Committee Goals and Strategy for 2006/07

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).