As People of Action, we understand that fulfilling that vision requires a plan.
More than a century ago, we pioneered a new model of service leadership grounded in person-to-person connections. Today, those connections are a network that spans the globe—bridging cultural, linguistic, generational, and geographic barriers—and shares the vision of a better world. As People of Action, we understand that fulfilling that vision requires a plan.
This is Rotary’s Action Plan through 2024: to increase our impact, expand our reach, enhance participant engagement, and increase our ability to adapt.
This week we will explore Priority #3 – Enhance Participant Engagement. We spent time last year as a club to determine our key club impact areas. We closely align with RI.
People of action strive to understand the needs of others. Rotary is a great organization because we create meaningful relationships across decades and continents. But just like the people and communities we serve, our participants need to feel seen and heard.
What does “Enhance Participant Engagement” mean?
Every encounter is an opportunity to show people what Rotary can do for them as individuals and as members of our communities. Enhancing participant engagement means that whenever someone engages with Rotary — through a club, a program, or even an event — they have an experience that exceeds their expectations. It also means that once someone is on the Rotary path, it’s as exciting, fulfilling, and meaningful in decade five as on day one.
Every encounter is an opportunity to show people what Rotary can do for them as individuals and as members of our communities. Enhancing participant engagement means that whenever someone engages with Rotary — through a club, a program, or even an event — they have an experience that exceeds their expectations. It also means that once someone is on the Rotary path, it’s as exciting, fulfilling, and meaningful in decade five as on day one.
Why are we doing this?
When participants don’t find experiences that feel personally and professionally relevant, they go elsewhere. We know this is one reason Rotary membership has been stagnant. Enhancing participant engagement is assessing what we offer and looking
for ways to create additional value. It’s taking a hard look at some of our current programs and deciding whether they truly provide value and fulfillment. It’s creating new programs, events, learning opportunities, and more that attract new people of action and leaders into our clubs and programs — and give them a reason to stay.
When participants don’t find experiences that feel personally and professionally relevant, they go elsewhere. We know this is one reason Rotary membership has been stagnant. Enhancing participant engagement is assessing what we offer and looking
for ways to create additional value. It’s taking a hard look at some of our current programs and deciding whether they truly provide value and fulfillment. It’s creating new programs, events, learning opportunities, and more that attract new people of action and leaders into our clubs and programs — and give them a reason to stay.
What does this mean for Rotary International?
Over the next several years, Rotary will:
Over the next several years, Rotary will:
- Develop our infrastructure to support the evolving needs of Rotary participants
- Build our engagement indices and club incentives directly to participants
- Create new products and position existing ones to deliver value
- Encourage clubs and districts to offer both personal and professional engagement opportunities
What does this mean for me? How can I take action?
Seek feedback. Invite participants and the public at large to propose new ideas and share their thoughts on our club experience and projects. This will help us identify gaps between what our club is like now and what it needs to be. We could also conduct a club “health check” to identify your strengths and weaknesses or ask new members what is most important to them in a club.
Seek feedback. Invite participants and the public at large to propose new ideas and share their thoughts on our club experience and projects. This will help us identify gaps between what our club is like now and what it needs to be. We could also conduct a club “health check” to identify your strengths and weaknesses or ask new members what is most important to them in a club.
We have incorporated a participant-centered approach to our club operation. We will consistently ask our participants how they want to be engaged and find ways to deliver those opportunities. We considered all of our participants when setting our goals and strategies as a club: family members, Rotaractors, Interactors, alumni, and others who participate in our service projects or events.
Get people off the sidelines. Whether you’re offering new opportunities for personal and professional connection or providing leadership development and skills training, find new ways to include everyone who interacts with your club. By providing the opportunity to serve together and connect, we can deliver a more satisfying experience with Rotary.
Together, let’s recommit to putting the needs, expectations, and growth of our participants at the center of all we do.