Transcript Internationalizing” Your Rotary Club

Effective WCS Committee Management
Brent Olson
Effective WCS Committee Management
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Rotary Clubs vary significantly in how they
organize to pursue international activities and
international projects.
 Larger Clubs often have WCS or
international projects committees.
 Smaller Clubs may have only an
international service committee
 Smaller Clubs with little international activity
may have no international committees
GBOlson
1/12/06
Effective WCS Committee Management
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Strongly recommend that:
– all Clubs establish an active International
Committee, and
– in medium to larger club, create an WCS or
International Projects Committee
– Will be focus for international projects efforts.
– Source of support for your “internationalist”
– Contact point for other potential collaborators
– International advocate and promoter
GBOlson
1/12/06
Effective WCS Committee Management
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Club Bylaws or the Board should establish a
clear mission for the WCS (International
Projects) committee.
– Designated chair who is accountable to the
board or a board member.
– Expect regular periodic meetings
– Expect recommendations on proposed
projects to be reported to the board
– Expect the committee to promote international
activities and to educate the club on projects.
GBOlson
1/12/06
Effective WCS Committee Management
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Recruit Rotarians to the Committee and engage
them positively.
– Involve each Rotarian in a Project or a
Committee function - a “do-er” committee
– Keep committee members fully informed
– Recognize their efforts before the club’s
membership
– Educate them in the basics of Rotary and
Rotary international service practices
GBOlson
1/12/06
Effective WCS Committee Management
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Promote International Service and Projects
within the Club; Educate the Membership.
– Work with Program Committee to bring int’l
programs to the Membership; highlight club
projects or proposed projects
– Inform Members through Newsletters,Bulletins
or Meeting announcements of int’l projects.
– Publicize the projects in your newspaper
– Consider specific project fund-raising.
GBOlson
1/12/06
Effective WCS Committee Management
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Prioritize projects and determine appropriate
funding of projects.
– Committee may choose to define guidelines
for what types of international projects the
Club will focus on.
– Prioritization can be controversial, but the int’l
committee is likely better suited, and more
motivated than the board, to determine
priorities among int’l projects.
GBOlson
1/12/06
Effective WCS Committee Management
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Ensure that only well prepared project proposals
are presented to the board and membership with
– Clear project proposals – precise, limiting.
– Clear and accountable project management
– Clear written Project Plan - all bases covered.
– Provision for follow-up monitoring of projects
– Commitment to Project evaluation plan.
– Interesting reports to membership on projects
GBOlson
1/12/06
Effective WCS Committee Management
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International Project Guidelines
Should you club develop guidelines for the intl
projects which your club intends to support?
How rigorous should you adhere to guidelines?
Guidelines can focus the club’s discussion and
bring greater rigor to its allocation of funds.
However, poorly crafted guidelines can become
a straight-jacket for otherwise worthy and broadly
supported projects.
GBOlson
1/12/06
Effective WCS Committee Management
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Sample of Some Guidelines
Beneficiaries must be among the world’s most needy
Beneficiaries are unable to achieve the desired results on
their own.
Project must be cost effective with budget and records
made available for audit
Project does not duplicate ongoing projects
Project must involve more than one Rotarian from our
club if we have any management responsibilities
Rotarians from host country are directly involved, if there
is a Rotary club nearby
GBOlson
1/12/06
Effective WCS Committee Management
Some Other Considerations
To what extent do you wish to be pro-active, i.e. going out
and finding suitable projects, versus reactive, i.e.
responding to funding requests?
What level of involvement in your projects do you expect of
your Rotarians?
How much emphasis on “teaming” with Rotarians from other
countries? From other clubs?
What sort of publicity is needed to make your club members
and community proud of your international work?
GBOlson
1/12/06
Effective WCS Committee Management
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EXERCISE: Identify Best Practices for the
Management of a WCS or International
Committee.
Consult with your table mates, exchange ideas,
and list the most pertinent “best practices.”
GBOlson
1/12/06