Rotary Fifth Avenue of Service

Rotary Fifth Avenue of Service - By. PDG Rodolfo C. Balmater

Rotary’s philosophy hinges on teaching and encouraging each professional the true meaning of DOING SERVICE TO HUMANITY in order to promote peace, understanding and goodwill among men. 

In more than 5 decades, Rotary has defined the four avenues of services such as (1) Club Service----undertaking activities to ensure the long –term existence of the Rotary Club (2) Community Service----undertaking activities to help & improve the less fortunate members of the community (3) International Service ----undertaking activities with overseas Rotary Clubs and (4) Vocational Service ---undertaking activities to enhance the skills & competencies of the people in the neighboring community. We are certain that many Rotarians do enjoy and find excitement in performing the above services . This means the each Rotarian has given his personal time, efforts & money to deliver the above services without any expectations of rewards or recognition. Rotarian’s rewards are described as inner satisfaction & peace to himself that he has given his service for the good of many without expecting recognition.

Starting this Rotary year 2010-11, Rotarians are now challenged to carry out the fifth avenue of service---now known as NEW GENERATION SERVICE which frankly speaking nothing new but elevated to a new height of recognition & awareness similar in emphasis as previously described above on the 4 avenues of service. Indeed, “it is a significant change -----a historic day in Rotary”. This avenue of New Generations recognizes the positive change implemented by youth & young adults involved in leadership development activities even though they were never part of the four avenues of service. This move strengthens the Rotarians commitment on the youth development.

Some of the Rotary programs involving the youth development are briefly described below:

ROTARY YOUTH LEADERSHIP AWARDS (RYLA)

RYLA is Rotary’s leadership training program for young people. RYLA participants can be ages 14-30 but most clubs and districts choose to focus on a narrower age range, such as 14-18 or 19-30.

RYLA emphasizes leadership, citizenship, & personal growth and aims to:

(a) Demonstrate Rotary’s respect and concern for youth

(b) Provide an effective training experience for selected youth & potential leaders

(c) Encourage leadership of youth by youth

(d) Recognize publicly young people who are rendering service to their communities

ROTARY YOUTH EXCHANGE

Under this program, the youth (sponsored by Rotary Club) will spend up to a year living with a few host families and attending school in a different country. More than 8,000 young people each year have experiences like these Rotary youth Exchange. In particular, young Indonesians ( around 15 to 20 ) are sponsored by Rotary Clubs to go South American Countries like Brazil, Argentina, etc. These Indonesians learn to speak Portugese, Spanish & English languages.

Participating in Youth Exchange Program, young Indonesians learn new way of living, a great deal about themselves, and maybe even a new language. These young Indonesians become ambassadors, teaching people they meet about Indonesian culture and ideas. Bringing the world closer----make some good friends in the process

ROTARACT

Rotaract is a Rotary-sponsored service club for young men & women ages 18 to 30. Rotaract Clubs are either community or university based and they are sponsored by a local Rotary Club. This effort makes young Indonesians “PARTNERS IN SERVICE” and key members of the family of Rotary.

Today, Rotaract reaches 7,000 clubs in about 163 countries and has become a worldwide phenomenom------most significant & fastest growing service programs.

All Rotaract efforts begin at the local, grassroots level, with members addressing their communities’ physical and social needs while promoting international understanding & peace through a framework of friendship & service.

Rotaractors are doing these services:

(a) Assist in organizing interact clubs or mentor interactors

(b) Participate in RYLA

(c) Become Rotary Foundation Ambassador Scholars or Group Study Exchange team members

(d) Seek membership in their local Rotary club

INTERACT

M\embers in Interact ages 12 to 18 and these Interact Clubs are sponsored by individual Rotary Clubs which provide support & guidance, but they are self-governing and self-supporting. Club membership can be single gender or mixed large or small. They can draw from the student body of a single school or from two or more schools in the same community.

Each year, Interact Clubs complete at least two community service projects, one which furthers international understanding & goodwill. Interactors develop a network of friendship with local & overseas clubs and learn the importance of 

(a) Developing leadership skills & personal integrity

(b) Demonstrating helpfulness & respect for others

(c) Understanding the value of individual responsibility and hard work

(d) Advancing international understanding & goodwill.

Today, Interact Clubs reach 10,700 in 109 countries and with 200,000 young people involved.

Rotarians must be proud to be involved on the NEW GENERATION SERVICE because these are the seeds of the future growth of Rotary. Teaching the young generations on the value of DOING SERVICE TO HUMANITY at their young tender age will certainly promote greater peace & understanding among men. Rotarians are lucky because the above youth programs have been in existence in the family of Rotary. These involvement are our strengths or assets and therefore every Rotarian must put his hands in NEW GENERATION SERVICE activities