Rotaract

Rotaract is a service club for young men and women ages 18 to 30 who are dedicated to community and international service. Its membership totals over 184,000 in more than 8,000 clubs worldwide. Rotaract clubs are self-governing and self-supporting and can be either university- or community-based. Individual Rotary clubs sponsor Rotaract clubs and offer guidance and support, making the Rotaract clubs true “partners in service” and key members of the family of Rotary. [Click here](https://www.rotary6900.org/club/admin?type_id=2) for a list of active Rotaract Clubs in District 6900.

How To Start A Rotaract Club in 3 Steps

Deciding to sponsor a Rotaract club is the beginning of a rewarding journey for your Rotary club. Follow these three steps to get started.

Step 1: Do your research

Form a Rotaract committee to determine if your club is interested in sponsoring a Rotaract club, and if it is prepared for the responsibilities of becoming a sponsor club. Also, review the needs of the community and its young adults. Your district Rotaract chair and district Rotaract representative can offer advice and suggestions.

Step 2: Identify potential Rotaractors

Potential members are all around you! Brainstorm with your club to develop as wide a membership pool as possible. Consider

  • Current and former Rotary Youth Exchange students, Interactors, and RYLA participants, and Rotary Foundation alumni
  • Sons, daughters, and other family members of Rotarians * Employees and interns who work with Rotarians
  • Participants in young adult programs at community centers, places of worship, health clubs, and other public venues
  • Students in universities, colleges, and continuing education programs
  • Members of nonprofit organizations, professional associations, and social networking sites For a university-based club, ask the person who has volunteered to be its faulty adviser to suggest possible club members.

Step 3: Invite prospective members to an informational meeting

After you’ve identified at least 15 potential members, invite them to a meeting to learn more about Rotaract. In addition to prospective Rotaractors, you’ll want to invite

  • Rotaract committee members
  • Your sponsor Rotary club president
  • District Rotaract chair and district Rotaract representative
  • Faculty adviser (for a university-based club)
  • Rotaractors from nearby clubs who can share their experiences and answer questions

At the meeting:

  • Briefly discuss Rotary and Rotaract’s history and shared commitment to service.
  • Distribute copies of Rotary Basics and show a video from the RI website or Rotary Video Magazine collections.
  • Explain Rotaract’s policies and goals. Describe successful service projects to show how Rotaract clubs make a difference locally and globally (see chapter 3).
  • Highlight how Rotaractors can work on service projects with young adults in other parts of the world.
  • Get potential members excited about Rotaract by asking them to suggest club projects.
  • Distribute copies of the Rotaract Promotional Card and encourage prospective Rotaractors to invite their friends to join.
  • Make time for questions.

At the end of the meeting:

  • Take a vote to see if you have enough interest and commitment to establish a Rotaract club. A minimum of 15 charter members is recommended.
  • Set a date for the first organizational meeting.

From here, the club’s progress is largely in the hands of the new Rotaractors, but your guidance is still valuable. Read on to understand what happens in a Rotaract club after the initial organizing