Posted on January 9, 2018by rotary service
By Rotary Service and Engagement Staff
Vocational Service calls on us to empower others by using our unique skills and expertise to address community needs and help others discover new professional opportunities and interests. January is Rotary’s Vocational Service Month, a great time to leverage vocational service in your club projects and activities.
Here are five ways you can incorporate vocational service in your club activities:
- Host a club meeting at your work place and share about your profession; take time to learn about fellow members’ occupations.
- Use your skills and expertise to serve a community.
- Practice your profession with integrity, and inspire others to behave ethically through your words and actions.
- Work with local businesses to create mentorship, internship, or practicum opportunities to help young people achieve their career goals.
- Guide and encourage others in their professional development.
Below are some examples of clubs taking action around the world:
Members from the Rotary Club of Melbourne Park in Australia come from a variety of vocational backgrounds. Not only do they utilize their skills within the club, but they also have something to offer to a wider audience. They started the ‘Rotary Skillshare’ series with their Past President Jason Reynolds, who owns a financial advisory business and offered to conduct a series of presentations designed to help club members make smart choices when confronted with financial decisions. The club hopes to continue the series, highlighting a different club member’s profession to learn from their expertise.
The Rotary Club of Kakuri-Kaduna in Nigeria organized a career guidance and entrepreneur workshop for students from their local secondary school. Students were surveyed beforehand for insight on their future career goals. Various speakers from different walks of life met with students to discuss their future plans.
The Front Royal Rotary Club in the United States partners with the local Chamber of Commerce to put together an ethics workshop for high school seniors in which they have presented seven ethical dilemmas and have to determine the best route to solve each of issue.
The Rotary Club of Bangalore Vijayanagar in India started a vocational training center offering computer training and tailored classes to help low income and unemployed men and women gain skills to become independent and self-sufficient.