By 2025, 75% of workers will be millennials. They cannot be ignored. Similarly, youth leaders in Rotary cannot be ignored.For several years, the Board, Trustees, committees, Rotarians, and Rotaractors around the world have been discussing how to elevate Rotaract and recognize Rotaract clubs as Rotary clubs’ partners in service.
Overwhelmingly, Rotary International acknowledged that Rotaract was more than just a program and Rotaractors wanted more flexibility, more products and services, and more recognition from Rotary for the amazing work they’re doing in their clubs, districts, and multi-districts.
Hence, in 2019, Rotaract was finally elevated into a membership type alongside Rotary clubs while retaining Rotaract’s unique identity, culture and member benefits. Rotary International recognizes that in order to grow Rotary, it needs to grow and support Rotaract because Rotaract is Rotary’s pipeline for future members and leaders.
Past Pilipinas Rotaract MDIO Chair Louie De Real, a dual member (Rotaractor and Rotarian at the same time) of the Rotary Club of San Francisco Del Monte (RC SFDM) and the Rotaract Club of San Francisco Del Monte Malaya Achievers (RAC SFDM MA) was one of the panelists during the Rotary Philippines’ Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Townhall conducted last November 24, 2022 to kick-off Rotary International President Jennifer Jones’ visit in the country.
Louie has already been a Rotaractor for 12 years and a Rotarian for 3 years. One of the factors that motivated Louie to become an active member of Rotaract and eventually transition as member of Rotary is the exemplary relationship between RAC SFDMMA and RC SFDM. Even before Rotaract was elevated in 2019, RAC and RC SFDM have already been working as close partners where Rotaractors and Rotarians can join and contribute in each of the club’s activities, do joint meetings, strategic planning sessions, projects, and even mentor each other.
Being exposed in different parts of the Asia Pacific region, Louie believes that the biggest challenge of the Elevate Rotaract movement is still the lack of perception shift among Rotarians, where they see value in Rotaract and believe that their Rotary experience will become even better as a result of collaborating with Rotaractors.
Some Rotarians thought that Rotaractors are now their competitors but we got to realize that Rotaract’s greater participation in Rotary operations would result in more personal and organizational value – innovation, more hands working together, more welcoming culture especially for millennials and GenZs, and training future leaders.
I think to further reap the fruits of Elevate Rotaract, we have to leverage all opportunities to have joint events, training and projects at the club, district, and multi-district levels. As a Rotaractor turned Rotarian myself, I realized that almost all that we would want to achieve in our clubs and in our communities are the same. We can maximize our differing perspectives, networks and resources to learn together and increase our impact. It may even help in saving overall costs.
Rotarians must also be active in providing mentoring, moral and other non-financial support. I think what matters more is building good relationships with our Rotaractors because that is key to increasing engagement. As I have observed, those Rotaract Clubs who are excelling at the regional level are those who have strong relationships with their sponsor Rotary Clubs. They leverage on the relationship to learn and be better at what they do.
Lastly, we have to build the foundations for the seamless transition of Rotaractors into Rotary. Rotaract is unique on its own as a membership type but eventually Rotaractors who already enjoyed and exhausted their journey in Rotaract would eventually think to become Rotarian. Rotarians need to become more welcoming, offering flexibility options, adjusting the way they operate.
Rotaractors would definitely stay longer in the organization if their experience and satisfaction is growing as they age here. We have to position Rotary as a good-stepping stone for them. Rotary can definitely offer more to Rotaractors in terms of personal, leadership and professional growth when they become Rotarians because that is what is personally happening to me and to other Rotaractors turned Rotarians who are now active in Rotary.
