How to Start and Update Interact Clubs

 

How to start and update Interact clubs

If you have heard about Interact clubs and you would like to start one in your school, get a small group of students onboard and approach a Rotary Club in your community to request their help. Please see the steps below:
 
1. Find Your Sponsor & Advisors
  • Contact Rotary: Reach out to local Rotary clubs (use My Rotary Club Finder) to find one willing to sponsor you. The Rotary club will designate a Rotary Advisor, usually the Chair of the Youth Committee or someone from that committee who will guide you to start the Interact club and will be your contact person. The Rotary Advisor will attend meetings and will provide guidance and it may provide financial support for your Interact club expenses.
  • Get a Teacher Advisor: Identify a Teacher as Teacher Advisor as schools require that a staff member be present at your Interact meetings. Also, your Teacher Advisor will help you deal with administrative issues in the school.
 
2. Build Your Core Team & Recruit
  • Interest Meeting: Hold an information meeting, explain what Rotary and Interact are and get names of interested students.
  • Recruit Friends: Encourage initial members to bring friends to build momentum.
  • Aim for 15+ Members: A solid base helps with chartering and activities. 
 
3. Get Official & Set Up 
  • School/Community Approval: Get necessary approvals and a Faculty Advisor for school-based clubs. Your Rotary Advisor will guide you through the process to register your Interact club with Rotary International.
  • Adopt Constitution & Bylaws: Use Rotary's standard constitution and draft your own bylaws (subject to sponsor approval).
  • Elect Officers: Choose a President, VP, Secretary, Treasurer, Media & Communications and other roles.
Some Interact clubs have 2 co-Presidents. Think about the most effective composition of your Executive team.
 
4. Charter & Launch
  • Complete Paperwork: Fill out the Interact Club Organization List with member signatures.
  • Submit: Send forms to Rotary International (or your district) to get certified.
  • Organize an Induction: Hold a ceremony to induct members and present the charter. Your Rotary Advisor and Teacher Advisor will work with you to organize this ceremony. It is a very important moment and the District Governor usually attends to deliver the induction speech as well as the District Interact chair and Rotarians from your sponsor Rotary club.
  • Start Activities: Begin planning your community projects right away, even before the certificate arrives. Be realistic when planning activities and make sure that they are presented in a way that will spark the interest of your members to ensure they will get involved.
Find everything you need to start, grow, and sustain Interact clubs. (all of the links are in https://my.rotary.org/en/participate/programs/interact-clubs)
 
For new clubs
 
For existing clubs
 
Find governance documents