May is Youth Service, formerly called New Generations, month when Rotary clubs worldwide focus on youth services - Rotaract, Interact, RYLA, and Youth Exchange.
Interact is a Rotary-sponsored service club comprised of 14–18-year-olds. Interact allows youngsters to participate in fun, meaningful service projects. Along the way, Interactors develop their leadership skills and initiative while meeting new friends. Members exchange ideas, opinions and plans with other talented, energetic people in an atmosphere free from negative pressures and distractions. Interact strives to promote student leadership and local volunteer service and make members aware of the many global world issues that affect people.
Our club has sponsored and supports the Interact Club of Unity Concord International School and the Interact Club of Chiang Mai International School.
Ultimately, students can:
Become acquainted with a premiere service organization (Rotary International) and proven leaders from communities throughout Rotary;
Learn how to manage and head community service projects;
Learn about other Rotary club programs, including Rotaract (a service club for young adults), Earlyact (a service club for primary school students), youth exchange (a chance to live and study abroad ) and RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards).
The word "Interact" stands for "international action" and today, there are more than 10,700 clubs in 109 countries.
Rotaract
Rotaract is a Rotary-sponsored service club for young people ages 18-30. Rotaract clubs are usually community or university-based and are sponsored by a local Rotary club, making them "partners in service" and key members of the Rotary family.
Young adults augment their knowledge and skill and address the physical and social needs of the community while promoting international understanding and peace through a framework of friendship and service. Rotaractors also often spearhead the formation of Interact clubs and participate in RYLA.
Rotaract is one of the fastest-growing programs of Rotary service, with more than 9,500 Rotaract Clubs with 291,000 members in 177 countries.
Rotaractors follow the motto "Fellowship through service".
Our CMIRC sponsors and supports the Rotaract Club of Payap University.
Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE)
Rotary Youth Exchange is an excellent and inexpensive way for high school-age students to travel and study abroad.
Youth exchange allows the participant to improve their language skills, and school and family experiences will teach them the culture of their host country. They also act as ambassadors for their home country. Each year the Rotary Districts that are part of CSRYE send approximately 300 young people to other countries and accept 300 young people from abroad in return.
Accepting a youth exchange student into your club, community, and household can be a rewarding experience. It is an opportunity for you, your family and your fellow Rotarians to learn about a different culture and also help a young person understand your culture. The Rotary Youth Exchange Program promotes international understanding, goodwill and peace at the person-to-person level.
Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA)
Each year thousands of young people take part in the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) programs worldwide. Young people are chosen for their leadership potential to attend a seminar, camp or workshop to discuss leadership skills and learn those skills through practice. RYLA aims to:
Demonstrate respect and concern for youth;
Provide training experience for selected youth and potential leaders;
Encourage leadership of youth by youth; and
Recognize publicly young people who are rendering service to their communities.
Started in Queensland, Australia, in 1959 and officially adopted by Rotary International in 1971, the RYLA program enables young people to debate issues of professional responsibility and human relations, improve leadership and communication skills, learn about businesses or institutions and meet Rotarians while having fun and making friends. For participants, RYLA provides the opportunity to refine skills and explore pertinent topics with peers and elders; for Rotarians, RYLA offers the chance to help develop leaders, share valuable expertise and bridge the gap between generations. RYLA can help strengthen and form Interact and Rotaract clubs. It can be used as a recruiting tool for youth exchange.