Page 5 - 2020-07-Rotary-on-the-Move-Newsletter-Zone-8

‘WILL CORONAVIRUS CHANGE HOW WE DO ROTARY?’

Article by ARC PDG Brian Coffey

When the Coronavirus hit, Rotary International put the health and safety of all members to the fore,
quickly recommending that Districts and Clubs cancel or postpone their meetings and events and meet
virtually. To most of us ‘virtual meetings’ was a new world.

Rotary clubs everywhere wrestled with the question, ‘How do we maintain membership engagement during the
pandemic?’

We will soon know if the support worked. Rotary leaders identified the need for a strong and significant online
presence in the absence of ‘in person’ meetings, as well as information on hosting virtual club meetings in the
‘Learning Center’ supplemented by several other ideas offered to clubs to maintain regular communication with
members – particularly vulnerable Rotarians in our Clubs, District or Zone.

Forced isolation and self-quarantine, highlighted the need to stay connected with others in our community for our
mental wellbeing.

All reports are that our members largely accepted the change and virtual meetings have been a success. Virtual
Conferences, Conventions, Changeovers, Training and Institutes are now on the radar. Some of the evolution from
the virus includes:
Hybrid Clubs: offer the flexibility of a combination of meetings including face to face, virtual, social and a project
based activity – the variety may be more appealing, and the cost of attending meetings, a major deterrent to some
members, will surely decrease.
Training: Many Districts are busy creating innovative online District Training Assembly programs. The Rotary
International Learning Center catalogue has an extensive list of courses, covering all aspects of Rotary positions,
disciplines, projects and initiatives that you can learn by subject, job or even develop your life skills in an easy to
connect format, in your own time.
Projects: ALL international travel by RAWCS Project Volunteer Teams was immediately and remains suspended
until further notice in line with the legislative requirements and advice of the Government. Despite this, our
Rotarians came up with some revolutionary ways to reach out with service projects and taking action in their
communities to help those in need.
Fundraising: All charities are going to be stretched with lots of fundraising events and opportunities cancelled.
The Rotary Foundation and local communities will take a big hit.
Volunteer Safety: it is crucial to ensure volunteers are equipped with everything they need to stay safe and
healthy during this crisis. The vulnerable or ill should be excused. Those assisting need to be provided with Safety
Supplies outlined by your local government including masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer.

Membership: Clubs should have strategies to support members to stay on, including financial support if needed.
The drought, bushfires and COVID-19 pandemic have shown heartening solidarity in volunteering - something each
District should look at for the opportunity of maintaining as the threat lessens. The huge group of volunteers have
a sense of solidarity from joining others in working towards a common purpose. These volunteers felt comfort,
increased confidence and self-esteem, satisfaction, connectivity, and learned new skills. There is a sizable,
potentially untapped, set of individuals who played critical roles, for us to draw on.
Marketing and Promotion: Share your Clubs good news stories and keep people and members informed when
you plan to resume in a ‘normal’, or perhaps the hybrid format – new opportunities are open.

‘LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT COURSES IN ROTARY’S LEARNING CENTRE’

From Rotary South Pacific and Philippines Office, Regional Bulletin May 2020

As Rotary clubs continue to explore ways to offer unique and interesting development opportunities to their members,
we are happy to share new online courses that members can access to enhance their presentation skills. As part of Rotary’s
alliance with Toastmasters, the first two courses in our new leadership and communication series are now available in the
Learning Center:
• Develop a speech — Learn how to organize a speech that leaves a lasting impression on your audience.
• Deliver a speech — Explore and practice the effect your voice and body language can have when giving a speech.
These courses were developed by Toastmasters International. They include assignments to help you put your new skills
into practice and peer evaluations to help you grow through collaboration. Watch this video to learn more and share with
district and club leaders to use during a club meeting or for personal and professional development.

Rotary on the Move July 2020 Page 5