Rotary Community Corps ... in NZ communities?

A Rotary Community Corps (RCC) is a group of non-Rotarian men and women who share Rotary’s values and commitment to service. With the guidance and support of their sponsor Rotary clubs, RCCs plan and implement projects that address issues affecting their communities such as health, literacy, safety, employment, and the environment. They may also help support Rotary club service efforts. Currently there are more than 7,000 Community Corps in over 80 countries.

Across the six New Zealand-based districts there is at present only one RCC … within District 9940. Within District 9920 (the southern half of Auckland, New Zealand and 7 Pacific Island nations), there is interest by several clubs in establishing RCC in Auckland, particularly the Pacific Island communities, and in the Pacific.  There is a target for this Rotary year of one in Auckland and one in the Pacific Islands.

The major goals of the Rotary Community Corps programs are to:

·         To encourage individuals to take responsibility for the improvement of their community

·         To mobilise self help activities and collective work to improve the quality of life

More specifically in Auckland, examples of the sort of things Rotary-RCCs can do include: 

1.      Linking with South Auckland Pacific Island community leaders on community support

2.      Environmental projects, clean ups, planting/ weeding – developing from existing interest groups

3.      Teen parent education support

4.      Homeless support network

5.      Empowering low income with budgeting and options

6.      Engage businesses to contribute to Pacific disaster aid (eg. Emergency Response Kits - ERKS)

And the examples based on Pacific needs would be even longer.

RCCs empower community members to initiate and implement their own service projects and facilitate collaboration between Rotarians and non-Rotarians in their community development endeavors. RCCs can flourish anywhere in the world where Rotary exists.

This is its main strength as it encourages Rotary clubs to get involved with real & substantial community issues. People who only want to help in specific areas can join with likeminded others and have the backing of a Rotary Club – and possible grant opportunities.

There are other ancillary benefits in that this would also be a tool to engage more people with Rotary to assist small & struggling clubs.   Many clubs have ad hoc helpers who come and go but few have a well organised system for including non-Rotarians and the structure surrounding RCC would create this providing an almost unlimited opportunity for non-Rotarians to be associated with Rotary through service.  With their exposure and growing understanding of Rotary, some RCC members may wish to join Rotary.

The concept seems to be one where the use of Social Media may be a powerful support tool.

The District 9920 development of RCC is being overseen by Roger Harvey, District 9920 WCS Committee (Contact for Rotarians:  Click Here)

 

Link for more information:  http://www.rotary.org/en/serviceandfellowship/collaborate/rcc/pages/ridefault.aspx

There is a discussion around this new initiative on the District 9920 LinkedIn page that those with comments can join - all contributions welcome.