district, with no age limits, are generally no bigger than my own Rotaract club. My Rotaract club is currently bigger than 1/5 of the Rotary Clubs in my district, and are only a member or two smaller than the majority of the remaining Rotary clubs.

The same problem can be seen in organisations like Junior Chamber or Apex, which are also service organisations, but with an upper age limit of 40. The clubs here in Australia generally have similar membership numbers as our Rotaract clubs - the large age range certainly does not see them have a larger membership. And most of their members are in the 30 - 40 age range, for the reasons given above... younger members cannot relate to people that age, and cannot afford the activities.

Some other benefits of the current age limit

The age limit the the only was of getting rid of some "undesirables". It may be hard to get members at times, but it is also hard to get rid of them - if they are bad for
the club - eg if they are a deterent for new members to come along.

Some personal observations from Rotaractors (who are actually at the upper end of the age scale!):

"I have watched all the other clubs in my district fold because the ages of club members were all between 26 - 30, and they could NOT attract any younger members as they could not relate to people this age. Once they all turned 30, that was the end of each club... If you allow these members to remain until they turn 35, you only prolong the agony of the club folding, as it would be even harder still to recruit young members."

"I think that at best extending the age bracket will just delay things if anything. If we extended it to say 32(in line with the previous jump from 28 to 30) - you would still be facing the exact same issues in 2 years."

Committee Goals and Strategy for 2006/07

2006-07-06T17:48:00.000+08:00

We received our first correspondence from 2006/07 RI Rotaract Committe Chair on July 4th, outlining her goals for the year ahead.

The issues she raised include the following:

Concerns noted at Malmo

Lack of communication between Rotary/Rotaract

Lack of professional and leadership training in Rotaract clubs

Lack of District financial support: Attendance of DRR or other at pre-convention meetings

Failure on the part of District to provide leadership training for Rotaract Club Presidents

Statistics: Inaccurate records held by RI as a result of Districts/Rotaract Clubs not furnishing updated information) [Side note: I disagree that the issue is with clubs not sending their data to RI. In my own personal experience, and from talking with many others, we have found the problem to be at RI's end, with RI simply not updating the information even if it is provided to them well in advance, and many times over!]

Rotaractors need and want a stronger identity – Mission Statement (Charter arising from Interota Sept 2005 Munich) [Side note (Marcos): I think that our mission is clearly stated, and the problem is that not many rotaractors read the Rotaract Constitution. The second article in the constitution IS the statement of our mission].

Improved communication – use MDIO’s for dissemination of information

Rotaract perceived as a New Generation program; NOT a youth program but should run parallel as a Rotary membership resource

Founded in 1968: Is it time to seriously review the Rotaract program?

Initiatives dealt with previously needing continuity

Simultaneous interpretation at the RI Convention: Last year Margarita Gascón de Katan raised the question of simultaneous interpretation at the pre-convention meeting for Spanish speaking Rotaractors with the General Secretary, Ed Futa. The General Secretary responded that this was not feasible as so few Spanish speaking Rotaractors had registered. With membership growing in Spanish speaking Districts, attendance by Spanish speaking Rotaractors on the premise that simultaneous interpretation will be provided, should certainly be encouraged and followed up, not only for Spanish but other foreign language groups.

Improving and Maintaining Rotary-Rotaract Relations - ongoing serious concern

“Promoting Socially Responsible Leaders”

Rotaract International Charter - Rotaractors need a stronger identity

My own personal opinion is that the "lack of identity" issue raised is due to a lack of understanding by both Rotarians and Rotaractors about what Rotaract is really about - that we are a professional development program, which builds leaders through offering hands on practical experience through service projects... we are NOT a junior Rotary Club or a service organisation per se. The lack of understanding is through a lack of education and training, again at both Rotary and Rotaract levels.

I read the "Charter" proposed at Interota, and did not sign it, disturbed at the push for more recognition of Rotaract as just a Community Service Organisation. A "mission statement" was proposed, which is strange, as we have 5 goals of Rotaract, which are very clearly stated at the beginning of the Standard Rotaract Constitution!! To me, it seems such things are just adding more bureaucracy to Rotaract. It appears we need more training as to what RI has declared that Rotaract is about - as far as Constitutions go, ours is actually very clear and easy to understand! I feel that if Rotaract focuses on the leadership and career development as we are ought to (just read the first few pages of the Rotaract Handbook!) then a lot of the "identity" issues will disappear.

