History


From Ian Ball, Rotaract Club of South Perth

As early as 1935, Rotary Founder Paul Harris discovered a youth organisation based on Rotarian principles during a trip to Australia.  In the 1950s, many clubs made up of young adults or students had been created and sponsored by Rotary clubs. They functioned in a non-official manner and under different names. What these organisations had in common is that they were made up of young people, mostly children of Rotarians and their friends. Their function and objectives were similar to those that are the main features of Rotaract clubs today.

In 1965, these organisations experienced significant growth, linked to the creation of the Interact Program by Rotary International in 1963. In fact, many Interactors, having reached the age limit, decided to create a new type of club: "Senior Interact clubs". One of the Interact Clubs which took this approach was the Interact Club of Secundrabad in District 3150, India, who, with the aid and guidance of their parent Rotary club, formed a University Service Club called "Uniserve". It took very little time for the leaders of Rotary International, particularly then President Luther H. Hodges, to realise the importance of these clubs and of their action. Then, in 1968, the RI Board of Directors decided to adopt the program officially and to make it one of the most important programs among the different services that Rotary International offers young adults.

The new programme was baptised "Rotaract", which comes from the contraction of the words Rotary and Action. The first charter was awarded on March 13, 1968 to the Rotaract Club of North Charlotte. Although officially Rotary International announced that this club was the first Rotaract club, and therefore that Rotaract was born in the USA, we should bear in mind that a significant number of clubs for young adults affiliated to Rotary changed names and thereby joined the new organisation immediately after the creation of the club in Charlotte.

Rotaract was launched officially with a letter of announcement from the President of Rotary International to the Presidents of Rotary Clubs worldwide. This programme, "to develop leadership and responsible citizenship through service to the community" in young adults between the age of 18 and 28  In the first five years of the Rotaract program, Australia had 288 of the 1,543 clubs worldwide.
Rotaract is now recognised as a "Partner in Service" with Rotary Clubs.