Interact

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Interact

Interact is one of Rotary International’s nine structured programs designed to help clubs and districts achieve their service goals in their own communities and in communities abroad, fostering fellowship and goodwill in the process.

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What is Interact?

Interact is a service club for young people ages 12-18. Sponsored by local Rotary clubs, Interact clubs give young people an opportunity to participate in fun, meaningful service projects while developing leadership skills and meeting new friends.

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Interact Goals

• Develop leadership skills and personal integrity.• Demonstrate helpfulness and respect for others.• Understand the value of individual responsibility

and hard work.• Advance international understanding and goodwill.

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A Part of the Rotary FamilyInteractors and Rotarians are partners in service. Rotarians mentor promising youth in their communities. Interactors bring new energy to a Rotary club, inspire fresh ideas for service, increase support of projects, and help develop future Rotarians.

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Interact History

• Interact stands for international action.

• The first club was chartered in 1962 at Melbourne High School, FL, USA.

• Today there are more than 9,000 clubs in over 110 countries with an estimated membership of 200,000 youth worldwide.

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About Interact

• Sponsoring Rotary clubs provide support and guidance, but Interact clubs are self-governing and self-supporting.

• Club membership varies and can be single-gender or mixed-gender, large or small.

• Members are drawn from one school’s student body or from several schools in the community.

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Program Guidelines

Interact clubs are encouraged to• Be school-based or community-based.• Have a Rotarian adviser and a faculty adviser for

school-based clubs.• Meet at least twice a month. Interactors must attend

60% of regularly scheduled meetings.• Require no financial support from the sponsoring

Rotary club.

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Service Projects

Interactors carry out activities to• Benefit schools and communities • Expand international understanding

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Service Projects

Popular projects include:• Fundraisers• Blood drives• Benefit concerts • Clean-up campaigns • Pen-pal exchanges• Visits to nursing

homes, orphanages, and homeless shelters

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How to Organize a Club

1. Form an Interact subcommittee.

2. Identify the membership base.

3. Hold informational and organizational meetings.

4. Complete the Interact Club Organization List.

5. Submit the list to Rotary International.EXIT

Rotary Club Support

Successful ways to provide guidance:• Invite Interactors to Rotary club meetings.• Create an annual Rotary-Interact service project.• Assist in production of a Interact club bulletin.• Help develop membership recruiting strategies.• Establish a recognition program.• Publicize activities to the community and the

Rotary world.

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Interact Club Structure

The Interact board of directors is the club’s governing body. It consists of the following elected officers:• President• Vice president• Secretary• Treasurer• Other officers as needed

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Interact Club Committees

The Interact club president appoints four standing committees to effectively help carry out the club’s activities• Club committee• Finance committee• Service committee• International understanding committee

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District Structure

District Interact chairs are appointed to assist Rotary clubs as they administer, promote, publicize and oversee the activities of Interact clubs. Interact activities at the district level provide opportunities for• Joint projects• Training new club officers• Sharing ideas for strengthening club service • Promoting Interact extension into new areas

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World Interact Week

Every year, Interactors and Rotarians celebrate the charter of the first Interact club during the week of 5 November. Together they participate in a variety of activities to increase Interact awareness in their communities.

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Participate

Interact clubs• Allow Rotary’s new

generations to be involved in community life and develop skills to become responsible and productive members of society

• Are one of the most significant and fastest growing programs of Rotary service

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Resources

The following resources are available on the RI Web site:• Interact section• Interact publications• Interact staff• Rotary E-Learning Center

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