We're delighted to have so much support

The Rotary Foundation

In 1917, Rotary International President Arch C. Klumph proposed that an endowment be set up “for the purpose of doing good in the world.” In 1928, when the endowment fund had grown to more than US$5,000, it was renamed The Rotary Foundation, and now has the primary goals to:-

• Eradicate polio from our planet
• Build a sense of ownership of the Foundation among Rotarians through their contributions to the Annual Programs Fund, the Permanent Fund, and Rotary Peace Centres
• Continue progress on the Future Vision plan and align our service projects with the six areas of focus:-

1. Peace and conflict prevention/ resolution
2. Disease prevention and treatment
3. Water and sanitation
4. Maternal and child health
5. Basic education and literacy
6. Economic and community development

Rotary Youth Driver Awareness (RYDA)

The RYDA Program is a one day out of school program delivering practical road safety information targeting attitude and awareness of young drivers and their passengers.

Across Australia and New Zealand about 50,000 students a year participate.

Road statistics see about 300 young people between 17 and 25 DIE on Aussie roads each year. 20 times this number are seriously injured. This age group represents 13% of our driving population – BUT – they also represent 25% of the crashes. The majority from kids within their first 2 years with a drivers license.

A RYDA training day targets 16-18 year old students and includes six interactive sessions delivered to small student groups covering topics such as:

•  hazard perception   •   distraction management
•  vehicle safety   •   stopping distance
•  fatigue   •   experiences of a crash survivor

National Youth Science Forum

The National Youth Science Forum (NYSF) is unique in Australia.

Students during Year 11 are selected to attend the NYSF for the following year.

The Forum runs for a full week, most often in January in either of two locations, Canberra or Perth,

Students learn how to make informed decisions about courses and careers in the sciences and gain a professional skill set to help them realise their potential.

The NYSF program consists of a mix of scientific, formal, personal development, and social activities. These range from laboratory visits to sports evenings and from a bush dance to group dynamics.

Rotary Australia World Community Services (RAWCS)

RAWCS assists Rotary Clubs develop and manage world community service projects, particularly supporting developing countries in our region in the fields of Health, Hunger, Education and other Humanitarian Aid programmes. RAWCS facilitates their work.

The projects RAWCS supports fall into the following categories

• Volunteers working to support aid programs
• Donating goods and services 
• Malaria Control 
• Financial support

Rotary Youth Exchange

A year of study overseas as a Rotary Youth Exchange students worldwide -

• an opportunity to develop your personal self confidence and maturity
• an opportunity to develop a lifetime of international friendships
• an opportunity to develop a real understanding of many different cultures
• an opportunity to develop new language skills
• an opportunity to develop a base for future education and career goals
• an opportunity to develop in many ways

Australian Rotary Health

Australian Rotary Health has an enviable reputation for running a range of direct health programes and research projects including:

• Mental Health Research and Awareness
• Mental Health First Aid Program
• Indigenous Health
• Rural Health
• Bowelscan
• Kidsmatter  ++

Mental Health First Aid

Mental health first aid is the help provided to a person developing a mental health problem or in a mental health crisis, until appropriate professional treatment is received or until the crisis resolves.

MHFA Training Programs can provide members of the community with:

• skills in how to recognise the signs and symptoms of mental health problems;
• knowledge of the possible causes or risk factors for these mental health problems;
• awareness of the evidenced based medical, psychological and alternative treatments available;
• skills in how to give appropriate initial help and support someone experiencing a mental health problem;
• skills in how to take appropriate action if a crisis situation arises involving suicidal behaviour, panic attack, stress reaction to trauma, overdose or threatening psychotic behaviour.

ShelterBox Australia

ShelterBox is an international disaster relief charity that delivers emergency shelter, warmth and dignity to people affected by disaster worldwide.

ShelterBox respond instantly to natural and manmade disasters by delivering boxes of aid to those who are most in need.

Each box supplies an extended family of up to 10 people with a tent and essential equipment to use while they are displaced or homeless.

