Rotaract, Rotary International's service club program for young adults ages 18-30, was officially inaugurated during January 1968 under RI President Luther Hodges. On 13 March 1968, the Rotaract Club of the University of North Carolina, sponsored by the Rotary Club of North Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, was the first Rotaract club to receive its official charter. Although this club is recognized as the first Rotaract club, Rotarians have been sponsoring similar organizations for young adults since the early 1920s.

The earliest known predecessors to Rotaract, Twenty-Thirty clubs, were first sponsored by the Rotary Club of Sacramento, California, USA. The clubs were based on the principles and goals of their sponsoring Rotary clubs, and membership was open to young professionals and university students. The first meeting of a Twenty-Thirty club was held on 19 December 1922. At one point, the movement claimed as many as 125 clubs under the sponsorship of California Rotary clubs, and published a monthly magazine.

In 1927, Round Table clubs were founded in Great Britain and Ireland. Membership in Round Table clubs was open to young men ages 18 to 40, and by 1935, there more than 90 Round Table clubs existed. In November 1930, the first Apex club was formed in Geelong, Australia. Apex clubs grew rapidly, expanding to more than 20 clubs in just a few years. These clubs were sponsored by Rotary clubs, and were open to professionals and students between the ages of 18 and 35.

Similar Rotary club-sponsored groups continued to spring up simultaneously and independently around the globe. Unisserve clubs in India, Orbis clubs in South America, Rotors clubs in South Africa, Paul Harris Circles in Europe, and Quadrant clubs in the United States are some of the best-known examples. Eventually, these clubs would provide the base for the future growth of Rotaract as the clubs adopted new names under the Rotaract program.

Perhaps the greatest impetus for the creation of the Rotaract program came from Rotary's youth service club for secondary school students, Interact clubs. Established in 1962, the Interact program enjoyed immediate success. However, since membership was only open to students in secondary schools, graduated Interactors and Rotarians were soon looking for ways to extend their relationship. Several proposals were brought before the RI Board of Directors to allow membership in Interact clubs to extend for a few years after graduation. Instead of extending the age requirements for Interact, the Board decided to study the feasibility of creating a new service club program for young adults at the university and young professional level.

The decision to adopt the Rotaract program came at a time when student protests worldwide were of growing concern to Rotarians. The Rotaract program was adopted not only as means of keeping former Interactors within the Rotary family, but as a means of channeling the energies of young adults into positive activities that could benefit their communities.

A special committee was convened to design the new service club program for young adults during 1966. After polling students at the University of Houston, Texas, USA, the committee decided that "Rotaract" would be the best name for the program — a combination of the words "Rotary" and "action." Coincidentally, the service club at the University of North Carolina had already adopted the name in 1966, but they coined it as a combination of the names "Rotary" and "Interact." The committee also decided that young women should be allowed to join on equal standing with male members at the discretion of the sponsoring Rotary club.

Within a day of the certification of the Rotaract Club of the University of North Carolina, the Rotaract Club of the University of La Salle was chartered in Tacubaya, Mexico. The Rotaract Clubs of Florence, Italy, Gaston College, North Carolina, and Secunderabad, India, were all certified in the following weeks. The young adults' clubs that had already existed in many regions fueled the rapid growth of Rotaract for the first few years.

By 1981, Rotaract was so popular that Rotaractors in South Africa decided to host the first INTEROTA conference, an international meeting for all Rotaractors. Subsequent conferences have been held every three years. To date, INTEROTA conferences have been hosted by Rotaractors in South Africa, Australia, England, Turkey, Mexico, and Brazil. The next conference is set for Munich, Germany, in 2005. International meetings for Rotaractors are also held every year at the Rotaract Preconvention Meeting that precedes Rotary's annual convention. The first such meeting was held in Seoul, Korea, in 1989, with more than 450 Rotaractors in attendance.

Several developments in the early 1990s helped strengthen the Rotaract movement. In February 1991, the first Rotaract club in Eastern Europe was chartered in Budapest, Hungary, with the help of Austrian Rotaractors. Ties with Eastern Europe were further strengthened when the same Austrian Rotaractors helped charter the Rotaract Club of Prague in what was then Czechoslovakia later in 1991. In March 1992, the RI Board established World Rotaract Week, which is celebrated annually during the week of 13 March to commemorate the chartering of the first Rotaract club. During World Rotaract Week, Rotaractors attend meetings with their sponsoring Rotary clubs, undertake joint service projects, and speak with clubs that do not sponsor Rotaract clubs about the benefits of the program.

