District 5020 Vocational Service

Bashir El-Khalafawi, Chair

Rotary Club of Parksville AM

250-752-1160

bashir@shaw.ca

Vocational Service

Vocational Service Is the second of Rotary’s Five Avenues of Service, encourages Rotarians to serve others through their professions and to practice high ethical standards.

Rotarians, as business leaders, share skills and expertise through their vocations and inspire others in the process. Observed each October, Vocational Service Month spotlights Rotary club projects related to this avenue, offering an opportunity for clubs and districts to use their professional skills in service projects.

Vocational Service

Vocational Service calls every Rotarian to:

Aspire to high ethical standards in their occupation;

Recognize the worthiness of all useful occupations, and;

Contribute their vocational talents to the problems and needs of society.

Vocational Classification

When professionals join a Rotary Club they have dual responsibility of:-

Representing their particular business or profession

Representing their vocation within the club

Exemplifying the ideals of Rotary within the workplace

Ethical Standards

One of the central goals of Vocational Service is to promote and advance Rotary’s high ethical standards.

Two useful tools Rotarians have to assess these standards are

The Four-Way Test and

The Declaration of Rotarians in Business and Professions.

THE FOUR-WAY TEST

Of the things we think say or do

1. Is it the truth?2. Is it fair to all concerned?3. Will it build goodwill and better friendships?4. Will it be beneficial to all

concerned?

DECLARATION OF ROTARIANS

Ethical Standards

1. Honest and explicit use of language.

2. Insisting on proper behaviour.3. Refusing to allow for gray

areas.

A 2009 article in Forbes Magazine on Leadership suggests that ethical business practices depend on three things: -

Ethical Standards

In modern business terms this can also mean:-

Communicate openly and honestly

Treat all people fairly and with dignity

Encourage the diversity of opinions

Recognise and reward achievements

Respect people and our community

Be accountable for our own actions

RI Strategic Plan

1. Support and strengthen clubs

2. Focus and increase humanitarian service

3. Enhance Rotary public image and awareness

Clubs should follow the RI Strategic Plan as the basis for developing their own plans. The strategic plan comprises three priorities, all of equal importance to Rotary's future: -

Vocational Service & RI Programs

Several of RI’s programs offer opportunities to exercise Vocational Service, including:

Rotary Volunteers: put your vocational talents to work on a service project

Rotary Fellowships: start or join a vocational fellowship group

RYLA: teach young people leadership skills

Rotary Friendship Exchange: conduct vocational exchanges with Rotarians in other parts of the world

Vocational Service Month

Every October, Rotarians are encouraged to focus their attention on Vocational Service

Vocational Service Month is an opportunity to begin year-long vocational service activities

It is a good idea to start by completing a “Community Needs Assessment”. Note; the best projects responds to real community needs

Vocational Service Projects

1. Post the Rotary Four-Way Test on prominent billboards about the town.

2. Display the Rotary Four-Way Test at your work place and tell colleagues of your commitment.

3. Have regular classification talks at Club meetings.

Individual Rotary Clubs can support the RI Strategic Plan by following any or all of these recommended project ideas:

Vocational Service Projects

4. Support the RYLA program with its special emphasis on ethics

5. Sponsor a youth essay contest on how they would apply the Rotary Four-Way Test

6. Include regular “place of employment visits” in your Club meeting programs

7. Encourage Club members to join and take leadership roles in Business Associations

8. Create a Vocational Award programs - “Most Courteous Business Persons” “Top Shop” or “Pride of Workmanship”

9. “Walk The Talk” by ensuring that your actions always demonstrate high ethical standards

Vocational Service Projects

Promote Rotary in the workplace

Your everyday interactions with colleagues offer some of the best opportunities to promote Rotary. Here are tips for spreading awareness of Rotary in your workplace: Share information about Rotary’s work in the community with your business associates. Have your club sponsor a career day for Rotarians to bring students to their places of business.

Display the Rotary Code of Conduct and The Four-Way Test in your office or workplace, and use them as conversation starters to tell your colleagues about Rotary’s commitment to business ethics and personal integrity.

Canadian vocational project seeks employment opportunities for the disabled

More than 180 people with disabilities have landed jobs because of a vocational service project initiated by Rotary districts in Ontario, Canada. Launched in 2008, Rotary at Work, in partnership with Community Living Ontario, teams up with local businesses and employment agencies to develop job opportunities for residents with disabilities. From coffee shops to banks to law firms, Rotarians are helping companies recognize the value of hiring people with physical or

mental impairments.

Vocational Service Resources

The following resources can be found by visiting www.rotary.org:

• Find general information on Vocational Service and the other Avenues of Service

• Download a promotional flyer for Vocational Service Month

• Subscribe to the free Vocational Service Update electronic newsletter (produced quarterly)

• Search for examples of successful vocational service projects, or add your own project to RI’s ProjectLINK database

RI Print Resources. An Introduction to Vocational Service (255-EN),http://www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_pdf/255en.pdf  Declaration of Rotarians in Businesses and Professions (200-EN) http://www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_pdf/200en.pdf

Vocational Service Month handout http://www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_pdf/voc_service_month_en.pdf

Vocational Service PowerPoint presentation http://www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_ppt/elearn_voc_service_en.ppt

Communities In Action: A Guide to Effective Service Projects (605A-EN) http://www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_pdf/605a_en.pdf

Community Assessment Tools (605C-EN) http://www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_pdf/605c_en.pdf

Vocational Service Resource Links. 

District 5020 Vocational Service Resources

DISTRICT 5020

District 5020 Vocational Service Resources

Vocational Service on Social Media

Vocational Service on Social Media

Vocational Service Committee

Vocational Service Support

District 5020 Vocational Service Chair Bashir El-Khalafawi North Vancouver Island VSC representative Ernie Rose Mid Vancouver Island VSC representative Bob Brown South Vancouver Island VSC representative Vacant North Washington State VSC representative vacant Mid Washington State VSC representative Vacant South Washington State VSC representative Vacant AG representative Vancouver Island Vacant AG representative Washington State Vacant

Or contact your Assistant Governor

District 5020Vocational Service Committee

THANK YOU