Breakout Sessions

Breakout sessions offer an excellent chance for Rotarians and guests to share experiences, learn from others, and make new friends in the process.

Here you will be able to catch up with the latest developments and ask questions about specific programs and procedures.

If you’re looking for project ideas, strategies for strengthening your membership, or advice about fundraising, writing grant proposals, or learning what the fuss about Rotary’s  public image is all about, breakout sessions offer an excellent opportunity to learn from fellow Rotary members while sharing your own experiences.

The 30 minute breakout sessions currently are:

• Rotary and sustainability – an interactive discussion
• How to bring healing to a child through ROMAC
• How your club can change lives with RAWCS
• Engaging Women in Rotary – Top Tips
• How to attract tomorrow’s Rotarians and our next generation of Leaders
• The Concise A-Z of the Rotary Foundation
• Take a Stand – Stop Bullying

If you cannot attend a session, see the outcomes here.

Description of Breakout Sessions

The following statements of objectives are designed to assist your choice.  Where possible, clubs are encouraged to ensure they are represented in each breakout in order to gain best advantage for the club as a whole.

Rotary and sustainability – an interactive discussion

A brief outline will be presented of some key issues associated with the environmental issues we face today. Participants are invited to discuss and identify what part clubs can play in helping to raise awareness and to consider possible resolutions of these issues?

How to bring healing to a child through ROMAC

Come and be enthralled during the Breakout Session!  Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children (ROMAC) is your Project!

ROMAC’s objectives are to provide medical treatment for children from developing countries in the form of life saving and/or dignity restoring surgery not accessible to them in their home country.

ROMAC brings into Australia and New Zealand, on average, 27 children each year giving them an improved lifestyle.  Come to the ROMAC Breakout Session and learn how you can participate in bringing in a child for treatment!

How your club can change lives with RAWCS

Rotary Australia World Community Service Ltd (RAWCS) is the arm of Rotary International that assists Rotary Clubs to develop and manage international projects as part of their community service.

This is your opportunity to hear how RAWCS operates in 2014, discuss how this can assist your club’s objectives, and to ask questions of the panel.

Engaging Women in Rotary – Top Tips

In the 35 years since women have been eligible for Rotary membership, in Australia there are 7,049 female members out of a total 31,041. The worldwide perception still exists that women are not allowed or welcome in Rotary. Globally membership in Rotary is dropping. Rotary needs to grow and it needs to be relevant; diversity of thought and inclusivity is needed.  Join us for small group brainstorming on a range of issues, with the aim to compile “top tips” on recruiting and retaining women – not only in our district, but nationally and across borders! The findings will be incorporated into creative, strategic recommendations for club leaders.

How to attract tomorrow’s Rotarians and our next generation of Leaders

This breakout will cover:

• What the new Rotary is about
• How to attract tomorrow’s Rotarians and contemporary Leaders
• Practical tips on engaging current Members and new audiences (incl. local government and corporations)
• Details on the “Conversations to Actions” campaign including the current Rotary Ambassadors’ program
• Resources available to PR Directors and members.

The objectives of the session will be to show PR Directors how and why they and their clubs need to embrace and leverage the Conversations to Action program.

The Concise A-Z of the Rotary Foundation

An opportunity to learn about Rotary’s only charity- the Rotary Foundation.

Learn about different types of Foundation grants and other Foundation funded programs.  Be informed on the Foundation’s financial reports, and get to know the many ways in which Rotarians and partners can support the Rotary Foundation.

Partners are particularly welcome and there will be time for questions.

Take a Stand – Stop Bullying

For generations, society often considered bullying as an acceptable technique to toughen up a person. We were told to “be a man”, ignore it, don’t complain. We believed that only the weak, the fat, and nerds were bullied. It was an acceptable behaviour in our society.

We now know better and although it has taken many years and many destroyed lives, bullying is no longer an accepted norm; in fact, it is illegal.

This breakout session will explore what is bullying, and what is not bullying. It will touch on the new laws involving bullying in the workplace and bullying in schools. Bullying can also occur in voluntary organisations, such as Rotary.

We will explore types of bullying, signs of bullying, and why bullying occurs. Finally we will discuss your role and your obligations as a bystander.

Why it is important to you and to your club? Rotary’s aim is to build understanding and peace. Bullying destroys understanding and peace and can, in the extreme, promote violence and destruction of humanity.