A ShelterBox usually consists of:

• a rugged 10 person dome tent
• 10 thermal blankets
• tools and other survival equipment
• light and heat
• clean water
• cooking equipment including a wood stove
• tools ++

Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA)

RYLA is Rotary's leadership training program for young people aged 14-30. RYLA emphasizes leadership, citizenship, and personal growth, and aims to

• Demonstrate Rotary's respect and concern for youth
• Provide an effective training experience for selected youth and potential leaders
• Encourage leadership of youth by youth
• Recognize publicly young people who are rendering service to their communities

Hat Day

You can do something to show your support for mental health research.

Hat Day is Australian Rotary Health’s annual fundraising event, community action and awareness day.

The Month of May is the timing for Rotary Clubs to hold their Hat Day events to support the initiative! Although a single day is chosen each year as 'the day' .. Clubs can hold their own events all month to build awareness.

By taking part in Hat Day you will be helping the four million Australians who are affected by a mental health issue. With your help we can raise funds to support vital research that directly helps improve the mental health of all Australians.

Disaster Aid Australia

Working together to rebuild communities by providing innovative Australian-based humanitarian aid packages to people in need of a new start, often following an unexpected natural disaster.

For around $800 DAA will deliver an emergency Family Survival Pack filled with blankets, water containers, cooking utensils, a stove, pots, pans, children rucksacks (with books and pencils), mosquito nets and other useful items to help people rebuild their lives.

For around $5,000 DAA delivers a Water Purification System that can produce 10,000 litres of clean water daily - enough for a village, hospital and school.

Rotarians Against Malaria

Malaria is one of the biggest killers in the world today, attacking some of our most vulnerable communities and contributing significantly to the untold suffering and sustained poverty of more than forty per cent (40%) of the world’s population.

Rotarians Against Malaria's objective : “The prevention of mortality, and a reduction in morbidity and social and economic loss caused by malaria through a progressive improvement and strengthening of local and national capabilities in malaria control.”

RAM provides leadership, financial and strategic support to implement its mission through:
• Control Strategies;
• Education;
• Research;
• Partnering with other funding providers; and
• Working collaboratively with Governments in our Region (Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Timor Leste).

Safe Water Saves Lives

A Child dies every 2 seconds, every day of the year from water borne diseases or the lack of healthy drinking water.

‘Safe Water Saves Lives’ works through Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS), to administer ‘Healthy Drinking Water Projects’.

The program aims to supply clean water to desperate people in underdeveloped countries through a planned system of water catchment, storage and reticulation.

It includes training local people in the construction of concrete tanks, and encourages them to maintain and protect their water supply system.  Education in hygiene is also offered.

RAWCS volunteers instruct the local people in the skills of concrete tank construction, or other types of tanks, or tube wells.

Requests and Distribution of Safe Drinking Water Systems has been from Solomon Islands, West Africa, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Timor Leste, Tanzania Pakistan, Mozambique, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Haiti, India, New Guinea, Tonga Islands, Fiji Islands, Philippines and many more communities and villages from Developing Countries.

Rotary Donations in Kind (DIK)

Donations In Kind (DIK)  is a major Rotary project as part of Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS) Program.

The objectives of Rotary's Donations in Kind are:

• To receive requests for aid goods from Rotary Clubs and aid organisations in developing countries.
• To receive goods from within Australia, from Rotary Clubs, schools, hospitals and other organisations for distribution to developing countries.
• To match the goods received with the requests for aid goods wherever possible and to ensure that all goods are dispatched to appropriate areas of need.
• To maintain records, facilitate customs declarations and transport arrangements.
• To assist, if requested, Clubs and Districts to dispatch aid goods direct to recipient Rotary Clubs or aid organisations.
• To maintain the quality of the goods dispatched.
• To minimise the cost of transport. 
• To maintain a close liaison with the Rotary Clubs and aid organisations at the receiving end so as to have an appreciation of their requirements and to minimise any problems that they may encounter.