Since 1968, Rotaractors have continually shown that they can be an innovative and positive force for change in their communities. Service activities commonly undertaken include projects to improve the environment, visits with the elderly or disabled, blood or organ donation campaigns, and aid to developing countries. One example of the ingenuity employed by Rotaractors is a project undertaken by the Rotaract Clubs of Heemstede and Hillegom-Lissee, the Netherlands, in 1987. In order to raise funds for PolioPlus, Rotaractors from the two clubs designed an amphibious cycle that would cross the English Channel under the power of 36 Rotaractors. The campaign raised US$210,000 for PolioPlus and earned the Rotaractors a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for their speedy crossing.

Today, Rotaract continues to experience phenomenal growth. There are currently more than 7,600 Rotaract clubs in more than 158 countries, with an estimated membership of more than 176,000 Rotaractors. As the program continues to grow, Rotaractors repeatedly show that they are prepared for "Fellowship Through Service."

 

Frequently Asked Questions How can I join a Rotaract club? Begin by contacting a nearby Rotaract or Rotary club to find meeting location, dates, and times. If you can't find information for local clubs, contact RI staff, or look in local or college campus directories. Several Rotaract clubs also maintain their own Web sites — search for Rotaract sites that have registered with Rotary International. How do I start a new Rotaract club? Contact your local Rotary club and discuss your ideas with the club president or club community service or youth committees. Because Rotaract clubs rely on the continued sponsorship and support of Rotary clubs, it is important for everyone to have a firm understanding of the commitment involved. Review the RI Rotaract publications with the sponsoring Rotary club. You also may consider contacting other Rotaract clubs and their sponsoring Rotary clubs to learn what makes them successful. Rotarians also should invite Rotaractors to attend a Rotary club meeting and/or have them make a presentation during a weekly meeting. Once the Rotary club's board has agreed to sponsor a Rotaract club, you can forge ahead with membership recruitment, meetings, and projects. Remember, the structure of a Rotaract club mirrors that of a Rotary club, so use your sponsoring Rotary club as a resource for answering your "how do we do this?" questions. They have expertise to share. When your Rotaract club is ready, complete the Rotaract Club Organization List form so Rotary International can officially charter your club. Why should our Rotary club sponsor a Rotaract club? Organizing a Rotaract club is one of the most rewarding community activities a Rotary club can undertake. The Rotaract program gives Rotarians the opportunity to mentor dynamic young men and women who want to provide service in their local and global communities. Rotarians also will serve as resources for Rotaractors who will become tomorrow's parents, business professionals, and community leaders. In turn, a Rotaract club can bring new energy to a Rotary club, inspire fresh ideas for service, increase support to projects, and spread knowledge of Rotary to other sectors of the community. Rotaractors, with the experience they gain through this Rotary program, make exceptional future Rotarians. What exactly does a Rotaract club do? Rotaract clubs organize a variety of projects and activities, depending on the interests of the club members. However, three main areas of focus include professional development, leadership development, and service projects (both locally and internationally). Together, these areas ensure clubs have a balanced service program while providing opportunities for the personal development. It is important to remember that Rotaract, like Rotary, is diverse, and each club acquires unique qualities, depending where in the world it is established. Is there a difference between community-based and university-based Rotaract clubs? Although both approaches to Rotaract club organization have proven successful in various parts of the world, there are some key differences. You may wish to speak with Rotarians involved with each type of program to learn which type has been successful for them and why. Also, consider the interests of members and your community's potential. Typically, community-based clubs are open to all members of the community who are between the ages of 18-30. They can be "young professionals" or a combination of students and professionals. It is important for a Rotarian or a committee of Rotarians to serve as the liaison between the clubs. University-based clubs are sponsored in conjunction with a local college or university. The Rotary club should work within the school's regulations regarding student organizations and extra-curricular activities. The club may need a faculty adviser, but a Rotarian liaison also is important. If there is a Rotarian on the faculty, staff, or board of a local college, that person often makes a good adviser. Can we sponsor a group of 14-18 year olds to become Rotaractors? No, but you should consider sponsoring an Interact club, Rotary's program for secondary-school students. Can two Rotary clubs sponsor one Rotaract club? Yes, a Rotaract club can be organized and sponsored jointly by more than one Rotary club under