What do you think? Are you interested in seeing my response to the RI Rotaract Committee about each of these issues raised?

Additional issues raised by Rotaractors on the RI Rotaract Committee:

Changing the title "District Rotaract Representative" to "District Rotaract Coordinator", to reflect better the leadership nature of the role (a detailed justification of why I think this change would be beneficial is available, if anyone is interested in seeing it?)

Some sort of grievance / conflict resolution policy added in to the Rotaract Constitution - at present, Rotary Clubs and Districts can and do ignore their obligations, particularly in funding / provision of training. All RI does about this at present is email clubs / districts to state what the rules are, but there is no way to enforce the rules, or seek resolution to any Rotaract / Rotaract conflicts.

Development of Rotaract in countries where Rotary exists, but not chartered Rotaract Clubs

PR - rather, the lack of initiative shown by Rotaractors in this area. It is felt that we as Rotaractors need to be more proactive, and perhaps seek the help of Rotarians and resources provided by RI to promote ourselves better

I have also alerted the RI Rotaract Committee to our plans to get the Global Rotaract Information Center MDIO approved. The first set of documentation about it has already been sent to RI... If you district would like to get involved, please let me know, and I can send you all the documentation for it in your choice of language: English, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese (one document is missing) and Greek (one document is missing).

How is the RI Rotaract Committee chosen?

2006-07-02T19:54:00.000+08:00

A number of people have asked how they can get on the RI Rotaract Committee. There is no easy answer to this question, as it is not a democratic process. To put it simply, the RI Rotaract Committee are selected at the whim of the RI President.

No, it's not fair. Very few Rotaractors get the opportunity to serve on the committee, especially as the number of Rotaractors appointed changes every year (apparently the rules call for 4 Rotarians to be appointed for 3 years, 2 Rotarians for 1 year, and at least 3 Rotaractors appointed for 1 year - there is no requirement to have the members evenly distributed around the globe, so quite often many regions are not represented), and this is not helped when some manage to get reappointed for a 2nd term, either the year after their first or even a few years later. It means that the majority of very capable Rotaractors who could do a great job on the committee will never get the opportunity. Unfortunately, that's life. All of the Rotary International task forces and advisory committees are appointed by the RI President - that's just how things work at that level, and it's not about to change anytime soon - so if he doesn't know you exist, you have no hope of getting on.

One thing that does seem to be a requirement for Rotaractors to be appointed to the RI Rotaract Committee is a perceived high level of Rotaract knowledge and leadership. It appears that to be considered for the RI Rotaract committee, you need to have served as a DRR. So if you haven't served as a DRR, your chances of making it onto the committee are slim to non-existant.

I spoke with some Rotarians on the RI Rotaract Committee at the Rotaract Preconvention in Chicago in June 2005, and they had no idea how they came to be appointed to the committee! But for Rotaractors to be appointed, there seem to be 2 main ways:

1. Meet the RI President in person

This appears to be how Glen Estess appointed the Rotaractors to the RI Rotaract Committee in 2004/05 - he mentioned during his speech at the Rotaract Preconvention that met some Rotaractors during visits to their countries, and any that "stood out" were remembered and appointed! So if the RI President doesn't visit your city prior to taking office, and he chooses this method of selecting members for the committee, you have little chance of making it unless he happens to visit your city, and you are able to actually meet and talk with him!

2. Be recommended by a Senior Rotarian

This appears to be the more usual way of being appointed to the RI Rotaract Committee - it is how Marcos and I were appointed. After you have served as a DRR (or during your year as DRR), approach any senior Rotarians you know personally, and ask them to write a recommendation on your behalf to the RI President Elect (RIPE). By "senior" Rotarian, we recommend at least a DG, but a current or past RI Director or RI President is better. Because the more senior the Rotarian, the more likely the RIPE is to know them personally, and the more likely he is to take that Rotarian's recommendations on board. It is possible that recommendations of the Rotarians on the RI Rotaract Committee have some bearing too. But either way, it is important that you do know the Rotarian recommending you, and that they are aware of your knowledge and achievements (sending them a resume might help), because they are unlikely to recommend someone they don't know. After all, how do they truly know you are capable, if all they have to go by is your word?

