We now have new and mandatory requirements to comply with new Victorian Child Safe Standards Law, which comes into affect on January 1, 2017. I was alerted to this at the recent Group 9 and 10 President’s meeting, and have since received details from DG Stephen.
‘The recent Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse was established to uncover where systems have failed to protect children and make recommendations on how to improve laws, policies and practices. One of the early messages the Royal Commission has given is that it wants to remove inconsistent or isolated procedures. Failing to have a consistent approach towards screening requirements is dangerous from a legal and risk management aspect.
Rotary International is also encouraging diligence. Districts have been asked to review their circumstances and determine the appropriate standard of care regarding the screening requirements of volunteer roles to provide a safe environment when working with youth in our various programs. It is of paramount importance that children are protected and that Rotary is able to continue its good work when dealing with youth programs. The (District)Board has reviewed its procedures and asks clubs to assist in making sure that they follow and complete these important requirements.’
At our board meeting on Monday 21 November, we adopted all recommendations and therefore now need to implement some new procedures which will be detailed in a new policy document ‘Child Safety Standards’ which is drafted ready for review. Once finalised, all members and volunteers will be required to sign it.
We must appoint a Child Safety Officer, so I seek volunteers for this essential position which will involve being the ‘go to’ person for our club about all aspects of child safety and its implementation. There is also a club declaration which the board has completed pending the appointment of our Child Safety Officer.
There is also a declaration which you must complete if you are to be alone with a child (any person under the age of 18) on behalf of the Rotary or as part of a Rotary programme.
I will have copies of these documents at our meeting on Monday and once completed, they will be stored in our Club Documents section of Club Runner. We will also be running specific an information session to update us all on these requirements.
Call for children’s books for our Book Fair
Rhonda and the Book Fair committee are well advanced in planning for this major fund raiser to be held on 26, 27 and 28 January, 2017.
The urgent request for stocks is for children’s books as we have very few so far and will not receive any from Geelong West this year. We also know they are the fastest sellers of all books.
So please take a look on your shelves, your friends’ shelves and any other source you might have for children’s books and let Rhonda know if you can assist.
Christmas dinner function and donations to Rotary projects
You will have received from Maggie an invitation to attend our Christmas party at the Torquay Hotel on Monday 19 December. Please respond as quickly as you can as well so numbers can be finalised. We need a minimum of 55 people so please also extend an invitation to others.
As you know, we are not having a ‘Kris Kringle’ this year, but rather inviting you to donate the money you would have spent on a KK present to a Rotary project. One way to do this is to go online to Rotary Give - https://www.rotary.org/en/give - where you will see a number of options for donations. Alternatively of course you can donate to our own Fund Raising account either online or through Treasurer Graham. I would like to acknowledge all donations so if you are happy to, please also let me know the donation you make.
Even without KK – I am sure we will have a lot of fun on the 19th.
There are an currently an estimated 46 million slaves in the world, according to Walk Free’s Global Slavery Index. That’s four times more than those taken out of Africa during the 400 years of the Atlantic Slave Trade.
Modern slaves, however, are disposable, cheap, and being hidden from plain sight with no human rights. Very young children are now in greater danger than ever before as sex traffickers exploit opportunities arising from natural disasters, deprivation, civil conflict, and mass migration.
The Rotarian Action Group Against Slavery seeks to help organisations who rescue slaves and needs the support of all Rotarians to raise awareness of slavery.
A very worthy Rotary-run project in Kalimpong, NE India, is underway to build a shelter for rescued women and children.
Phase 1 of this project was building a Vocational Training Centre. This has been successfully completed and phase 2, the building of the shelter, is now in the planning stage seeking International Rotary partners.
I have written to the Project Leader, Robin Hamilton, for more precise details of the budget and time lines but in the mean time I have attached an article by way of introduction to this project, for your consideration.
I would like to get as many clubs as possible to work towards helping these helpless people.
Shelter for young trafficked women and girls in Kalimpong, NE India (Sadhu Singh Project)
This project is managed by the Rotary Club of Kalimpong and the Rotary Club of Dunbar, Scotland. They are now seeking international support for Phase 2.
Kalimpong is in NE India close to the border with Nepal, Bhutan and China and on a through corridor between these countries
A Needs Assessment was carried out by Kalimpong Rotary and NE India Churches with local communities and their leaders in recent years. This established there were many vulnerable people in the various communities, unemployed without a sustainable income, and many of the women and children were targets for human trafficking. This in turn leading to the trafficked persons becoming HIV/Aids positive
Those rescued from trafficking were often rejected by their families and needed shelter and self reliant skills so they could survive and get back into the community
Recent reports on trafficking in The Calcutta Telegraph state
“The number of people missing in N Bengal has increased many times in the last 10 years, many going into prostitution, slavery or marriage”
“Three missing cases in N Bengal in 2001 increased to 1,089 in 2010 -These figures are the tip of the iceberg”
“Bengal’s Blot – In 2012 there were 8,000 missing girls in Bengal”
“Traffickers can get $1000 for each girl telling them they will get a job in the city”
Addressing Community needs
Following the Needs Assessment, Kalimpong Rotary in conjunction with the NE India Churches established the Sadhu Singh Project with the following objectives
Creating Awareness and sensitising the community to trafficking & HIV/Aids
Creating a Vocational Training Centre (Phase 1) for those vulnerable in the community
Creating a Shelter Home for women and young girls (Phase 2)
Phase 1 completed
The Rotary Foundation supported the $69,000 Vocational Training Centre project (Phase 1), which was opened on 16th September 2016.
Phase 2 will involve a Shelter Home for trafficked women and children built on top of the VTC. Fund raising has started and a number of Rotary Clubs and individuals have already committed funds.
