Rotary International in Ireland District 1160 District Governor s Newsletter October 2011 Vocational Service Month My Fellow Rotarians, Greetings to you all in this the fourth month of the Rotary year. We had the great privilege to formally welcome the Rotary club of Ballycastle to our family this month and to acknowledge the Service Above Self work of Rotarian Tony McMinn who was justly rewarded by being made the first honorary member of the Rotary club of Ballycastle. I hope that you are all having a meaningful experience as a Rotarian and in any office you may be holding this year as you focus on giving service to others. October is Vocational Services Month. Our Vocational Service Chairman Eamonn O Raghallaigh says that Vocational Service is what makes Rotary unique it is the foundation of all Rotary. Vocational Service is one of five avenues through which we as Rotarians give service to others; the other avenues being Club Service, Community Service, International Service and New Generations Service. You may recall that we focused in the September newsletter on New Generations Servicer. Through the avenue of Vocational Service, Rotarians are expected to: Adhere to and promote high ethical standards in all their business dealings Recognise the worthiness of all useful occupations and Contribute their professional expertise and skills to address societal problems and needs It is a given, that, as Rotarians we will engage with others and conduct all our business dealings in an ethical manner; this is one of the key things that identifies us as a community whose ethos is the service of others. We also bring an inordinate amount of Vocational skill, experience and ability with us from our various occupations and from our life s experience. It is incumbent on us to use this experience, acumen and ability to serve others. In addition, as people with expertise we have a great opportunity to support younger people and younger Rotarians to prosper in their respective occupations and in life in general and to place this expertise at the disposal of our communities. The 2010 Rotary International Manual of Procedure (Reference Manual for Rotary Leaders) http://www.rotary.org/ridocuments/en_pdf/035en_full.pdf provides useful information at Chapter 7 on Vocational Service. The Manual An Introduction to Vocational Service is available at http://www.rotary.org/ridocuments/en_pdf/255en.pdf and is a very useful reference guide to all Rotarians and Rotary clubs. If we are to be successful in our collective endeavours we must be successful as a collective. This is achieved through our Rotary club, the fundamental functioning unit of Rotary service. For each of our Rotary clubs to be successful i.e. effective in giving service to others we must be active and effective in each of the Five Avenues of Service, Club Service, Community
Service, Vocational Service, International Service and New Generations Service. Each Rotary club should have objectives set in each of the Avenues of Service and all Rotarians should be encouraged to be involved and have an opportunity to be involved. All of the members of the District Team are at your disposal to help and advise on Vocational Service and particularly Eamonn O Raghallaigh, the Vocational Service Chair. Your Assistant Governor will also help and support you in your important service work. I am including Eamonn s Vocational Service document with this newsletter for your ease of reference; it is a very useful and focused piece of work. I am conscious as I write of the economic climate we are living in and that many of our number and our communities are experience great stress. We must be conscious of this as we engage in our service to others. I wish you, as always, the very best and hope that the Rotary year to date is providing a meaningful experience and that you will have great success for the rest of the year and beyond. P. G. Callaghan (Barney) District Governor Patrick G. (Barney) Callaghan District Governor 5 The Forge, Raheen, Co. Limerick e: barney@rotary.ie t: +353 (0)61 303 179 (h) m: +353 (0) 87 256 9595
Eamonn O Raghallaigh District 1160 Vocational Services Chair 2011-2012 VOCATIONAL SERVICE In recent years, Vocational Service has become the poor relation in respect of Rotary activities within District 1160 as a result of the integration of that element of service with Community activities. Following the decision for 2011-2012 to acknowledge Vocational Service as a separate Chair, it is hoped that a clearer focus can now be brought to this important aspect of our ability to provide Service in our community. Vocational Service is what makes Rotary unique it is the foundation of all Rotary. Membership of Rotary is based on a member s profession or vocation with each club striving to create a microcosm of its community s business and professional world. This unique feature provides the source for Rotary s historic commitment to Vocational Service, the second of Rotary s five Avenues of Service. Through Vocational Service, Rotarians are expected to (a) (b) (c) adhere to and promote high ethical standards in all their business dealings; recognise the worthiness of all useful occupations; and contribute their professional expertise and skills to address societal problems and needs. Each club should develop projects which allow members to use their business and professional skills. Members are expected to contribute to these projects and to conduct their own business dealings at all times in accordance with Rotary principles. The Rotary motto is Service above Self and promotion of Vocational Service will enable us to get away from being cheque-book Rotarians and to use our vocational and professional skills and, more importantly, our time to make a contribution to the well-being of the society in which we live and work. Historically, Rotarians have promoted the practice of high ethical standards as part of their commitment to Vocational Service. Two tools, developed by Rotarians the Four Way Test and the Declaration of Rotarians in Business and Professions provide a road-map for practicing ethical behaviour in the workplace and other areas of life. The Four Way Test: The Four Way Test was conceived in 1932 by Herbert Taylor, a member of the Rotary Club of Chicago who served as President of Rotary International in 1954 1955.
