Course:IGS585/OK2023WT2/GuidoK FrenchC
Ken Guido and Carol French
- For your reflection on another class member's reflection, start by typing your name and using the 'Sub-heading 1' style from the pulldown menu
Leandro Biondo
We had an interesting time with Ken and Carol. We may need a four-hour meeting to gather all the stories and memories they had to tell us. I have had experiences with Rotary International in Brazil since I was a kid, and I have the same impression of the last few decades of its history as Ken told us about Lake Country's club. The "take back to the community" sense of their work is of great importance to the people who participate in the actions as much as to the people impacted by it; the group discussion with people from other areas and regions of the city takes new perspectives on the daily problems and possible solutions.
The service club's membership in a global network is also valuable, as it allows members to interact with experiences taking place in other cities and help take better action locally. I immediately felt connected to the Rotary's projects while they were listing and explaining them; I remembered seeing similar things in Vernon, where I live. After the seminar, I verified these impressions and found out that little libraries and a pollinizer garden on my way from home to Vernon Central bus station are also initiatives from the local Rotary Club. Some playground extras, gazebos and community equipment are also from other social entities we do not always take notice of.
In conclusion, it was good to remember that groups of people with common intentions can change their communities without depending on the government. That must be one of our options for sustainable actions as an alternative or a catalyzer to reach positive impacts faster and more effectively as needed.
JAJ: Humans are social animals, and if those social needs can be achieved while contributing to the community so much the better. Part of our attachment to place is our attachment to the community of people who share that place. I do think that the broader spectrum of human needs do need to be part of sustainability.
Cole Hooper Reflection on Leandro
I may have been a bit harsh during my own reflection, but I do agree with what Leandro is saying as well. The real purpose of a group like Rotary is to bring people with common intentions together to help positively influence their communities. There are many groups which form for this purpose and Rotary is among them, even if their mechanisms and members might be a bit.
These comments and Leo's reflection bring me to another thought. Is it better (or more efficient) if a group operates like Rotary, where it's purpose is general and vast, or more specific? In this comparison, the Ribbons of Green organization that we learned about at the start of class comes to mind. They have a specific intention, which is for trail development and advocacy. Do they get more done because they are focused on a specific topic, or does Rotary, who commits time to many different causes. I don't think a real answer exists because those contributions can be hard to quantify, but it still might be something to consider if you are a concerned citizen who wants to join a cause.
Would you rather dedicate your time to the continual improvement of one component of our communities? My sense is that it would be more rewarding in the long term, but there may be periods of stagnation. Or would you rather jump around from project to project, lending labor for a day or two here and there as different opportunities come up. This too would be satisfying, but in the short term as you see what you accomplish during that day, but you never get to continuously work on a singular project. It really does seem like a different strokes for different blokes scenario. Maybe Rotary is struggling with membership because the majority of people would rather focus on a single cause, instead of flitting between them.
Cole Hooper
To be honest, I do not know if there as much to say about Ken and Carol's presentation. Initially, I cringed a bit earlier in the semester when Rotary was suggested as a possible presenter. I am familiar with the group as they are also very active in Kamloops where I grew up. They do valuable work within the community, and it is great that people use it as a tool to get together and generate social connections and purpose. But as we learned, historically they have been a bit exclusive, and in reality they do not really represent a true microcosm of the communities that they exist within. Even now today where they are a lot more open, a lot of people who care about their communities may not care for the organization or approach of Rotary.
If I were to point to something that I may have learned from their presentation, it would likely relate more to how the presentation preferences of different community members may vary a great deal. During Jared's presentation he emphasized how maps and a clear layout for our interventions would be the most important things for him to understand our project. Based on the perspectives that Ken and Carol shared with us during their presentation, they would probably not care for that approach at all. Instead, getting support for Rotary would probably require us to focus more on elements of the project that benefit the community, and what kind of hands-on volunteer work might be required, which they could participate in.
Our sustainability projects will need to persuade and educate a diverse group of policy makers and shareholders. This is likely the true crux of knowledge mobilization; how can we present our project to this diverse group of listeners, when their needs and preferences in approach are so different from one another? We must focus intently on including sufficient detail and evidence so that our project is supported, but take care to use general terminology so that the language is accessible. We should also focus on using a variety of presentation tools, from maps and data to basic visuals and art. We should also be careful not to place too much emphasis on one element of the project, but instead spread that emphasis across the various benefits and sectors which it might influence. While I did not find their presentation that informative within itself, there are still many lessons to be learned.
JAJ: This is a great reflection. Communities are diverse places, and getting one thing done requires bringing enough people on board. I have a similar cringe reaction to small international development volunteer groups that are 'voluntourism'. People who go and 'help' build schools, etc. in developing country communities. They typically take time away from experienced and knowledgeable people who could do far more good with the money that these 'voluntourists' spent on the trip than the time spent showing them how to place a brick or plaster a wall, and then fix whatever was poorly done. However, I have also seen how motivated some of these voluntourists are by the relationships they develop to continue supporting, fundraising, etc. for those that they encountered on their trip. This makes me question my own simple judgement: "If you really care about helping, send the money rather than traveling."
