Interact Handbook: A Guide for Young Leaders

• This handbook aims to guide Rotarians, provide information to Rotarians and Interactors, define Interact committee roles, illustrate project development and highlight resources available from Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation

Introduction

• Interact is a Rotary-sponsored service club designed for young people aged 14-18 or of secondary-school age
• It offers a chance to engage in meaningful service projects within a fun environment
• Clubs must undertake a minimum of two projects annually, with focus on community service and international understanding
• Interactors develop leadership skills and initiative, as well as meet new friends along the way
• Interactors gain insights into leadership skills, integrity, helpfulness, respect, responsibility, and international goodwill
• Rotary International provides administrative support to help Interact clubs

Rotary Family

• Rotary International, boasting 29,000 clubs and over 1.2 million members, is a global service organization for leaders in business and professions
• Interact clubs, while self-governing, receive guidance and support from a sponsoring Rotary club
• Rotary focuses on engaging young people, referred to as “New Generations,” in community service and leadership development.

History

• RI President Harold T. Thomas discovered the need to develop youth service in 1959-60
• A committee was appointed in 1960 to address it
• The first Interact club was formed in 1962 with 23 students from Melbourne High School in Florida, USA.
• Interact, meaning international action, today has over more than 150,000 young people participate in 6,500 clubs in about 100 countries

Guidelines for Sponsoring Rotary Clubs

• To start an Interact club, the Community Service committee of a Rotary club needs to form a subcommittee (minimum 5 members)
• Designate an advisor for the new club
• The subcommittee should consult with the district Interact chairperson (a Rotarian appointed by the district governor) on Interact club operations
• The subcommittee should study sponsorship requirements which are part of the Standard Interact Club Constitution (Appendix B).
• After understanding the sponsorship requirements, they should give a presentation to the Rotary club highlighting Rotarians' essential involvement and the awards of sponsoring young people.
• After Rotary board approval, the club will decide if it is to be community-based or school-based
• The Rotarian advisor must attend all meetings for community-based, whereas advisor only attends board meetings for school-based
• Most Interact clubs are school-based.

Joint Sponsorship

• Multiple Rotary clubs can sponsor an Interact club with the district governor's approval in writing
• A significant portion of Interact club members must be within each sponsoring club's territorial limits
• Separate Interact clubs would create an artificial division of young adults within the school or community
• Create a joint Interact committee with representation of each sponsoring Rotary club

Recruiting Perspective Interactors

• Encourage Rotary club members each submit an Interactor's name
• Ask teachers and youth leaders to submit names of potential members
• Contact all prospective Interactors to determine their interest in joining
• Prospective Interactors to provide the names of other young people who might want to join.

Informational meeting

• The informational meeting must have at least 30 young people identified
• The Interact subcommittee, the Rotary club president, and the district Interact chairperson should attend the meeting
• Invite Interactors from nearby clubs

Meeting Agenda

• Provide a background of Rotary and its commitment to young people.
• Present the policies and goals of Interact, as well as some recent Interact service projects.
• Show the video "Serious Fun" (650).
• Give the prospective Interactors plenty of time to ask questions and share their ideas for projects for the new club.
• Take a vote at the end of the meeting
• Membership application forms need to be passed out schedule an organizational meeting for a time in the next two weeks.

Organizational Meeting

• Keep the enthusiasm high by holding the meetings no more than two weeks apart
• Keep a record of names and phone numbers of those who attend to invite them to future meetings, and encourage them to invite friends.

Areas to discuss

• Elect a president, a vice-president, a secretary, a treasurer, and other officials along with an overview of the officials' responsibilities
• Include an equal amount of students from each grade level
• Discuss and establish annual club dues
• Determine where and when the club meetings will be held
• Preliminary planning for service activities, fund-raising events, and the inaugural ceremony.
• Members familiarize with the Statement of Policy Relating to Interact, the Standard Interact Club Constitution, and the Standard Interact Club By-Laws.

Club Chartering

• When the prospective Interact club is organized, apply for official RI certification
• Follow the Interact Statement of Policy
• First, adopt the Standard Interact Club Constitution (Appendix B) and its amendments and bylaws per Rotary International policy
• The Rotary club sponsoring it must first approve these bylaws
• Then the Interact Club Organization List (Appendix F) is to be filled out listing all charter members who will commit to coming
• The organization list must then be signed by the sponsoring Rotary club president and the district governor and sent to RI World Headquarters
• After Interact club certification, sponsoring Rotary club will receive a certificate that can be presented to the newly formed Interact club.

Ceremonies

• Chartering of an Interact club is exciting

Inaugural Ceremony

• Welcome Interactors as partners in Rotary service
• There is no set format although you may want to invite the district such as the district governor, district Interact chairperson, and district Interact representative to help found the Interact club in the district

Installation Ceremony

• This ceremony recognizes club officers as the club's leadership for the year
• An installation ceremony thanks the past officers for the hard work and greets new officers
• This event involves inviting the incoming president and officers of the sponsoring Rotary club to get acquainted with the new Interact club officers

Provide On-Going Support

• Sponsor Rotary club support and provide lasting bonds between the clubs
• Invite Interact club reports at Rotary club meetings
• Create an annual Rotary/Interact service project
• Explain how to produce a club bulletin to Interactors
• Strategies for recruiting are to be developed by the Interact club, with help
• Establish a recognition program for Interactor achievements and publicize it and achievements to the community and to the Rotary world
• Provide Information re: other Rotary programs and invite the Interact president and secretary to meet during the governor's official visit to the club

Role of a Rotarian Advisor

• The Rotarian advisor attends all meetings for Community-based clubs and only attends board meetings of school-based
• Responsibilities include acting as a liaison and counseling on projects

Faculty Advisor

• Oversees activities of the Interact club and stays in contact with admin and advisor

Responsibilities

• They will attend club meetings, advising on service projects, monitors flow of funds, and ensures academic requirements are being met by members

Sponsor Annual Meeting

• Interact Committee hosts the meeting at the beginning of the school year or at the beginning of the Rotary year for community-based clubs
• The meeting involves Interact club members, sponsor Rotary club president, interested members, and the following topics: meeting programs, meeting procedures, attendance, completed/ongoing Projects ,and publicity.

