CONNECT
FOR GOOD
GET INVOLVED AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE
When you join a Rotary club, your
potential to make a difference in
the world grows exponentially.
That’s because you’re joining a
network of over 1.2 million people
who take action — volunteers from
all over the world who share a goal
of improving others’ quality of life.
In fact, the top two reasons people
join Rotary are to connect with and
give back to their communities.
These are the same reasons
members stay in Rotary year after
year. But simply joining isn’t going
to change lives or make those
connections. That happens when
you get involved. You’ll shape
your own experience and decide
how to get the most out of your
membership.
This short guide is full of ways
you can get involved in Rotary
to connect with your club,
your community, and the world.
Get involved in ways that align
with your passions, and you’ll get
much more from your experience.
CONNECT WITH YOUR CLUB
Membership in a Rotary club offers you opportunities to connect with other
professionals who aren’t afraid to lead and are dedicated to making a difference.
Spending time with your fellow club members — whether to attend a meeting,
plan a project, exchange ideas, or just have fun — can lead to lifelong friendships.
When you get involved and make connections, you will inevitably grow as a
person and develop new skills. Here are some ways to connect within your club.
SHARE YOUR IDEAS with club leaders to help your club
achieve its goals, enhance its projects, and improve the member
experience. Your suggestions could become the next big initiative
in your club or community. See Be a Vibrant Club and learn more
about club flexibility.
FIND A MENTOR or mentor another member to share
professional expertise, community knowledge, and Rotary
information.
ORGANIZE A CLUB EVENT or service project and gain
new skills and experiences like event planning, public speaking,
or managing volunteers.
TRY A NEW ROLE. Broaden your knowledge and apply your
experience and skills in a club leadership role. Take the first step
by asking where your club needs help. If you’ve already been in a
club leadership role, try serving in a district role. Ask your district
governor and governor-elect where your expertise and talents
could be useful.
BECOME A LEADER IN ACTION. Participate in your club’s
leadership development program. If it doesn’t have one, talk
to your club leaders and help develop one for the members of
your club.
CONNECT WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
Through your club, you can connect with your community by learning about
its needs and working on long-term solutions. When you work with local
leaders and beneficiaries, you’ll strengthen both your community and your
ties to it. Participating in a project that positively touches someone else’s life
can be life-changing for you as well. Here are some of the many ways your
membership can help you connect to your community.
VOLUNTEER TO HELP with your club’s service projects.
If you know of a need in your community, propose a project
that addresses it. You can use Community Assessment Tools to
evaluate your community’s needs, and then use the resources
in the Project Lifecycle Kit to design and implement a project.
You can join your club service projects committee, browse other
projects on Rotary Showcase, crowdsource the resources you
need on Rotary Ideas, and learn how to apply for a Rotary grant
to improve and help fund your project at [Link]/grants.
BRIDGE GENERATIONS by supporting local Rotary youth
programs. Find out if your club supports an Interact or Rotaract
club. If not, form one! You can build the future of Rotary and
your club by connecting with Rotaractors and inspiring them to
join your Rotary club. Show Interactors the impact they can have
in their communities by supporting their service efforts.
CREATE STRONGER COMMUNITY TIES with a
Rotary Community Corps (RCC). RCCs are groups of non-Rotarians
who share our commitment to service. RCC members plan and
carry out projects in their communities and support local Rotary
club projects. By working with RCCs, you can boost community
engagement and your projects’ sustainability by positioning local
leaders to pioneer change. Learn more at [Link]/rcc.
PARTICIPATE IN TRAINING EVENTS offered by your
district and connect with other members in your area. Districts
hold a variety of training and informational events that are open
to all members. Attending one can help you learn more about
Rotary and what other clubs in your community are doing. Visit
your district’s website or contact your club leaders to find out
when your district’s next event will be held.
COLLABORATE WITH OTHER CLUBS in your area on a
joint service project or event. Rotary Ideas can make finding and
collaborating with partners easier.
CONNECT WITH THE ROTARY WORLD
Rotarians make a difference on a global scale. Your membership gives
you access to a global network of professionals and leaders who share a passion
for applying their collective expertise and resources to make a positive change.
