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Joining Rotaract

Hopefully if you have come this far, you are at least a little interested in becoming a member of the Rotaract Club of South Perth.

If you aren't quite convinced that Rotaract is for you, hopefully the information in this section will make that decision a little easier. If you are looking to join our Rotaract club, you can find out how: who can join, what the meetings involve, what it costs to join, how to apply to become a member, how long the whole process takes, and more.

If you can't find an answer to your questions here, please contact us.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why join Rotaract? What does it offer?

Rotaract is a worldwide organization, with around 8,000 clubs in 140 different countries. There are many things Rotaract has to offer. In a nutshell some of the main things you can expect to gain from becoming a Rotaractor include:

Primarily, we offer you the opportunity to learn more about yourself, the community, and the world in general, in a safe, supportive, friendly environment. We also offer you the opportunity to contribute something back to society through a range of community and humanitarian projects, while helping you develop your leadership skills, plus there are monthly social activities with other like-minded people.

Who can join Rotaract?

Membership is open to all men and women aged between 18 and 29. There is no restriction on race, gender, vocation, religion, political beliefs, etc. Rotaract is a truly non-sectarian service organisation that welcomes everyone.

We are a professional organisation that is accountable for every cent we raise, so we need to make sure our members are responsible citizens of good-standing in the community. The vast majority of our members are students and young professionals.

We are happy for 17 year olds to check us out with a view to joining once you turn 18. We are unable to accept anyone for membership over 30 years of age; we recommend you instead look up your local Rotary club.

What does it cost to join Rotaract?

The cost differs from club to club, district to district. Given that many members are students, clubs always try to keep fees and costs to a minimum.

In Western Australia, it generally doesn't cost you anything to attend a Rotaract meeting, unless you choose to take part in a raffle (if one is held).

There are typically 3 fees that a Rotaract member is asked to pay:

Joining Fee

This once-off fee is used to cover the cost of items which are given to you when you are inducted as a member. Standard items issued to you when you are inducted are a:

Other items you may receive upon your induction include:

At South Perth, we ask that you pay a once-off joining fee of $50 when you lodge your application for membership. This fee is non-refundable and covers your first year of membership plus items such as your badges and a club tshirt.

Club Membership Fee

All money we raise from the community is spent back in the community, so the running costs of the club are met by yearly membership fees. This money is used to produce & post bulletins and flyers, subsidise the joining fee, purchase gifts for guest speakers, to provide special badges and files for the club Board members to fulfill their roles, meet any publicity costs, etc. We sometimes hold a raffle in our club meeting to help keep our membership fee to a minimum.

South Perth's yearly membership fee is $25.

District Fee

The district fee covers district administration, including the District newsletter, and publicity of Rotaract at a state level.

The district fee in District 9470 is A$15.

How do I start getting involved?

The first thing to do is find a Rotaract club that suits you. It is a good idea to try out a few different clubs to get a feel for what they are like, since each club runs their meetings differently, and they might have different areas they focus on and different interests. If you don't like a particular club, try a different one. Don't let a bad experience with one club put you off trying out other clubs!

If you would like to try out the Rotaract Club of South Perth, have a look at where we meet.

If there aren't any Rotaract clubs in your local community, talk to your local Rotary club and see if they are interested in chartering a new Rotaract club.

Once you have found a club you like, you need to attend at least 3 of their club ("general") meetings and participate in one project before you can be considered for membership. That way, you can see what you think of the club and what they do, and they can get to know you and see how well you fit into the club.

What can I expect at a Rotaract meeting?

Every Rotaract club runs their meetings a little differently.

Hopefully you should find a warm, friendly group of people at a meeting that will last from half an hour to an hour and a half or so. The meeting may or may not have a guest speaker, and will largely comprise of an "information exchange" session where you can find out what is going on, and perhaps some small events, such as a social activity may be organised.

The meeting may involve a raffle, and some clubs may go out for a drink at a pub or cafe after the meeting, so you may want to bring a small amount of money. It is also a good idea to bring along a pen and your diary, though there should be a club newsletter available at the meeting with details about the events that are coming up and some contact details of key club members.

How do I apply to become a member?

After you have been to a few meetings, someone in the club - either the President, Membership Officer, or Secretary - will ask you if you are interested in becoming a member and will give you a membership application form. You need to return your completed form along with your joining fee to be considered for membership.

Does filling in the membership form guarantee that I will become a member?

No, it does not.

If you indicate on your form that you are not willing to attend 60% of the club's activities, or that you are not willing to pay membership fees, you will not be inducted as a member.

The membership form indicates your willingness to become a member; the club Board then determines if they think you will fit in with the rest of the club. This is not so we can be elitist or snobby - we just want to minimise conflict. This doesn't mean that if you are very shy or very outgoing compared to the rest of the club that we won't make you a member... we like to have a good variety of people in the club! What we do not want is people who exhibit very anti-social behaviour (being very domineering, very agressive, or very selfish).

Generally, if you are given a Membership form at a meeting of the Rotaract Club of South Perth, or you have not been asked to not come back, it is unlikely that the Board will reject your application!

How long will it take for me to become a member?

The length of time generally depends on you.

You should be given a membership form as soon as you are eligible to be considered for membership (ie are between 18 and 29, have attended 3 meetings no more than a month apart and taken part in a community project.

After you return the membership form, the application will be considered at the next Board meeting (held monthly). If accepted, we will order a badge and tshirt for you. We will induct you at the next meeting that you are present at after we have received your badge.

Do I need to be a member to take part in the activities?

No, you do not.

However, if you attend meetings and projects regularly, you should become a member. It is not fair to the other members who have paid their membership fees to have someone freeloading. The more full members we have, the more we can keep our costs down.

If you cannot make the 60% attendance requirement to become a member, but would still like to be involved, please discuss your situation with the club. We may be able to make you an Honorary Member or a "Friend of Rotaract", depending on the circumstances.

Do I need to attend every meeting and project?

No, you do not.

You need to maintain 60% attendance of meetings in order to remain a member of Rotaract, that is, you do need to attend at least one Rotaract activity each month. If you can't make it to something, we ask that you please let us know so that we don't hold up the start of the meeting waiting for your arrival.

Your attendance figure can be boosted by "performing a make up". That is, if you can't attend a club meeting, you can "make it up" by attending one of the following activities in the 2 weeks either side of the meeting you miss:

If you know you will not be able to attend meetings for a long period of time, such as if you become quite ill, very busy with your work or studies, or are going to be away for a while, just let us know.

None of the projects or events are compulsory, so you don't have to participate if you don't want to or are busy... but they are the core of what Rotaract is about, not the meetings! You will not make the most of your time in Rotaract if you only attend the club meetings.

What happens after I am inducted as a member?

That's when all the fun begins! Attend the meetings, meet new friends, help out with the projects, go to the social events, develop your leadership skills... what you get out of Rotaract is only limited by what you put into it. If there is something in particular that you would like to achieve during your time in Rotaract, let us know! The activities we do depend on what our members' interests are, and that includes you!

You do need to be aware though that in order to remain a member of your chosen club, you need to pay the district & club fees every year, and maintain at least 60% attendance as described above.

If you decide that you no longer wish to be a member of the club, please let us know - don't just stop turning up. You should formally resign in writing.

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! ~~
Inducting a new member into the club
What We Offer
How Do I Join?
  • Attend 3 meetings & 1 project
  • Complete a membership form
  • Pay the joining fees
Jay and Maya at the 2004 Curtin Open Day