ROTARY E-CLUBS – 15 QUESTIONS IN 15 MINUTES A message from Paul Harris The Rotarian Magazine – 1945 "I would like to think that the pioneering days of Rotary have only just begun. There are just as many new things to be done as ever there were. Kaleidoscopic changes are taking place, many of them without our will. Even to hang on to the fringe of this fast-changing world is about all most of us can do. Rotary simply must continue to pioneer or be left in the rear of progress.“

ROTARY E-CLUBS – 15 QUESTIONS IN 15 MINUTES THE 15 MOST COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS ANSWERED IN THE NEXT 15 MINUTES

Q 1: What was the e-club proof of concept pilot? RI chartered 14 Rotary e-clubs to test the concept of web-based clubs in a pilot study that concluded on 30 June 2010. The Rotary e-clubs were encouraged to experiment and test ideas. About half the Rotary e-clubs in the pilot were highly successful, others achieved moderate success, and two failed. The successful Rotary e-clubs used technology purely as an enabler, nothing more. Their focus was on service and fellowship, just like any traditional Rotary club. The Rotary e-clubs that failed, focused on technology and gave lower priority to service and fellowship. WARNING: A Rotary e-club dominated by computer geeks will fail.

Q 2: What is the purpose of Rotary e-clubs? FIVE KEY GOALS: Use the Internet to retain Rotarians who would otherwise be lost to Rotary Use the Internet to attract new Rotarians Use the Internet to facilitate meetings Use the Internet to manage service projects Use the Internet for fellowship by creating a friendly community of like-minded Rotarians

Q 3: Why Rotary e-club and not Rotary cyber club? In 2004, the Board of Rotary eClub One submitted a proposal to the Board of RI recommending that the descriptor "cyber club" be abandoned in favor of "eClub". The proposal was based on the premise that Rotary, as an international NGO, should follow the established naming protocol of the United Nations - eGovernment, eTrade, eCommerce, eBanking, eHealth etc. The Board of RI endorsed this proposal and issued a directive that online Rotary clubs must no longer be referred to as "cyber-clubs".

Q 4: Are Rotary e-clubs only virtual Rotary clubs? Rotary e-clubs are comprised of real living, breathing, working Rotarians doing real Rotary projects, while using the Internet as a tool to manage the club and manage projects. Use of the word "virtual" in the Rotary context is deemed to be negative, because Rotary works in the real world, not in the virtual world. A Rotary e-club is part of the real world.

Q 5: How can a Rotary e-club retain Rotarians? For many Rotarians, a change in personal circumstances precludes participation in a traditional Rotary club, and they must leave Rotary. Now, these members can meet their Rotary service and attendance obligations anywhere, anytime, despite busy travel schedules, ongoing business demands, or physical limitations.

Q 6: What is a pure Rotary e-club? A pure Rotary e-club conducts 100% of its Rotary business on the Internet. Typically, members have one face-to-face dinner meeting per year, usually at the RI Convention. Members are likely to come from a wide geographic area which may be global. Rotary service is undertaken in the community where a member lives, or groups of members collaborate and work together as teams on service projects in needy communities where no member resides. Rotary E-Club One is a good example of a pure Rotary e-club.

Q 7: What is a hybrid Rotary e-club? A hybrid Rotary e-club conducts most of its Rotary business on the Internet, but meets face-to-face once a month for a dinner meeting. A hybrid Rotary e-club is a good option when all the members live within a relatively compact geographic area that enables them to travel to the monthly face-to-face meeting. Rotary service projects are undertaken within the geographic area and beyond. Rotary E-Club of 3310 Singapore is a good example of a hybrid Rotary e-club.

Q 8: In the context of hybrid clubs, what are teams? Some Rotary Districts, that are large in geographic size, are exploring the idea of having teams within a hybrid Rotary e-club, each team coordinated by a "team captain" reporting to the club's Board. A District could encourage several teams within the Rotary e-club. The purpose of teams is not to divide the Rotary e-club, but to create cohesive sub-groups containing members who are no more than two-hours drive from each other. This can allow them to participate more effectively as groups in local community service projects within their part of the District, while engaging with the entire Rotary e-club via the Internet.

Q 9: What leadership model works best? The optimal composition of the Board of a new Rotary e-club in its first year of operation is 100% Rotarians or former Rotarians. The Rotary e-clubs proof of concept pilot study revealed that e-clubs that filled Board positions in the first year with people who had no former Rotary experience, were more likely to lose the ethos of Rotary and encounter serious operational problems caused by a lack of understanding of Rotary's mission and values. NOTE: Rotary e-clubs that were dominated by computer geeks failed to perform as effective service clubs.

Q 10: What are the technical requirements? Secure clubhouse Collaboration software VoIP communications (Skype)

Q 11: How secure is a Rotary e-club website? Internet security is of paramount importance. We must protect our members and their immediate families from identity theft and other fraudulent activity that could threaten their privacy, their security, or their personal safety. A typical Rotary e-club has a public website for visitors and make-up attendance, and a separate members’ clubhouse that is closed to visitors. Personal details of each member, and a member's immediate family, are stored in the clubhouse which also contains the club's Board minutes, financial reports, service project administration, and discussion forums for every member to access and read. Information is stored in a secure database protected by AES 256-bit encryption security. NOTE - Many countries have stringent privacy laws in relation to the collection, use, disclosure, security and access to personal information.

Q 12: Does the clubhouse create a “secret” club? Of course not. The clubhouse offers every member 24/7 access to Board meeting minutes, financial reports, committee meeting minutes, Rotary service reports, project plans, discussion forums, weekly meeting notes and every other aspect of club management and operations. The District Governor and the Assistant District Governor each have a "key to the clubhouse door" with their own user name and password for access any time they choose. Most traditional Rotary clubs do not invite this level of scrutiny by the DG.

Q 13: How are members encouraged to participate? The meetings of traditional Rotary clubs must offer high quality programs (speakers), service projects for which members share a passion, interesting interactive forums and enjoyable fellowship between members. The clubhouse of a Rotary e-club must offer exactly the same high quality content to maintain members' interest and encourage regular attendance. Members of Rotary e-clubs are expected to visit their online clubhouse at least once a week.

Q 14: Can a Rotary e-club deliver effective service? In Rotary eClub One, every member is required to contribute a minimum of 13 hours personal Rotary service per quarter. Failure to meet this minimum service requirement means loss of membership. NOTE: This is a membership requirement of Rotary E-Club One. It is not a rule of Rotary International. A Presidential Citation for exemplary service is our minimum club achievement goal each year. Rotary eClub One has been in the top 10 clubs in District 5450 for per capita contributions to The Rotary Foundation every year since receiving its Charter on 4 January 2002. Total TRF giving to date: US$100,893.91

Q 15: Where can I get more information? A Rotary e-club is a valuable and finite asset, limited to a maximum of two per Rotary District. This asset must be established and managed with care. Establish a District committee to investigate options and ask members to: Visit WWW.ROTARYECLUBS.COM and read the FAQs section Register on the website for information updates and news alerts Follow the website link to the ROTARY E-CLUBS FACEBOOK GROUP Join the group to access more information and ask questions Send specific questions to rotaryeclubs@gmail.com FINAL REMINDER: Do not put computer geeks in charge.

A SERVICE PROJECT OF ROTARY E-CLUB ONE OF DISTRICT 5450 WWW.ROTARYECLUBS.COM A SERVICE PROJECT OF ROTARY E-CLUB ONE OF DISTRICT 5450