The Rotary Volunteers program is the embodiment of Rotary's motto Service Above Self. Rotarians are considered Rotary volunteers whenever they give their time and energy to provide a service to someone in need.
The program encourages Rotarians to become actively involved in hands-on projects in which their vocational skills are put to use. Rotary Volunteers provides opportunities for Rotarians and other skilled professionals to offer their services and expertise to local and international humanitarian projects in need of assistance.
The program is implemented through the Avenue of Vocational Service and functions on three different levels:
- At the club level, Rotarians perform service projects and commit to filling volunteer needs in their communities.
- At the district level, Rotarians participate in both district and club service projects that require help from others in the district.
- At the international level, Rotarians worldwide join together to work on a service project in another country.
Rotary Volunteers often are the key to successful Rotary projects. Read below how volunteers are making a difference.
- Dentists and doctors from around the world have served at Rotary-sponsored medical and dental clinics in Bangladesh, Brazil, Costa Rica, Guatemala, India, Jamaica, Kenya, and Thailand.
- French volunteers have treated leprosy victims in Madagascar.
- A theater arts director/teacher from the United States assisted in the implementation of a psychodrama program for the Psychological Assistance Center in Croatia.
- A Thai librarian traveled to Egypt to work on the revival of the ancient library of Alexandria.
- A Canadian livestock production manager provided advice to a commercial poultry farm in Ghana.
- A Brazilian dentist has made multiple trips to provide dental care to orphans and villagers of Mexico.
- A team of Indian Rotarians traveled to Western India during an earthquake aftermath and assisted the victims.
Volunteering Locally
Opportunities for volunteer service in your community are boundless. Rotarians around the world generously share their time and expertise to help implement service projects, sponsored by their own Rotary club or district, or by other organizations in their own communities. They also actively participate in individual service activities.
The vocational service or Rotary Volunteers chairs of Rotary clubs and districts often maintain registries of willing volunteers and the skills they offer. They also monitor the need for volunteers in the community. You can check with your club's service chair for volunteer opportunities, and you can also check with your local library for names of other service organizations in your area.
Below you'll find some service projects to implement in your community.
- Read to children at a local school.
- Mentor an at-risk teen.
- Provide childcare for parents attending literacy classes.
- Be a translator for newly arrived immigrants.
- Teach at a vocational training center.
- Volunteer at a local shelter or soup kitchen.
- Serve as a counselor at a drug rehabilitation or HIV/AIDS center.
- Participate in a neighborhood clean-up day.
- Provide transportation for senior citizens.
- Help establish a micro-credit project.
Looking for other way to volunteer? These clubs are looking for volunteers for the projects mentioned below:
There are no projects at this time.
Rotary International Volunteers web site
Rotary Volunteers International Site Database
Rotary Volunteers Database
Rotary Volunteer Service Grants
