Professional Development
Professional Development involves learning more about ourselves and how the world we know operates, and developing skills to assist us achieve our full potential. We sometimes invite guest speakers to our meetings, and hold seminars and workshops to increase our knowledge of professions or to improve or learn new skills that will assist in starting and furthering careers.
There are opportunities to put your leadership, communication, and organisational skills into practise at a club, district, and even international level, by practising public speaking in a supportive environment at meetings, participating in or chairing a committee, project or event, facilitating seminars or camps, or taking on a Director or Executive role.
As part of professional development, we sometimes take tours of different businesses, to learn more about them. Our most recent tour was of the Perth Mint.
Training Seminars
The Rotary network provides us with access to many key business leaders who are willing to share with us their expertise and advice. For example, Midland Rotarian Hank De Smit, an ACTION Business Coach, very kindly presented an invaluable half day seminar to us on Sales and Marketing.
We also strongly encourage our club members to attend the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards ("RYLA") camp, held every year for a week in January, to develop leadership skills and to learn more about your strengths and weaknesses. Some of our members have been invited back to serve as a facilitators on RYLA, which offers another avenue for club members to put their skills into practice. Our club members have also faciliated at the Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment ("RYPEN") camp for 14 to 17 year olds.
Formal training seminars are also held at a District level for the incoming Club Boards to learn about their roles and acting in a leadership position, and incoming District Rotaract Representatives have the opportunity to attend Australia-wide training each April. Formal training seminars are also offered at a variety of international Rotaract conferences, such as the annual Asia Pacific Regional Rotaract Conference and Rotaract Preconvention, and the tri-yearly Interota.
Public Speaking
Rotaract provides numerous opportunities to develop your public speaking skills, whether it involves gaining confidence to speak in front of your club, to giving presentations in front of Rotary dignitaries at large gathering such as Conferences, Institutes, or Conventions!
Club members can start practising their public speaking skills by presenting a "bio-spot" at a club meeting - a short, 5 minute talk about a topic they know best - themselves! Club Directors also get the opportunity to speak when they present updates about their portfolios at every meeting, and there are many oppotunities to speak at a variety of Rotaract and Rotary functions.
For those who choose to become active at an international level, opportunities exist to be selected to speak as a panelist, be a workshop leader, or serve as a sargeant-at-arms or findings committee member at the many conferences that take place around the world.
Last updated on Monday 30th of June 2008 by Ian Ball © copyright 2000 - 2009 Rotaract Club of South Perth
Rotaract is a non-profit, non-political, non-religious international professional development and volunteer service organisation of students and young professionals aged between 18 and 30. The Rotaract Club of South Perth, District 9470, Western Australia, is sponsored by the Rotary Club of South Perth-Burswood. ~~ May Peace Prevail on Earth! ~~
