(Editor’s note: This story summarizes the Rotary International (RI) Convention workshop that was our meeting program on June 24. It includes content from an article in the May “Rotarian” by Vanessa Glavinskas)
At midnight on June 30th, hundreds of Rotaractors will ring in the new Rotary year by celebrating Rotaract’s expansion to full club membership status. Until recently, Rotaractors were considered Rotary program participants. Rotaract’s elevated status within the organization was approved by Rotary’s Council on Legislation in 2019 as part of an ongoing effort to make Rotary more appealing and welcoming to young professionals. “We keep telling Rotarians to find a way to bring in young people, when we have them already and we seem to forget them,” says 2018-19 Rotary President Barry Rassin. It was Rassin who formally proposed expanding the definition of Rotary membership to include both Rotary and Rotaract.
After the Council approved revising the RI Constitution and Bylaws to include Rotaract as a membership type, the Elevate Rotaract Task Force — made up of both Rotaractors and Rotarians — was formed and began surveying members to come up with policy recommendations for the transition. “We’re hearing from Rotaractors all over the world,” says David D. Stovall, RI treasurer and chair of the task force.
On the advice of the task force, the RI Board of Directors this past October approved several changes to Rotaract — the most notable being removal of Rotaract’s upper age limit at age 30. Clubs will still be able to set their own age limit if they wish. Elyse Lin, a member of the Rotaract Club of Taipei Tin Harbour in Taiwan who is also on the task force, says the age limit was an obstacle for Rotaract members who wanted to stay involved with Rotary but either didn’t feel ready for a traditional Rotary club or found the expense of joining one out of reach.
One thing Rotaractors are looking for, says Ronald S. Kawaddwa, a member of the Rotary Club of Kasangati, Uganda, is more professional development opportunities. To meet this demand, a leadership training program Rotary is rolling out with Toastmasters will also be available to Rotaract members. Rotary has a new alliance with Toastmasters International, and Rotary’s online learning center will host a curriculum created by Toastmasters that will help members improve their leadership and communication skills. (learn more at rotary.org/toastmasters).“At age 30, you are launching your professional career,” says Kawaddwa, who is on the task force. “If Rotaract provides a better package in terms of professional development, that adds value.” Kawaddwa adds. “We hope that these changes will produce stronger Rotarians, members who have served longer and gotten more experience and mentorship while in Rotaract.”
At the close of the workshop, participants were first to hear the news that the Rotary Foundation trustees took the necessary steps to open Global Grant requests to Rotaract Clubs beginning in 2022, further elevating the status of Rotaract.