- What is a Rotaract Club ?
The term, ROTARACT is derived from the term, "ROTARy in ACTion" alluding to Rotary's commitment to promoting world understanding and peace through the development of leadership amongst the youth. On March 13, 1968 Rotary chartered the first Rotaract Club of North Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. Today there are more then 160,000 Rotaractors in more then 400 clubs worldwide.
Rotaract is a worldwide organization of young men and women ages 18 through 30 who believe they can make a difference. Through community and international service projects, Rotaractors help improve the lives of the people around them. In so doing they develop leadership and professional skills and establish a network of friends. Rotaract is Friendship in Action. Rotaract is Fun.
A Rotaract club is more than a community service club. It is part of a global effort to bring peace and international understanding to the world. This effort starts at the community level, but it knows no limits in its outreach.
- Goals of Rotaract
- To develop professional and leadership skills;
- To emphasize respect for the rights of others, based on recognition of the worth of each individual;
- To recognise the dignity and value of all useful occupations as opportunities to serve'
- To recognise, practise 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 promote international understanding and goodwill toward all people.
- What Does A Rotaract Club Do?
Rotaract club organise a variety of projects and activities, depending primarily on the interests of the club members. There are, however, three types of activities within the Rotaract Program that all clubs undertake in varying degrees: professional development, leadership development, service project development and social activities. Together, these areas guarantee a balanced club program and provide important experience and opportunities for the personal development of each Rotaractor.
- Leadership Development
A club's leadership development activities not only aim to make members more effective leaders in their personal lives, but also teach them how to develop and sustain strong clubs with relevant projects. Leadership training sessions should teach techniques for marketing the Rotaract program to potential members; building consensus among members; delegating project responsibilities and ensuring the necessary follow-up; identifying channels for project publicity and promotion; finding financial resources for strengthening club development; and assessing project success.
- Professional Development
A club's professional development activities should expand the members' understanding of the work environment and business opportunities within their community. These activities should highlight the Rotaractor's role in the community's economic development and illustrate how skills developed through service activities can help in resolving problems in the workplace. Each Rotaract club should provide professional development opportunities to its members through special professional and vocational forums; business technology updates; management and marketing seminars; conferences o business and professional ethics; and presentations on finance and credit options for business start-up.
Rotarians who participate in professional development projects can provide first-hand accounts on entering the business world and overcoming business, vocational and professional challenges. making the club's professional development projects joint Rotaract-Rotary projects will help Rotaractors get better acquainted with sponsoring Rotarians.
Service Project Development
Rotaract club's service projects are designed mainly to improve the quality of life in the community. In implementing these projects, Rotarct clubs have access to a variety of resources that can increase financial support for the projects and widen their impact worldwide.
- Community Service:
Rotaract clubs carry out at least one Community Service project each year in an effort to improve the lives of the people around them. The possibilities for worthwhile projects are endless. To name just a few: Rotaractors volunteer as tutors in literacy programs; support drug abuse prevention programs; offer job training to the unemployed; assist at orphanages and day care centres; arrange outings and other activities for senior citizens; organise community clean-ups; develop recreation areas and otherwise work to improve the environment.
- International Service:
Because Rotaractors want to learn more about other cultures and do their part to promote world peace and understanding they undertake at least one International Service project each year. Such activities take many forms. Rotaractors raise money for international disaster relief programs; make exchange visits with Rotaractors in other countries and host similar visits from other rotaract clubs; and volunteer their professional skills in international development and assistance projects.
- Social Activities
Rotaractors work hard, but they believe in having a good time. They hold barbecues, car rallies, camping trips, interclub visits, dances, cultural festivals, special lectures, sporting events, and more. Sometimes these activities are designed to raise money for a club service project. Whatever they do, Rotaractors know how to have fun, make friends, and make the world a little better in the process.
