Did you know that September is literacy month? I have been so impressed at the range of literacy related activities taking place across the District, as revealed when I visited Clubs. Everything from Books for Babies, Books for Beginners (Preps), Spelling Bees, Specialist School and Flexible Learning support, annual scholarships and prizes for Primary, Secondary schools and tertiary studies, funding of participants in National Youth Science Fund (NYSF), and the Science and Engineering Experience to name a few activities within our District.
Importantly, we also support a wide range of projects which provide education tools, facilities and training in other countries.
Please review your Club’s literacy offerings and check out Libby Furner’s article and the excellent information provided by RDU on this important subject.
LAST CHANCE – BOOK FOR RI PRESIDENT’S DINNER – BOOKINGS CLOSE 19 SEPTEMBER!
If you haven’t yet done so, please book now for dinner with Rotary International President Mark Maloney and Gay at the Mercure in Ballarat on 24 September. (Click here to make a booking) We look forward to hearing from Mark and also Gay.
All Victorian Districts have been invited to the dinner and have been offered the opportunity for those with significant anniversaries of 30, 40, 50 or 60 complete years of service to be presented personally with congratulatory letters by Mark Maloney. The Rotary International Parramatta Office has checked the RI records and provided us with lists of those that qualify. Those with confirmed 50 or 60 years of service occurring in 2019-20 will be presented during the main dinner event.
To ensure the dinner event flows well, those present from all Victorian Districts who will have completed 30 and 40 years of service between 1 July and 31 Dec 2019 will be presented with their congratulatory letters by Mark Daniel Maloney at 6pm, just before the dinner gathering. For those whose anniversaries fall later in the 2019-20 year, Clubs will be able to request congratulatory letters via RI Parramatta for presentation at the appropriate time by the Club President or the DG.
In consultation with the other four Victorian Districts and RI Parramatta we had to strike a balance between Mark and Gay’s addresses and the presentation of congratulatory letters at, and before, the dinner event. Hopefully, we have got it right!
We also acknowledge and congratulate all those who have served Rotary for many years but whose significant anniversaries don’t happen to fall during Mark Maloney’s term as RI President! Thank you for your dedicated service. Those who happen to have anniversaries this year and will be presented with letters are symbols for all District Rotarians who have contributed so much for so long to such good effect. Thank You!
MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Below is an excerpt from a recently completed Rotary International Survey on Membership. There are some useful insights here for all Rotary Clubs.
Membership - Global and Regional Results Summary 2017-18 and 2018-19
The Rotary International Membership Experience Feedback Survey helps us monitor trends and shifts in the reasons why people worldwide join, stay, leave, and return to Rotary. This summary focuses on the overall experience of prospective, current, and former members worldwide in 2017-18 and 2018-19 and points out regional differences.
We need to continuously provide positive, engaging experiences even to those who aren’t yet members, and work on understanding our current and future members’ needs, meeting their expectations, and increasing the value of club membership, to offset the strain of competing time and financial obligations that keep people from joining and are the top reason they leave.
The survey results showed:
The top reasons for joining and staying are local service and friendship.
Younger, diverse professionals and business leaders are interested in joining Rotary.
Half of our prospective members have a personal connection to a Rotarianand a quarter say they’re former or current Rotaractors.
As younger professionals and business leaders become new members, they increasingly want to support causes with a global reach, make a positive impact not only locally but globally, and pursue personal and professional growth and learning opportunities.
The barriers to joining are cost and time constraints, not being invited, and unmet expectations.
The top reasons for leaving are also cost and time constraints, club environment and culture, and unmet expectations.
Rotary is important to our members because it allows them to identify their communities’ needs and participate in service opportunities to address these needs.
The first contact, orientation, and mentoring processes are key to increasing Rotary’s appeal, setting the right expectations, and fostering loyalty among our members.
In Australia members need to feel they can contribute and make a difference. In addition, meetings and programs must meet their interest, and innovation and flexibility play a significant role.
Membership Development in D9780
Breaking News!
In addition to the scheduled Membership Development and Public Image Seminars in our District, an additional Membership Development session will be held in Mount Gambier on Sunday 24 November (details to follow) following the Port Fairy Session on Saturday 23 November 2019. For those Rotarians in South Australia or nearby please think about registering as soon as the details are announced.
The Seminars held so far on Membership Development and Public Image have received excellent reports and many have returned to their Clubs eager to action what they have learned.
Diversity in Membership
One attendee, Liz, Membership Chair at RC of Kardinia, spoke to me during my visit to her Club and said she would be interested in new and innovative ideas other Club membership Chairs have for increasing membership diversity. If you have something to share, or would like to be part of the discussion, please register your interest with Liz on Mobile 0498 092 155 or liz.cairns@gmail.com and John Crawford on Mobile 0427 922 773 or jcra13271@bigpond.com, District Assistant Governor for Membership Development and we will get the conversation moving virtually – via a ‘Teams’ Group on Office 365!
