|
|
|
|
|
Interact is one of Rotary International’s
nine structured programs designed to help clubs and districts achieve their
service goals in their own communities and in communities abroad, fostering
fellowship and goodwill in the process. |
|
|
|
|
Interact is a service club for young people ages
14-18. Sponsored by local Rotary clubs, Interact clubs give young people an
opportunity to participate in fun, meaningful service projects while
developing leadership skills and meeting new friends. |
|
|
|
|
Develop leadership skills and personal
integrity. |
|
Demonstrate helpfulness and respect for others. |
|
Understand the value of individual
responsibility and hard work. |
|
Advance international understanding and
goodwill. |
|
|
|
|
Interactors and Rotarians are partners in
service. Rotarians mentor promising youth in their communities. Interactors
bring new energy to a Rotary club, inspire fresh ideas for service,
increase support of projects, and help develop future Rotarians. |
|
|
|
|
Interact stands for international action. |
|
The first club was chartered in 1962 at
Melbourne High School, FL, USA. |
|
Today there are more than 9,000 clubs in over
110 countries with an estimated membership of 200,000 youth worldwide. |
|
|
|
|
Sponsoring Rotary clubs provide support and
guidance, but Interact clubs are self-governing and self-supporting. |
|
Club membership varies and can be single-gender
or mixed-gender, large or small. |
|
Members are drawn from one school’s student body
or from several schools in the community. |
|
|
|
|
Interact clubs are encouraged to |
|
Be school-based or community-based. |
|
Have a Rotarian adviser and a faculty adviser
for school-based clubs. |
|
Meet at least twice a month. Interactors must
attend 60% of regularly scheduled meetings. |
|
Require no financial support from the sponsoring
Rotary club. |
|
|
|
|
|
Interactors carry out activities to |
|
Benefit schools and communities |
|
Expand international understanding |
|
|
|
|
Popular projects include: |
|
Fundraisers |
|
Blood drives |
|
Benefit concerts |
|
Clean-up campaigns |
|
Pen-pal exchanges |
|
Visits to nursing homes, orphanages, and
homeless shelters |
|
|
|
|
Form an Interact subcommittee. |
|
Identify the membership base. |
|
Hold informational and organizational meetings. |
|
Complete the Interact Club Organization List. |
|
Submit the list to Rotary International. |
|
|
|
|
Successful ways to provide guidance: |
|
Invite Interactors to Rotary club meetings. |
|
Create an annual Rotary-Interact service
project. |
|
Assist in production of a Interact club
bulletin. |
|
Help develop membership recruiting strategies. |
|
Establish a recognition program. |
|
Publicize activities to the community and the
Rotary world. |
|
|
|
|
|
The Interact board of directors is the
club’s governing body. It consists of the following elected officers: |
|
President |
|
Vice president |
|
Secretary |
|
Treasurer |
|
Other officers as needed |
|
|
|
|
|
The Interact club president appoints four
standing committees to effectively help carry out the club’s activities |
|
Club committee |
|
Finance committee |
|
Service committee |
|
International understanding committee |
|
|
|
|
|
District Interact chairs are appointed to
assist Rotary clubs as they administer, promote, publicize and oversee the
activities of Interact clubs. Interact activities at the district level
provide opportunities for |
|
Joint projects |
|
Training new club officers |
|
Sharing ideas for strengthening club service |
|
Promoting Interact extension into new areas |
|
|
|
|
Every year, Interactors and Rotarians
celebrate the charter of the first Interact club during the week of 5
November. Together they participate in a variety of activities to increase
Interact awareness in their communities. |
|
|
|
|
Interact clubs |
|
Allow Rotary’s new generations to be involved in
community life and develop skills to become responsible and productive
members of society |
|
Are one of the most significant and fastest
growing programs of Rotary service |
|
|
|
|
|
The following resources are available on the
RI Web site: |
|
Interact section |
|
Interact publications |
|
Interact staff |
|
Rotary E-Learning Center |
|
Notes
