The Rotary Volunteers Program

The Rotary Volunteers Program is the embodiment of Rotary's ideal of "Service Above Self." It provides opportunities for Rotarians and other skilled professionals to offer their services and expertise to local, national and international projects in need of assistance.

For those who are registered in the program, Rotary International publishes two directories intended to facilitate the matching of worthy projects with appropriate volunteers.

• The Rotary Volunteers International Volunteers List, published twice annually, contains information about Rotarians, Rotaractors, Rotary Foundation alumni and non-Rotarians who are willing to volunteer their services on projects in other countries. Coordinators of Rotary-sponsored projects directly contact those on the list who appear to meet theirprojects' needs.

• The Rotary Volunteers International Site List, also published semiannually, includes a list of Rotary and Rotaract club-service projects requesting volunteers from abroad. Potential volunteers can contact project coordinators and explore possibilities for service.

Rotary International does not assign or place volunteers in projects. Rather, it serves as a clearinghouse — an information network — on volunteers and Rotary-sponsored project sites. All contact and arrangements for terms of volunteer service must be made directly between the volunteers and project contacts.

International volunteers registered with the Rotary Volunteers program at RI World Headquarters are expected to have a proven level of professional or technical skill related to the category in which they are volunteering; involvement with the subject as a hobby or special interest is insufficient qualification for registration with the program. Given the level of expertise required for international service projects, it is recommended that volunteers be at least 25 years of age.

If a potential volunteer can't find an applicable project on the International Site List, he or she should explore club or district Matching Grant projects, network with local Rotarians while traveling and review the Rotary Volunteers Resource List. This RI publication lists other organizations that place, train, support, or fund volunteers.

Once a registered Rotary Volunteer locates a place to serve, he or she may be eligible to apply for assistance from The Rotary Foundation's Grants for Rotary Volunteers.

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