The first Rotary club with 101% focus on Interact

Interact
Interact is one of Rotary International’s most successful programs worldwide. For more than 60 years, young people between the ages of 12 and 18 have been involved in Interact clubs and have made a valuable contribution to the community worldwide. Interact Clubs are also a wonderful opportunity for young people to learn social and socially relevant values and take on responsibility in an intimate community of their peers.

The goal
We would now like to promote this commitment more strongly in German-speaking countries by founding a Rotary Club that is all about Interact. From this Rotary Club, we want to inspire pupils, parents and teachers to found an Interact Club and support them with our experience in order to guarantee a sustainable club life.

The vision
Our name says it all: we want to reach 101 Interact Clubs in German-speaking countries. Given that the number of Interact Clubs has remained fairly constant for years at around 40, this is certainly an ambitious goal. However, in view of the enormous potential that Interact Clubs offer for young people on the one hand and for the general public on the other, it is also a goal that is worth working towards.

The challenge
What opportunities does this club offer Rotary that didn’t exist before? It is true that for years there have been repeated efforts at various levels to promote Interact and pave the way for young people to join Interact clubs. While this works wonderfully in some places and club life has been enormously successful, there are difficulties in other places when it is not possible to continuously welcome younger people back after older members have left.

The approach
The special thing about our approach is that by bringing together people with an Interact background from different areas of society in the Rotary Club Interact 101, an enormous wealth of knowledge and experience is created. This idea is also reflected in the number “101”, which is often used in the US education system to designate basic introductory courses. This is also our claim: “Rotary Club Interact 101” introduces the world of Interact as a sustainable constant and teaches the essential basics for founding a club and a sustainably successful club life.

This does not affect the existing initiatives at various levels that have already been established to support Interact. The Rotary Club Interact 101 strives for a fruitful cooperation with them, which further simplifies the transfer and preservation of information.

Club life
The club is organized as an e-club, meaning that club meetings are held via video platforms. However, there will certainly also be occasional face-to-face meetings. In addition to the Interact activities, there will also be room for many other ideas from the members. Although the club has a clear focus, it is also open to other opportunities to do good together. The members themselves will decide what this will be when the club is founded.

And you? Are you in?
The Rotary Club Interact 101 is open to all those who are interested in Rotary and would like to make a targeted commitment to Interact. Whether you are an Interact alumni, a member of Rotex, Rotaract* or Rotary* or even a complete “Rotary newcomer” – everyone is welcome.

Are you over 18 and want to join us? Then get in touch with us! We can hardly wait to hear the ideas of our future members. Because together we are strong.

*Are you already a member of a Rotaract or Rotary Club? No problem: In coordination with your club, a second membership with us is also possible.