“If one strong common
thread exists among our 1.2 million members, it is our willingness to share.
Rotarians share their time, their talents, their expertise to successfully
carry out projects that tackle a vast range of humanitarian and social issues.
They share their compassion, their enthusiasm, and their commitment to help
those in need and make the world better. And they share an unparalleled passion
for service.”
—
Wilfrid J. Wilkinson, 2007-08 RI president
Local Volunteering
Every day, all over the world, Rotarians
are volunteering in their local communities—it’s just what we do. If you are
already participating in your club’s volunteer projects and you want to do
more, here are some ways you can identify volunteer opportunities:
Contact your club‘s Assistant Governor.Each AG is providing assistance and
guidance to four to five clubs, and s/he will know of projects that other
clubs are undertaking.
Check the Monday Morning Memo; our District Governor sends out the
District E-newsletter every Monday, and any club in the District can place
information about a current community project there.
Contact your current District Governor and ask her/him what’s
happening in clubs throughout the district:
Look into local nonprofit
organizations in your area—you may just find a need that your club could
assist with.
International
Volunteering
International Rotary Volunteers register their
skills with RI to serve outside their home country. As ambassadors for Rotary,
they foster international understanding and goodwill, are expected to be
flexible and culturally sensitive, and must maintain standards of behavior that
reflect positively on their home country and uphold the ideals of Rotary.
Registering as a Rotary Volunteer
Registering with Rotary International is one way for
prospective volunteers to publicize their interest in serving on international
projects. Registered volunteers are listed in the Rotary Volunteers Database on
the RI Web site, a great resource for project coordinators.
Rotarians, Rotaractors, Rotary Foundation alumni, spouses
of Rotarians, and non-
Rotarians are welcome to register as international
Rotary Volunteers.
To register, complete the Rotary Volunteers
International Volunteer Registration Form,
available on the RI website or from RI World
Headquarters. Whether you’re a Rotarian or non-Rotarian, the volunteer
registration form must be endorsed by the local Rotary club president and the
district Rotary Volunteers or Vocational Service chair, or District Governor.
Registrants are expected to have a proven level of
professional or technical skill. It’s
recommended that they be at least 25 years old,
though younger, qualified applicants will also be considered. Re-registration
is required every two years.
Rotary International does not place volunteers on assignments.
RI staff can provide detailed information about registered projects and
volunteers upon request, but
prospective volunteers and project coordinators are responsible
for contacting each other.
Rotary
International provides resources to assist you in locating Rotary/Other NGO international
project sites:
The Rotary
Foundation’s Volunteer Service Grants support the international travel of
qualified Rotarians
and their spouses to provide an essential service or plan a needed
project in a
community.
Applications are
accepted on a rolling basis throughout the Rotary year. They should be received
by the Foundation three months before the anticipated departure date and
approved at least
eight weeks before the scheduled departure date. The application form is
available at www.rotary.org. Applicants are not required to register with RI as
Rotary Volunteers.
Volunteers who need
financial support for international service but don’t qualify for Volunteer
Service Grants can explore other fundraising opportunities through a number of
Web sites, including Cross-Cultural Solutions (www.crossculturalsolutions.org)
and Visions in Action (www.visionsinaction.org).
