Welcome to August – the month where we put emphasis on Membership and Club Development. What an apt focus as we settle into our Rotary year. As we visit Clubs Kevin and I are appreciating a warm welcome and an insight into such varied Club experiences – some traditional, others more informal – all doing good in the community.
A focus on membership and club development needs a two-fold approach. Holgar Knaack, our RI President, has several messages for us as we take a stock check on the health of our Clubs. He encourages us to look inwards first - and then outwards.
Looking inward, we need to ask “What should our Club be like in five (or one /two) years’ time and what steps should we take to help achieve that vision? What value do we bring to our members? It’s useful to run a survey of our members, checking whether their expectations are being met. There are several surveys available on MyRotary or you could design your own. People join Rotary - and stay - for a range of reasons – friendship, leadership and personal development, fun, community connections and service opportunities, global access and opportunity for international service, networking – and others. Does your Club meet your members’ expectations? What could you do differently?
Looking outward, what image do we present to our communities? How effectively do we tell our story so that the community knows and values our contribution and wants to be part of that. I wonder – if a visitor were to walk into our meetings, what would they think? Would they ‘see themselves’ there? Does the Club reflect the community – age and gender wise, ethnically. Are a range of occupations / interests reflected? How attractive are we to potential new members?
Might we need to become more flexible and innovative to address any potential barriers to membership? Perhaps there are there other ways we can meet to make us more accessible. I encourage you to explore the wide range of materials available about Club Development in My Rotary.
Talking of responsiveness to changing expectations, RI is really leading the way in their appointment of Jennifer Jones as the first woman RI President in 2022-23. Long overdue perhaps – but a reflection on the ‘walk the talk’ attitude of current RI President Holgar. Such exciting news.
Changes to insurance arrangements for 2020/21
As I explained in an email to all Club Presidents three weeks ago, the District decided to support the recommendation of ROZOPS (the Rotary National operations body) that our insurance be reviewed. The insurance previously held, which covered District and Clubs, had been in effect for 15 years. Legislation and RI policies and processes had changed and it was therefore timely, as is good commercial practice, to review the arrangement to ensure it was still fit for purpose
Major climate events in recent years in NZ and overseas and increased negligence claims have changed the insurers process. Insurers want more information.
An RFP to four major brokers was issued in 2019 – AON, Marsh, Crombie Lockwood and Apex. Crombie Lockwood declined to participate. After due diligence Apex was appointed as the broker to 9910, 9920, 9940.
APEX then went to the (insurers) market for those Districts with a detailed insurance Underwriting Submission. The existing insurer, QBE, after reading the submission, withdrew on the basis it could not provide the covers required. Subsequently, AIG, one of the top ten largest insurers in the world offered the best terms.
The new cover is comprehensive – and is significantly more expensive, leading to the decision that District could no longer include the cost of Club coverage under its own policy and Clubs will need to make their own arrangements.
The Board was however concerned that the necessity for individual clubs to purchase insurance, rather than being provided by a District-wide policy, was advised very late in current club budgeting process
Therefore, following a recommendation made by the DFRC at a meeting immediately following the Board meeting on Sunday 2nd August, the District Board has agreed to reduce the impost of the new insurance arrangements on clubs for this Rotary year. At the Board meeting on 2 August, it was determined that they would use some of the District’s reserves and the unspent insurance premium in the budget to assist clubs with their insurance costs this year. In coming to this decision it was noted that Clubs had already established their 2020/21 budgets before the District was able to provide advice that clubs would no longer be covered by the District‘s insurance policy and that each Club would need to pay $520 for insurance for the 2020/21 year.
It was agreed that for the 2020/21-year clubs may submit a copy of their insurance invoice and receipt to the District Treasurer for reimbursement of $400 (+GST) per club. We hope that this, along with the effective reduction of District levies this year by $10 per person due to savings being made in the previous year, will alleviate the financial implications to Clubs of District’s revision of the long held, but no longer fit for purpose Insurance arrangements.
To receive the refund, you will need to please send to the 9940 treasurer, Graham Evans, at
treasurer9940@rotaryoceania.zone the following:
- A copy of the tax invoice received from ROZOPS, and
- Details of the club’s bank account.
I’m sure you will have questions, so please go to https://www.rotaryoceania.zone/page/insurance-informationwhere ROZOPS has provided comprehensive information and process and where to go to raise any further questions you may have. This situation is reflective of today’s shifting world.
I’m constantly reminded as I meet Rotarians around our District that change is required of us all. And I’m inspired by the stories I’m hearing of the ways we’ve responded in recent months to a situation none of us could have imagined. We are proving that we are resilient and can adapt in the way we interact as Clubs and networks as we continue to serve our communities. I’m very optimistic that Rotarians in one hundred years’ time will be telling remarkable stories of achievement, just as we’re able to celebrate today our successes of the last century.
Ngā mihi nui.
Gillian