Satellite Clubs and Passport Clubs – Flexible Approaches
For those interested in a different approach to membership to bolster their existing offering, please find the links below to Satellite Clubs and to Passport Clubs.
Looking forward to seeing you in Ballarat at Mark Daniel Maloney’s presentation Dinner on 24 September!
Rosanne
Rosanne Kava
District Governor 2019-20
EDUCATION AND LITERACY MONTH
September is Rotary’s Basic Education and Literacy month – it has to be the most accessible and user friendly focus area to understand because the key resource arrived in our post boxes in the last few days in the form of the Rotary Down Under (RDU) magazine. Look at the Guest Editorial ‘Literacy – the Road to Human Progress’ (Click here to read the story). Every Rotarian has received this publication, and the content is most enlightening.
Literacy programmes are simple, achievable and relatively cheap. I have listed some suggestions, in the hope that you will call me if you need a hand. Indeed, I’d be delighted to hear from you.
Why not try
Books for Babies
Dictionary project
Reading to the visually impaired
Sharing literacy programs in gaols, retirement homes, etc.
PP Libby Furner
District Chair, Literacy
Email: libby.furner43@gmail.com
MEMBERSHIP
What effect does the decline in Membership mean to our Rotary Clubs?
It means we can do less of what we have been doing to support our Communities
It means we will be putting more strain on our members, which will lead to further decline
It means those members of our community that are hurting, will continue to hurt and probably hurt more
It means new members will be even harder to come by because the community will know less about us
How do we stop the decline? Find New Members!
How do we do that? Ask yourself this question:
Would I want to join my Club if I came along as a visitor?
If your answer is NO! find out why and set about fixing the problem
Make your Club fun and enjoyable
Be active in your community
Engage your members
If your Club is enjoyable and very active in your Community, new members will come looking for you.
Work on your current members before you worry too much about new members. Make sure they are Happy, and engaged, make sure they feel part of the Club, make sure they feel useful. Make sure you ARE not going to lose them!!
Tell the world who we are and what we do and make them as excited and proud of Rotary as we are.
Above all:
Wear your Rotary Pin with pride
Ask somebody
John Crawford
Assistant Governor Membership Development
DONATIONS IN KIND (DIK) - CAN YOU HELP??
In a recent visit to DIK by DG Rosanne, Anton Van Doornik gave an update on DIK’s activities. Anton emphasised that even though the new DIK facility is much smaller than the previous site, they plan to continue the container output of previous years.
DIK is also doing its bit for the environment. DIK has shipped 305 containers which have an average weight of around 12 tons of cargo (3660 tons) and some 9150 cubic metres of goods which otherwise would have gone to land fill.
Anton also highlighted some support required for DIK’s Geelong centre.
Are you or your Club in a position to assist this very valuable project??
Two things are needed:
Funds to cover shipping and road transport. These costs are being adversely impacted by the drop in the Australian dollar.
A Rotary member to assist the hardworking DIK committee in publicising DIK activities to District Clubs; and, also, someone who can contact local schools from time to time. He/she does not necessarily have to attend DIK working bees or be in Geelong.
DIK Depot is located at 75 Roseneath Street, North Geelong and is open Tuesday and Wednesday mornings or by arrangement.
Old Geelong Gaol In Protective Custody 1995 - 2019
The Old Geelong Gaol Project – by far the longest service project ever undertaken by the Rotary Club of Geelong came to a conclusion in June 2019. This was celebrated in style with a banquet at the Gaol on Friday 14th June. The event brought together former Rotarians including Ray Abikhair, the prime mover in developing the Gaol project, past and present Civic leaders including Bill Dix who, in his capacity as Chairman of Commissioners of the City of Greater Geelong in 1994, approved the Club’s proposal to take over the then redundant Gaol.
A highlight of the evening was the official release by President Anne Kavenagh of a high-quality glossy booklet “Old Geelong Gaol In Protective Custody 1995 -2019” providing a permanent record of this 24 year service project. In a brief address President Anne emphasised the Key results achieved: Total rent paid to the City of Greater Geelong $650,000 (approximately $853,200 in today’s money. Net of rental and all other expenses total funds raised by the Club exceeded $1,520,000 (approximately $1,835,100 in today’s money). Over the 24year period more than 30,000 voluntary hours were provided by members of our Club—emphasising that Service is the very basis of Rotary. By any standard this service project has been an outstanding success, not only in terms of funds raised to support deserving local and international needs, but also in preserving an historic community asset and enabling tens of thousands of visitors to experience part of Geelong’s early history. In addition, many community organisations have been able to make use of the property at rentals below commercial rates.
Photo legend: Top left, Front Cover of Brochure, Top Right from left to right, our 3 remaining Gaol Keepers from the original committee in 1995. Alec Hand, Bill Holt and Brian Hall, Bottom, Rotarian Ewen Urquhart in a publicity piece for the closure of the Gaol.
Digital and hard copies of our Publication are available from the Rotary Club of Geelong Inc.
