As the new academic session starts, it is time for the Rotaract Clubs to gear up their act, plan their activities, and more importantly, start recruiting new members. A hassled Rotaract Club's President came up to me with the question, "Sir, when we approach the new students to join Rotaract, they ask what benefit they will get out of it, and even my teachers often ask me, 'Why should anyone join Rotaract?' "
Well, for all those hassled and harried Rotaract leaders, here are a few facts which you may use for your pitch.
WHAT IS ROTARACT?
Rotaract simply means Rotary In Action, and is an affiliate of Rotary international. Rotaract is the official program of Rotary International which came into existence in 1968. The first club chartered was Rotaract club of North Charlotte, North Carolina USA on March 13, 1968. It comprises of young adults between the age of 18 to 30 either community or institutional based. Today, Rotaract has grown into a strong, international network of over 8,000 clubs in more than 167 countries.
PURPOSE
The purpose to 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 needs of their communities and to promote better relations between all people worldwide through a frame work of friendship and service.
WHY JOIN ROTARACT?
The reasons for joining Rotaract are:
- To develop professional and leadership skills.
- To emphasis respect for the right of others, and promote ethnical standards and the dignity of all useful occupation.
- To provide opportunities for young people to address the needs and concerns of the community and our world.
- To provide opportunities for working in cooperation with sponsoring Rotary club.
- To motivate young people for eventual membership in Rotary
In addition, you must have the mind to render selfless service to humanity and also at every time you must be ready to surrender your Time, Talent, Treasure and Thinking (4T's).
ADVANTAGES OF BEING A ROTARACTOR
Leadership Development: Rotaract is an organisation of leaders and successful people, serving in Rotaract Positions like a college education. Leadership learning, how to motivate, influence and lead leaders.
Continuing Education: Rotaract is a learning opportunity and is a continuous training in doing research and assessment of critical community needs, strategizing, developing plans, creating and managing teams and other resources, raising funds, and celebrating achievements. This is a complete education in developing multifarious management skills encompassing management of resources, production, humans, finances, publicity, promotions, and projects.
Global Citizenship: Rotaractors wears pin that say "Rotaract Club". There are many places on the globe that do have a Rotary club. Every Rotaractors is welcome, even encourage to attend any of the Rotary Clubs meeting or that of the Rotaract clubs around the globe; this means instant friends in both one's community and in the world community.
Professional Network: This is a significant advantage which Rotaractors enjoy over other professionals. Everyone needs to network especially when a young boy and girl wants to work as an intern or is looking for a job after studies. Rotary’s network of business people and professionals help them get the desired internship/placement.
Career Advancement/Professional Growth: Being a member of the Rotaract Club helps young boys and girls receive instant recognition for their community service projects, which gives them credit rating during further studies abroad or during internship/placements, since Rotaract and its sponsoring organization Rotary enjoys international recognition, and Rotaractors get a headstart.
The Opportunity to Serve: Rotaract is service; its business is mankind while its product is service. Rotaractor provide community service to both local and international communities. This is perhaps the best reason for becoming a Rotaractor, the chance to do something for somebody else; to sense the self-fulfillment that comes in the process, and the return of that satisfaction to one's own life. It’s richly rewarded.
Ethical Living: Rotaract movement infuses amongst its members the spirit of giving, and ethical behavior, which augurs well generally for the world at large.
Participation in National and International Conferences: Rotaractors are eligible to register for any of the Rotary or Rotaract conferences held around the world.
Youth Exchange Programme: Rotaractors can also join in many of the youth exchange programmes that Rotary organizes giving youngsters the opportunity to travel to other countries, attend short term workshops, or long-term academic studies.