The integrated two story building will function as both a training centre and shelter home for those vulnerable in the community and those rescued from trafficking
Rotary Team Leaders
Robin Hamilton, Rotary Club of Dunbar, D1020, Scotland. Tel: +441368860931 Email: robinham23@gmail.com
Dr. Miku Foning, Rotary Club of Kalimpong, D3240, India. msfoning@rediffmail.com
Liam celebrating his Birthday with the Rotary Club of Missauga-West!
on 8th November
Hi all, guess it’s that time of the year again when I write to you guys! Hope you’re all well and good. Since my last report, my adventures have slowed a lot as I have to go to school. I have made a lot of new friends this new school year though, which has led me to go out more often with them. Us exchange students in our district have had a couple of get togethers so far since my last report, attending our district conference with like 400 Rotarians or something! We also had a Roteract social that about 8 of us went to along with some rebounds as well. I have witnessed a Halloween in its entirety also which was quite awesome!
It was my birthday on the 7th of November, which I celebrated with my host family. It was probably one of the hardest times of my exchange, not being around your family and loved ones, and especially for an 18th birthday as well. Regardless I was surprised by my rotary club, who all sang me a happy birthday and had a cake made which was nice of them.
I also got some tickets to a Canada vs Russia ice hockey game in late December from betty Jo which I was super thankful for. It has been different with all of the new inbounds that have come, but I have come to love them and have welcomed them to Canada with open arms.
For the future 7 or 8 weeks I have left (so soon I know!), I am planning to go to New York with my host family which is what I am most excited for. Just next week, I am going like 3 hours north east to a place called Kingston with Betty Jo and 3 other exchange students for a cute little weekend which should be fun.
I am also planning a 5 day trip on the 27th of December to Montreal, Quebec. This is with a rebound student who went to Germany last year. Hopefully these trips happen it make a great end to the year.
Well, until I see you all in person (unless I make another report before I leave) enjoy the sunshine because it sure as hell isn’t getting any hotter over here (-1 tonight).
Rotary Youth Leadership Award, or RYLA, is an inspiring and challenging personal development and leadership program for young people 18 to 25 years old.
At RYLA young people develop their leadership potential, set goals for their future, challenge themselves personally, and have an amazing time with about 50 other great people their age.
The role of the District 9780 Rotary Clubs is to identify potential candidates and to support their attendance financially. There is a nomination fee of $550.00 for each attendee, payable by the Rotary Club
The 2017 Camp is to be held at “Kangaroobie” near Princetown, Victoria from 8th April 2017 to April 13th 2017. Attendees must be between 18 and 25 at the time of the camp – there are no exceptions.
Applications close with the District 9780 RYLA Committee on 16th December 2016 and members of the Rotary Club of Torquay are invited to nominate candidates for the 2017 camp in sufficient time to meet the District deadline of 16th December 2016. In the past the Rotary Club of Torquay has sponsored two candidates.
The camp provides a unique experience in helping young people maximise their potential and many Rylarians have described RYLA as a life changing experience.
For Application Forms please contact Chris Sims on 0439 209 036 or by e-mail on
chrissims@netspace.net.au I would suggest that Torquay Rotarians move swiftly in order to comply with the District deadline.
We have decided to cancel the BBQ on December 26.There has also been some slight changes to the roster , so please check if they have effected you and remember that it is your responsibility to find a replacement to swap with in the event that you are unavailable. Once you have effected a swap please advise me.
If you cannot meet one of your assigned duties, Please contact Maggie Isom to advise.
The duty team should arrive no later than 6:00 p.m. Besides the below duties, the assigned team is responsible for Room Setup, Greeting Members and Guests, and Room Tidy at the end of our meeting - see checklist in storeroom or click here .
Date
Duty Team
Program
Chair
GREETING
INVOCATION
Event details
Mon 28 Nov
Lesley Shedden
John McDonald
Helen McDonald
Alistair & Rachel Lawson
Great Ocean Road Surf Tours
Mon 5 Dec
Maggie Isom
Jess Nowson
R Mierzejewski
Gerard & Kathryn McNamara
Wild Africa
Mon 12 Dec
Lesley Shedden
Graham Gill
Mike Reed
Behind the Badge
Mon 19 Dec
Lesley Shedden
Christmas Function
Torquay Hotel
Mon 9 Jan
Mike Reed
Cosy Corner Fish & Chips
Please note: The assigned Chairperson for the evening is responsible for writing a short review on the topic presented by the guest speaker of the night and for emailing the review to the Bulletin editor by noon of the following Wednesday
Notifying someone about changes to your meeting attendance is your responsibility!
Our meetings have catered dinners, so if you are unable to attend a meeting, or if your partner is unable to attend a designated Partner's Night, YOU MUST ADVISE us of your or your partner’s absence. This also applies if you are attending the meeting but not dining.
There are two ways to do this, either record the information in advance in the "Apology Book" that is available at the book in table at each meeting or telephone 03-5222-2022. An answering service operates out of hours.
All apologies must be made no later than 9.00AM on the Monday of the meeting (unless other arrangements were addressed in the Bulletin).
If no apology is recorded by that time, the absentee member will be issued with an invoice to pay the Club the dinner fee of $25 for your non-attendance, and/or that of your partner if it is an official Partner's Night.
On "Partners Nights" it is a different arrangement as it will be assumed that your partner WILL BE attending unless you apologise for them!
Remember if you are bringing guests or your partner (to a non-partner night) you need to notify us of the extra number of persons who will be attending.
Absence when away on travel is not an excuse. It is your reasonability to lodge your apology and it is recommended that this be recorded beforehand in the “Apology Book” to save you remembering each week whilst you are away.