Important Note: The appointments are normally made in January, so make sure you get a Rotarian(s) to nominate you sometime in the first half of the Rotary year!

How can you maximise your chances of being selected?

Knowing that very few Rotaractors are selected to serve on the RI Rotaract Committee and that there is no way to guarantee that any particular Rotaractor, no matter how well known within Rotaract (eg very active on RotaractNET) will be selected, there are perhaps some things you can do to increase your chances of being selected (providing you have served as a DRR):

Be very active in Rotaract, in your club, district, and at an international level.

Be PASSIONATE about Rotaract. Be genuine about your involvement; don't just participate in it to try to win kudos for yourself by being appointed to the committee.

Learn as much as you can about Rotaract. Visit as many different Rotaract Clubs as you can, and see how they conduct themselves, and perhaps take some ideas from them. Attend as many training seminars as possible, including Rotaract Preconventions and Interota, or conferences and assemblies of your MDIO, and participate on RotaractNET. Attending multidistrict conferences also has the benefit that you are likely to meet Rotarians from other counties too.

Attend Rotary projects and functions, especially any training seminars open to Rotaract (such as PETS), so Rotarians can get to know you

What does the Committee do?

2006-06-28T19:17:00.000+08:00

The official word on what the committee is meant to do, as released by RI, is:

This committee, mandated by the RI BYLAWS, shall provide guidance and advice to the Board on all aspects of the Rotaract program. It will review issues, projects and suggestions related to Rotaract. Under the direction of the President, it shall develop program content for and plan the Rotaract preconvention meeting in connection with the Salt Lake City Convention and promote attendance for this meeting.

What does that actually mean?

The main functions of the committee appear to be:

Review the Standard Rotaract Constitution and the Rotaract program in general and suggest changes to it to the RI Board of Directors
Select the winners of the Outstanding Projects
Set some of the program of and recommend speakers / leaders for the Rotaract Preconvention (though in previous years, RI appears to have overruled a lot of the suggestions!)

If we discover more functions of the RI Rotaract Committee over the course of the next year, we will let you know!

The 2006/07 RI Rotaract Committee Contacts

2006-06-28T18:47:00.000+08:00

Chairperson
June C. Webber	South Africa	corpcon@global.co.za
Vice Chairperson
Margarita Gascón de Katan	Venezuela	margika@cantv.net
Rotaractors
Marcos Raúl Carot	Argentina	marcos.carot@gmail.com
Simone Collins	Australia	simone@rotaract9470.org
Elena Kornienko	Russia	ekornienko@yahoo.com
Caroline Ord	New Zealand	c_ord@clear.net.nz
Sarah Ensa Park	USA	flute1004@hotmail.com
Rotarians
Donald H. Craighead	USA	dcraighead@iopener.net
Irène Lewitt	Israel	irenel@netvision.net.il
Ernesto (Tom) C. Panis	Philippines	tom_panis@yahoo.com
Terry N. Phillips	USA	tphilli1@nycap.rr.com

About this Blog

2006-06-25T10:07:00.000+08:00

One of the most common criticisms over the years has been that no one knows who is on the RI Rotaract Committee, as they never make any effort to communicate with the rest of us. In recent years, we have had members of the RI Rotaract Committee on RotaractNET, but any communication with them has been a very one way street - they have requested information, but given none in return.

That is about to change.

We are Simone Collins (District 9470 Western Australia) and Marcos Carot (District 4960, Argentina & Uruguay), two past DRRs who are serving on the RI Rotaract Committee for the first time in 2006/07 (the other Rotaractors on the RI Rotaract Committee this year are each serving a 2nd term). Many of you will know us as the two main moderators of RotaractNET, Rotaractors who are dedicated to promoting strong communication among Rotaractors worldwide.

For the first time ever, we plan to provide you with as much information about the RI Rotaract Committee as possible - who is on it, what it does, and more importantly, ensure you have a vehicle to provide feedback to us to pass on to the RI Rotaract Committee. And in the true tradition of RotaractNET, we will make this information available in multiple languages, primarily English and Spanish (being our native languages), though if anyone would like to help translate this information into other languages too, please let us know!!

All the best for 2006/07!