Having been assigned the task of saving a company from bankruptcy, Taylor developed the test as an ethical guide to follow in all business matters. The Company s survival was credited to this simple philosophy. Adopted by Rotary International in 1934, the Four Way Test remains an essential standard against which Rotarians measure ethical behaviour: 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 in Businesses and Professions: This Declaration was adopted by the 1989 Council on Legislation as a means of more clearly defining the high ethical standards called for in the Objects of Rotary. It provides a framework for ethical behaviour which all Rotarians can use, together with the Four Way Test in their business and professional activities: Declaration of Rotarians in Businesses and Professions: As a Rotarian engaged in a business or profession, I am expected to: 1. consider my vocation to be another opportunity to serve; 2. be faithful to the letter and to the spirit of the ethical codes of my vocation, to the laws of my country and to the moral standards of my community; 3. do all in my power to dignify my vocation and to promote the highest ethical standards in my chosen vocation; 4. be fair to my employer, employees, associates, competitors, customers, the public and all those with whom I have a business or professional relationship; 5. recognise the honour and respect due to all occupations which are useful to society; 6. offer my vocational talents to (a) provide opportunities for young people; (b) work for the relief of the special needs of others; and (c) improve the quality of life of my community; 7. adhere to honesty in my advertising and in all representations to the public concerning my business or profession; 8. neither seek from nor grant to a fellow Rotarian a privilege or advantage not normally accorded to others in a business or professional relationship. Rotarians can use their standing as business leaders and respected members of all professions to promote and advance high ethical standards by setting a positive example among employees, associates and the community in general.
Professional relationships are founded upon the integrity, sincerity and honesty of individuals and a co-operative attitude in relations among people all things which go to the root of Rotary and what it stands for. Without integrity and honesty in our business and professional dealings we are not who we profess to be. Three keys to ensuring ethical behaviour in the workplace: Ethical business practices depend on three (3) things: Using honest language; - use your power of language to make a clear statement of your ethical position Insisting on proper behaviour make ethical practices a standard component of your employees performance expectations to help them develop; Refusing to allow for grey areas in relation to communications establish a clear, strong, unwavering voice for doing the right thing; Classification and Vocational Service go hand in hand just as a Rotarian represents his vocation in Rotary, so too does he represent Rotary in his vocation; Classification talks are a great way to promote vocational awareness in your club. Classification talks may also serve as a starting point for initiating club projects which help young people and the unemployed develop marketable skills. Organising tours of members workplaces is another way to recognise the value of each member s vocation. How can Clubs Promote Rotary s commitment to high ethical standards? Post the Four Way Test on a prominent bill-board in your community; Display the Four Way Test and\or the Declaration of Rotarians in Business and Professions in your office, your workspace`on your web-site or other social media outlets; Sponsor an essay competition in which participants describe how they can apply the Four Way Test to their lives; Organise a discussion or group workshop on maintaining high ethical standards in the workplace and consider inviting local non-rotarian business leaders to attend; How can Clubs Recognise and promote the value of all useful occupations: Make classification talks and visits to members businesses a standard component of your club s programme; Club members can join or form a Rotary Fellowship related to their vocation. Rotary Fellowships are international associations of Rotarians, Rotarian Spouses and Rotaractors who join together to pursue a shared recreational or vocational interest.
How can Clubs Members Volunteer their Vocation: Mentor a young person. Share your knowledge, skills and values to help prepare your mentee to succeed in his or her academic and vocational pursuits. Provide opportunities for mock job interviews for students; How can Clubs Support Professional Development: Encourage club members to join and take leadership roles in business and vocational associations; Sponsor a seminar for small business entrepreneurs and invite members of the community to participate; Hold informal professional networking events where members can meet other local professionals and introduce them to Rotary. These are but some ideas to enable you to develop Vocational Service within your club. There are, I am sure, other suggestions out there. We would like to hear from you and are prepared to work with you in your efforts to promote Vocational Service and Rotary in your local community. If you would like further information on Vocational Service within District 1160 or within your Club, please contact me eamonn.oraghallaigh@pgl.ie Eamonn O Raghallaigh District 1160 Vocational Services Chair 2011-2012