Club insurance

• Clubs should assess related liability issues and seek appropriate insurance even if under a group as they contact their carrier and ask about provisions that allow adding an Interact club to already existing coverage

Guidelines for Interact Club Officers

• Under instruction from of the president, members plan service, projects and social events reviewed by the board of directors
• The board of directors consists of the club officers plus additional determined by the club's size, this board is the government unit of and they meet at least once a month
• Every board meeting must be attended by A Rotarian club Advisor who must be giving report of all actions taken
• All board members must be of standing membership and are only able to speak when given permission

Responsibilities of the Board of Officers

• Presides over and appoints committees subject to the boards approval such that as club leader also develops talents and puts then to tasks in club projects

Before the President Takes Office

• Study RI Statement of Policy, Constitution By-Laws and meets w/ current President to go over current status.
• Meet w/ new board to go over the activity planning and decides which committees to be retain or made
• Appoint Committee Chairs according to talent and Interact Experience(Appendix J) which will then be discussed what choice will make them more effective

While in Office The President

• Prepares detailed agenda for the meetings
• Pays attention to Membership such there is an even amount of age
• To also be creative for the meetings

Vice President Responsibilities

• Presides over the committee's goals and activities especially when the President is away where he/she must keep up-to-date activities

The Club Secretary

• Keeps records in necessary to be eligibly to vote (Appendix I), also needs to maintain paperwork (Appendix J), records of attendance (Appendix G), Dues (Appendix H)
• Prepares the Interac Incoming Officer Data Form (Appendix K) and the Interact Project Data Form (Appendix L) which submits to Rotary Internations

Preparing the Minutes

• What what was said at the meeting
• Actions taken
• Kind of meeting
• Date /time for the meeting
• Attendance of the meetings

Treasures

• works with the Secretary in managing finances and must know how to handle the budget, by preparing money month
• money at beginning and end of the month as receipts need to be source
• Payments show to whom
• Club and must be part of the permanent Record

Other Board Inclusion

• must become familiar with all RI regulations related

Club Committees

• Includes Club committees, Finance committees, service committees, and international understanding such as a "club historical" record.
• President Appoints members with Board approval
• The president can appoint members to club depending on the size but all need to be involved with administrative tasks related to the approval

Financial Responsibilities

• Club will figure it's financing with low dues, as remain self-sufficient with interactions
• Find ways to solicit with value recognition in return
• Services to serve the school or community as well as internationally

Strong lead Committee

• Should always give everyone A Job
• Make sure familiar with documentation for The Board and goals
• Notify members in writing /agenda and schedule
• Keep them Short and concise, but don't have unnecessary paperwork

Holding productives meetings

• should be help twice a month suitable with the school schedule
• Give pledges to the members so president introduces gets secretary Treasure and committee members
• Have programs with tanks to support with any adjournment

Recruiting and Retain Members

• When recruiting new members, seek out those with special interests and abilities who would be enthusiastic about the social and service opportunities
• The video "Serious Fun (650) poster, with 600 other brochures

Retations

• Maintain balance between male female if co-education and get Feedback on the meetings

Developing a Strong Service

• Clubs conduct services such as community and international.

School and Community Projects

• Focus on your efforts of which will include what the the school/community needs or other services/interact clubs
• What fits within your budget.

School Community Projects

• Which will include collecting book for books, libraries, raising awareness, participate cleanup up, and holidays

Internal Projects

• It involves the exchange between the members from interact

Three ways to connect clubs

• Interact correspondence Exchange Last in list of contact members who change with
  • contact District Interact Chair's personal
  • Search home

Holding a fundraiser

• Make sure you set goals draw upon with all members to reach promotion as action

Maintaining Communication

• To also increase awareness of the event
• Forms to send for the R.I.
• Incoming officer and project data

Club Wide

• Should be on the worldwide to be contacted, with information in detail

District Interact Structure

• The district Interact chairperson is appointed by the district governor to administer the Interact program districtwide
• Offer assistance to Rotary
• publicizes the program and and coordinates opportunities for Interact club officers and others
• Election of one Interact who will act as representatives
• They also help encourage to broaden service programs and involving interacts to to help projects.

Promoting Rotary Clubs

• To promote the Rotary By Club be speaking at the club with plenty assistance from materials that are available with first hands' benefit
• The district interact is responsible to providing new income and district are they are elect place no later
• There is also should take sessions for each group
• Make sure there is resource.

How to Sponsor Events

• All interactors must be invited to the district meetings or the government
• To help share of all act and promote
• By interact self can also keep by by minimum
• It also helps a government governor to use the governor and helps
• All the actual activities and accomplishes the news to keep people informed

Monthly and Weekly goals

• The status is going be help the community
• The name is are is there a directory in District to provide a submission schedule article and election for community
• Review from clubs are that are and update the is outstanding for projects week with new for joint projects as Interact must to help support or is the importance important. Is a plan to be is to remind begin a processes all.
• Complete with that demonstration the growth
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