the following conditions: The district governor approves the joint sponsorship in writing; The circumstances must be such that the organization of separate Rotaract clubs, each sponsored by a single Rotary club, would create an artificial division of what is essentially a single body of young adults in the community or university; A joint Rotaract committee is formed with members of each sponsoring Rotary club; and Each member of the Rotaract club agrees to adhere to the constitution and bylaws of the club. Where do we find young people to join Rotaract? Young adults aged 18-30 are everywhere. First consider finding potential Rotaractors at local community colleges, universities and technical training schools. Sons, daughters, or other family members of Rotarians, employees and interns of Rotarians, former Interactors, Youth Exchange participants, Ambassadorial Scholars, Group Study Exchange alumni, and RYLA participants also are perfect candidates. Lastly, consider the young people you know from local places of worship, community centers, and fitness clubs. What policies does our Rotaract club need to follow? The Rotaract Statement of Policy and Standard Rotaract Constitution and By-laws, created by the RI Board of Directors, include details on membership, club leadership and organization, fees and dues, and Rotaract activities at the district, multidistrict, and international levels. These guidelines have been adopted to give all Rotaract clubs a uniform structure. It is the responsibility of the Rotaract and sponsoring Rotary club to ensure that the policies are met. Beyond the RI policies, each Rotaract club is self-governing and self-supporting, working with the sponsoring Rotary club as needed. How do we make our Rotaract club "official?" Once a Rotaract club has achieved a strong membership base, it must apply for a charter from Rotary International. Fill out the Rotaract Club Organization List (with contact information and the signatures of the sponsoring Rotary club president and the district governor) and send, along with the equivalent of a US$50 chartering fee, to RI World Headquarters or the RI Service Center in your area. After the information has been received at Rotary International, an official charter certificate will be mailed to the president of the sponsoring Rotary club. Consider planning a special ceremony or celebration to present the charter certificate to the Rotaract club. What support do Rotaract clubs receive from Rotary International? Once the Rotaract club is chartered, it is entered into Rotary International's member database. Then, the Rotaract club and its sponsoring Rotary club will begin receiving Rotaract updates and the Worldwide Rotaract Directory. Rotary International also provides a number of useful online resources. The highlight of the Rotaract year is the annual Rotaract Preconvention Meeting, which is held prior to the RI Convention. RI staff, in conjunction with the RI Rotaract Committee, plans an exciting program, giving Rotaractors and Rotarians from around the world the opportunity to join together, share ideas and discuss issues. How can our Rotaract club make contacts within our Rotary district and beyond? Within each Rotary district, district governors may appoint a district Rotaract chair (a Rotarian). Rotaract clubs may elect a district Rotaract representative. Chairs and representatives are responsible for promoting the program, facilitating communication, and disseminating information among all Rotaract and sponsoring Rotary clubs. Begin by contacting your chair and representative for more information about Rotaract activities planned for your district. Making contacts with Rotaract clubs outside of your district can begin in a variety of ways, but one place to start is by using the Worldwide Rotaract Directory, distributed each August by Rotary International. Each active, chartered Rotaract club receives a copy by mail. To find contact information for your district Rotaract chairperson or district Rotaract representative, request a directory, or find out about Rotaract in a specific place, contact RI staff. What is an MDIO? An MDIO, or Multidistrict Information Organization, is a group of Rotaract districts that function as a regional administrative center. Coordinated by Rotaractors and approved by the RI Board, MDIOs disseminate information or facilitate communication between Rotaract clubs in the participating districts. Over the last 10 years, Rotaract MDIOs have been a driving force in enhancing communication and promoting Rotaract awareness and growth in many regions of the world. How can I become a member of the RI Rotaract Committee? Rotaractors interested in serving on the RI Rotaract Committee should have a Rotarian write to the RI president-elect recommending him or her as a worthy candidate. All committee appointments are made at the discretion of the president-elect. Can past Rotaractors become Rotarians? Absolutely. Rotary clubs are encouraged to view former Rotaractors as potential Rotarians and to periodically review Rotaract club membership to look for possible candidates. Also, Rotaract clubs are encouraged to develop a list of club members who may potentially fulfill a Rotary classification. Clubs also should maintain a list of past and present members, noting their particular interest in Rotary service projects. These lists should be shared with the sponsoring Rotary club.