For more information on Rotary Youth Volunteer Declaration Forms please click here
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it mandatory that all members of a Rotary Club sign the “Rotary Youth Volunteer Information and Declaration Form”?
The answer is NO. Only those adult Volunteers (as defined) participating in a youth program are required to provide a Volunteer Declaration. The majority of the members might be deemed Responsible Adults (as defined).
Anyone has the right not to sign the Volunteer Declaration if they so wish, understanding that they are then excluded from participating as a Volunteer in a Rotary Youth Program, but may still participate as a Responsible Adult.
Is a Rotary Clubs insurance cover at risk if the Declaration From is not completed by all members?
The answer is NO. There is an expectation by our Liability Insurer that we will comply with Legislation and RI requirements, but it is not conditional.
What is the difference between a Working With Children (WWC) check and the Declaration Form?
The WWC is a check to ascertain if a person is eligible to work with children. The Volunteer Declaration attempts to establish whether a person is suitable to work with children.
When is screening/a volunteer declaration necessary?
Screening applies to any adult person where circumstances require that they be alone with a young person for a period of time. Adults in a group situation are not required to provide a Volunteer Declaration.
Who needs to complete the Rotary Youth Volunteer Information and Declaration Form?
All Volunteers need to complete a Declaration. A Volunteer is any adult (over 18 years old) who is involved with a Rotary Youth Program activities that has direct interactions either supervised or unsupervised with youth/students.
Club and district Youth Exchange officers and committee members, Rotarian Counsellors, Rotarians and non-Rotarians, their spouses and partners who host youth/students for activities or outings, or who might drive youth /students to events or functions; and host parents and other adult residents of the host home, including siblings and other family members.
Who is exempt from needing to complete the Volunteer declaration form?
Responsible Adults are exempt. A Responsible Adult is any adult who, in a family or group situation for a short period of time, is responsible for caring for a youth/student. This person shall be in a position to offer the youth/student an educational, cultural, or recreational experience.
What questions will they ask my referees?
Reference Checks. Simply requesting the names of referees in the application form is not sufficient. You must contact each referee by phone or in person, and ask a standard set of questions, such as:
· How long have you known this individual?
· In what capacity?
· Do you think this person is well qualified to work with youth?
· Would you have any reservations about recommending this person to serve in a Rotary Youth Program?
How often do i need to complete this form?
To be advised.
My Rotary Club is having a BBQ at the local hardware store, do all members at the BBQ need to have completed a Volunteer Declaration?
The answer is NO. Members will not need to have signed a Volunteer Declaration, the action of handing over a sausage in bread to a youth is not a one of direct interaction.
My Rotary Club is hosting two Youth Exchange students and they are coming to our meeting to present their story, one is being bought by car driven by their host mum, the other also by car but driven by a Rotarian who is not a host, is this okay?
The one being bought by the host mum is okay as she is a host she will be a Volunteer and has completed the Declaration Form but would recommend that there is at least a third person in the car. The second, assuming the Rotarian is not a Volunteer therefore a Responsible Adult and the occurrence is not frequent then this could be deemed satisfactory but would recommend that the Rotarian includes a third person in the car.
My Rotary Club is involved in a student mentoring program at the local secondary college, should all mentors have completed the Volunteer Declaration.
Irrespective of the situation all adult participants should have a current WWC.
For the Volunteer Declaration, this depends on the program structure, if the program is for several weeks and is a one on one situation then the answer is YES, a Volunteer Declaration should have been completed. If the mentoring is in a group situation, that is, there are 3 or more in attendance then the answer is NO a Volunteer Declaration is not needed. Desirable Yes.
A scenario
Rotarian ABC has been approached by Rotarian XYZ to join with a team of 5 other Rotarians to conduct a Youth Program which involves taking a group of 20 youths, male and female, aged between 15 and 20 years of age, by coach to a remote area. The youths will be camping out in tents, the Rotarians are in huts, they will be hiking, having group discussions, sitting around a camp fire, issued personal and group challenges and there will be time for reflection. The camp is for 5 days.
Rotarian ABC is very interested as they have a passion for helping youth, has experience with mentoring and enjoys camping, but there is an issue, they haven’t completed a Volunteer Declaration Form. They do have a WWC.
The dilemma for Rotarian ABC: - there are some participants under 18 years of age, I haven’t completed the Volunteer Declaration, I don’t object to doing it, just haven’t got around to it, I do have a WWC.
ABC talks with XYZ, explains that there is no VDF and asks some questions,
· Are we all travelling by coach? YES, great, no one-on-one there.
· Sleeping arrangements? The bungalows are 1 km from the camp site, excellent
· Who will be hiking? Two Rotarians will be staying at the camp site, great, one will be me
· Group discussions? One or two Rotarians with four or five youths, no one-on-one.
· Camp fire discussions? Whole group involved.
· Reflection time? Will be in age groups and we will assign you to an over 18 group.
Rotarian ABC has agreed to participate as a Responsible Adult.
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