Here are some ways to connect with the Rotary world.
MEET OTHER MEMBERS with similar interests by joining a
Rotary Fellowship or a Rotarian Action Group. Rotary Fellowships
are formed around hobbies, interests, or vocations, and Rotarian
Action Groups are formed around dedication to a particular cause.
View lists of Rotary Fellowships and Rotarian Action Groups and
contact one directly using the Rotary Fellowships directory or
the Rotarian Action Groups directory.
PARTICIPATE IN INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS.
Many clubs partner with clubs in other parts of the world to
address a need in one of their communities. Together, they
leverage Rotarian and Rotary alumni expertise to build long-term
partnerships for sustainable projects. You can find clubs that need
partners, more volunteers, or other support on Rotary Ideas.
HELP ERADICATE POLIO either by volunteering for a
National Immunization Day (NID), contributing to the cause,
or helping to spread the word. Email polioplus@[Link] to
connect with Rotarians leading upcoming trips. Post about polio
on your social media pages, contribute to the PolioPlus Fund, or
include a link to [Link] in your email signature.
ATTEND ROTARY EVENTS to exchange ideas and meet
people. Attend the Rotary International Convention, which is
held in a different international city each year, with friends from
your club or district. You’ll enjoy inspiring talks from global
leaders, celebrities, and activists, meet members from around
the world, and learn how to expand our impact. Learn more at
[Link]/events.
SHARE INTERNATIONAL HOSPITALITY and learn about
another culture when you participate in a Rotary Friendship
Exchange, host a Rotary Youth Exchange student, or explore
other Rotary clubs. Friendship exchange participants take turns
hosting and visiting one another, often developing friendships
that last a lifetime. Youth Exchange hosts open their homes and
hearts to create a memorable learning experience. Learn more at
[Link]/empower-leaders and [Link]/youthexchange.
SUPPORT ROTARY’S CURRENT WORK by giving to the
Annual Fund, which sustains thousands of projects that are being
conducted in your community and around the world. The Rotary
Foundation supports projects and programs that transform lives
by tackling poverty, disease, conflict, and lack of education and
water. Go to [Link]/give to make a donation.
JOIN ROTARY DISCUSSION GROUPS on My Rotary.
Hundreds of discussion groups allow members to connect and
share diverse perspectives about all kinds of topics. If you have
a My Rotary account, you can join an existing discussion group
or start a new one. Rotary also has official pages on Facebook,
Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Flickr, and more.
SHARE YOUR EXPERTISE. Join a Rotarian Action Group
or area of focus discussion group and use your expertise to
enhance the projects that Rotarians are working on. Check the
Rotarian Action Groups directory and contact the one you’re
interested in. Read about the projects that Rotarian Action
Groups have recently supported in the Rotarian Action Groups
annual report. You can also share your expertise in the areas of
focus and project planning by serving other clubs as a consultant
on international projects or as a moderator in discussion groups.
Contact your district international service chair or district
governor to make your technical skills or experience known, and
find out how you can become a part of your district’s network
of experts. Finally, if you have professional expertise in one of
Rotary’s areas of focus, you can serve on The Rotary Foundation
Cadre of Technical Advisers and advise members carrying out
grant projects around the world.
ATTEND A PROJECT FAIR and find partners, meet people,
and get ideas for projects. Fairs typically last two to three days
and may include visits to project sites as well as opportunities to
experience the local culture. These activities help visitors learn
about the community and build long-lasting relationships with
their international hosts. Learn more at [Link]/project-fairs.
HOW WILL YOU GET INVOLVED?
When you get involved, it’s not just your club and community that benefit.
You benefit, too. As an active Rotarian, you’ll make connections and develop skills
while Doing Good in the World. You’ll meet community leaders and tackle
local and global issues that are important to you and your fellow club members.
You’ll feel the shared sense of purpose that comes from working together to
better your community. When it comes to being an active Rotarian,
the opportunities are endless.
There are countless ways to engage
with Rotary and your Rotary club.
You choose how — and how much
— to get involved.
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