Guest Speakers aplenty
Hasfa Faisal
Hasfa was sponsored by our club to attend the Conocophillips Science Experience. This program is linked into the universities, and runs for 3 days during the holidays for year 10 students who have taken STEM subjects and are interested in science. Hasfa joined with the University of Adelaide and spent 2 days at the Adelaide campus and 1 day at Waite campus. It was a great learning experience ranging from understanding more about waves, new growth, how to build prosthetics from waste material and a whole lot more. Part of the exercise was to work collaboratively in a team. Very worthwhile and thanks to our club.
It must be said that Hasfa and Faisal both spoke at an ultra fast rate as would be expected of enthusiastic science students.....hence any errors or omissions are not completely the fault of the editor.
Caitlyn Selge
Caitlin was sponsored by our club to attend the 2020 National Youth Science Forum in Brisbane. In her own words - Wow....10 days of new experiences, fun and learning. Participants stayed at the University of Queensland college and were greeted by chanting on arrival.....probably lamenting the poor performance of Brisbane Heat in the BBL. The girls got off to a flying start by winning the bathroom rights in a rock-paper-scissor contest....girls know far more about these things than boys. And then it was full on. After the opening ceremony it was straight into science and technology and the next day into physics with a live-stream from Antarctica The following day was about careers, Year 12 and beyond, followed by retail therapy. Day 5 was rest, while Day 6 was back into technology and physics including conductivity, holograms and beehives. Day 7 it stepped up to biomedical engineering,flight simulation and international space. Day 8 was all about entrepreneurship with participants working in teams. Day 9 was a science conference and at night the Science Dinner. Fun and ice-cream was dished up each night. Einstein somehow fitted into a number of the events. All in all it was a brilliant experience with many friendships formed across Australia in the STEM world. Thank you Unley Rotary!
Juli Sharpe and Julia Parini
Juli is the CEO of Genesis Pregnancy Support Inc, and has been involved with Genesis for 20 years originally as a counselor and then as a teacher. She is a delegate to the International Conference on Pregnancy Support in the US. 3 children and 5 grandchildren in her family.
Genesis provides support to at risk women with unplanned and unsupported pregnancies. Years ago clients were mainly young women but now these cases are peaking at a higher age of around 30.....many are fleeing domestic violence or are newly arrived migrants.
The aim is to provide a caring, safe and encouraging environment. Programs include:
- education and up-skill to equip mothers
- healthy parenting
- avoidance/management of trauma and family breakdown
- cycle breaking
There is also Mummy link for single girls, school presenters providing sex and relationship advice, post abortion grief counselling. Material assistance of necessities like cots, prams, car seats, bassinets, and baby wear is provided free from their warehouse. A live-in program runs 3 days a week (Fri - Sun) for 6 weeks addressing physical, emotional, psycho-social, spiritual well being, parenting and life skills such as cooking.
It is a national tragedy that there are 50,000 kids across the nation who are in out-of-home care. Success has been achieved by Genesis with mothers who have had their children removed into child welfare by solving some of the underlying impediments. While they receive no government support and are heavily reliant on donations, their clients come from government agency referrals.
Julia who is a member of the Rotary Club of Seaford brought the new eMbrace maternal health program of Genesis to her club. Australia generally has an adequate health system but is short on recognising the social determinants of health...maternal stress is linked to health inequalities for both mother and child across the life span. eMbrace is in its infancy (6 clients to date) with finance of only 30k to provide the live-in support service at a house in Edwardstown. There is heavy reliance on volunteers and an inability to pay professionals their normal dues. Getting more finance is a top priority to enable the program to succeed
All speakers were thanked by acclamation.
Spots
Patsy Beckett urged members to make a special effort to attend next week's meeting with partners and friends to hear about Charles Todd.
Finale
President Jason won the filthy lucre. Trevor scored the chocolates, thereby setting some sort of record as a prize winner for 3 consecutive weeks.....hope he has bought a lottery ticket with the club as beneficiary.
Jason cracked it again and closed the meeting on time.
ROTARY NEWS
Leaders, members must work together for an effective club
By Amrit Pal Singh, immediate past president, Rotary Club Chandigarh, India
For a Rotary club to be effective, it must be active in all avenues of service. It must also create a positive public image and be a catalyst for promoting peace and understanding globally. The key to achieving this lies in the members. Without members, there is no club, and without effective members, clubs cannot be effective.
Many leaders talk about membership development and retention in their strategy sessions. Some complain about disinterested members, while their members talk about feeling disconnected to the club or even to Rotary in general.
As president of my club last year, I had the opportunity to look at membership closely. I feel the burden lies on both sides. To have an effective club, members and leaders must work together to build community and trust. In particular, leaders should:
- Get members involved: Members need to be active in projects and programs of the club. Give them specific tasks according to their expertise and time. This could be as small as delivering announcements at a meeting or as big as running a project or fundraiser. When members are involved, they feel more connected. And an active Rotarian is a committed Rotarian.
- Give members responsibility: Don’t be afraid to delegate tasks, and give members independence and ownership. Encourage members to make a project their own, be it a small one like beautifying a community park or a big effort like a global grant application for water and sanitation systems in Africa. Encourage them along the way.
- Create a sense of belonging: The club and its members should be like one extended family. Welcome members at meetings and take time to learn what is going on in their lives outside the club. Come up with activities that allow established members to get to know newer ones. Let members know the club stands behind them and is there to support them if they need anything.
- Build trust: Conduct yourself in a manner that earns your members’ trust. The Four-Way Test is a reminder that if you follow basic ethics in your daily life you will earn trust. Members will give you their best when they trust you.
- Acknowledge success and effort: Take time at a club meeting to acknowledge successful efforts. Consider writing something up in the club’s newsletter or on your website. Extending compliments builds a member’s sense of worth and satisfaction in the club.
- Communicate well and regularly: Provide your members with information on everything happening in the club. Share the decisions of your board both during meetings and in club publications. Seek your members input on key decisions.
Members also have a responsibility to see that a club succeeds. This includes:
- A sense of commitment: Members should show they are committed to the cause and purpose of the club and Rotary in general by being available to perform tasks, contribute to events and projects, and do more than show up for a meal.
- A sense of ownership: Members should take on activities or projects and make them their own. Give your club the same attention you would your profession or personal efforts. Give it your time and attention.
- A sense of sharing: Share your insight and expertise with others, whether professional or personal.
- A sense of giving: Be ready to give of your time, effort, or money, to the extent you are able. When everyone in a club is generous with their time, money and talents, a club thrives.
- A sense of accountability: Be accountable to the club and to each other. If you are given a task, do it with the same diligence you would your job or a personal pursuit. Don’t renege or go back on a commitment to another member or the club without discussion. A club’s performance reflects on its members. If a club is struggling, it’s probably because some or all of its members aren’t fully committed.
I strongly feel both the club leadership and its members are responsible for creating a bond of love and affection, an atmosphere of togetherness, and all-around camaraderie. Everyone has to make an effort in order to create an effective Rotary club.
Our Upcoming Meetings
Tuesday 4 February 2020 6 for 6.30 pm at Damien on Fisher
Guest Speaker: Richard Venus Forensic Heritology and Charles Todd
Chair; Bob Mills..........Set-up, Welcome and Apologies: Leonie Kewen and John Kikkert
Tuesday 11 February 2020 6 for 6.30pm at Damien on Fisher
A vocational visit TBA