Emma's reflection on Cole
Cole seems much more familiar with Rotary than I am and is more skeptical of their possible impacts. I found it interesting that we thought about similar themes of inclusion (or lack thereof) in both our reflections. While Cole was skeptical, I liked the generosity in him still finding benefits to their presentation. Thinking about various audiences and their variety desires for communication styles and topics is a great learning to take from Ken and Carol’s talk. I was a bit more hopeful about Rotary’s inclusion than Cole was. While I focused more on women in my reflection, I make a written note of Carol saying they have issues recruiting a diversity of people in terms of race. I would suspect this is due to a cultural issue of the organization being (un)aware of (un)conscious racism. Thinking about various stakeholders and how to engage a broader range of people from the community, I wonder what other organizations in Lake Country more closely represent a microcosm of the community. How do presentations need to change for different audiences? Cole made a great point that Jared emphasized the importance of maps, for Rotary the emphasis is more on hands-on opportunities for members to volunteer. This emphasizes the importance of doing your own due diligence and research on an organization before pitching/presenting to them.
Jared Brown
Ken and Carol’s presentation was quite informative and enjoyable to listen to. It was nice to learn about how Rotary works and to have a presentation from guest speakers who are actively involved in contributing to their community. I wished they had specifically gone into how Rotary defines sustainability, but based on their mission and projects I would imagine they see the concept largely from a social dimension given that social aspects are a big part of their club. With my group’s project have a larger focus on the social aspects of sustainability and resilience, it was nice to have guest speakers than come from an area that specializes more in that field as opposed to others who have hailed from more environmental and economic backgrounds. Additionally, with the club primarily focusing on hands-on projects, they may be an incredibly useful resource to consult regarding funding and hands needed for the community gardens our group has proposed for Lake Country.
Ken and Carol had mentioned that membership in Rotary is becoming more diverse in terms of gender, race, and age, which is reassuring given that they had mentioned Rotary was more exclusive in the past and was labelled as a "old white man's club". However, I saw on Rotary’s official website that membership is still by invitation only (Rotary International, 2024). I find myself both understanding and critical of this requirement. I understand the invitation requirement given that it has been a long-standing tradition of Rotary since its founding. However, I fear that this could create bias in the clubs regarding who is allowed to be invited. While having a diverse group of members helps reduce this bias, it is not eliminated entirely. Additionally, Rotary membership fees appear to be expensive. I couldn’t find the exact membership fees for Lake Country’s Rotary club. However, I was able to find fee information for the Kalamalka Rotary Club in Vernon, which had an annual fee of $830 as of 2016 (Jackson et al., 2016). In Toronto, individuals must initially pay $300 just to become a member, and afterwards they pay between $240 - $2200 annually depending on their age, history with Rotary, and their profession (The Rotary Club of Toronto, 2024). While the projects and contributions that Rotary clubs do for the communities they are located in are wonderful and especially help contribute to social sustainability and resilience, these high membership fees discriminate against low-income individuals who may want to be part of the club and give back to their community. Ken and Carol had mentioned that while membership is increasing globally, it is decreasing in North America. Going into the future, Rotary may want, and potentially need to consider lowering its membership fees, as doing so may potentially attract more people while reducing discrimination surrounding wealth inequality.
That being said however, it is nice and encouraging to see that Rotary does have more affordable options regarding involvement, particularly with sustainability initiatives. Ken and Carol had talked about the Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG), which anyone can join and only costs $30 annually. It presents an option for all members of a community to be involved with sustainability initiatives and does not discriminate lower-income individuals nearly as much as the official Rotary club. My impression from Ken and Carol is that Rotary members do genuinely care about giving back to their communities and want to help foster community building. I think having more of these branch associations that anyone can join and are more affordable would be a great opportunity for those members to achieve their community-oriented goals. I encourage Rotary as a whole to establish more branch associations like ESRAG so that other members can be involved with their community initiatives without having to be formally invited or wealthy enough to afford exorbitant membership fees.
References:
Jackson, M., Reid, B., MacKinnon, G., Topping, V., Tellier, J., Pruckl, S., Cuthbert, D., Erickson, A., O’Keefe, M. J., Stahuis, M., Perry, N., Bauml, R., Dedora, T., Sharkey, A., Larsen, C., Mayne, J., Udenberg, T., Clark, A., James, K., & Moore, P. (2016). Club Website: Kalrotary.org Visit us on Facebook: Kal Rotary.شRotary International. (2021, August 29). Membership—ESRAG - Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group. https://esrag.org/membership/
Rotary International. (2024). Join a Club. https://www.rotary.org/en/get-involved/join
The Rotary Club of Toronto. (2024). Join Us! If you are interested in becoming a member please complete this form. Google Docs. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSccXDed3KeGjsxz7-pJgS-KLi3Y9Yia3iNd-YNHlkwZXnpZDg/viewform?embedded=true&usp=embed_facebook
JAJ: Thanks for digging up the membership fees. They are somewhat exclusive. This does point to an issue with philanthropic activities generally. The projects that Rotary chooses to support are those that fit the preferences of a fairly exclusive group. It sounds like they are trying to get away from this by engaging more. However, the roots of the club does have an aspect of 'we know what is good for the community'. How much of that comes out of listening to the community at large, and how much comes out of the personal preferences and opinions of those in the club?
Yuxiang's reflection on Jared's reflection
I am really impressed by Jared's reflection on potential biases in membership selection and the exclusion of individuals. The discussion on membership fees shed light on a significant barrier to entry for many potential members. The steep costs associated with Rotary membership risk perpetuating wealth disparities and limiting participation from low-income individuals.
A more similar one comes to mind. As the global economy continues to navigate toward sustainability, the emergence of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) management has been hailed as a beacon of progress. Yet, within the seemingly virtuous realm of ESG, a troubling paradox lurks – one that speaks to the tension between its espoused values of fairness, inclusion, and sustainability, and the barriers to entry erected by high examination fees and professional qualification certificates. ESG managers, often remunerated handsomely for their efforts, are charged with the mission of fostering fairness and inclusion within corporate practices. However, the exorbitant costs associated with obtaining the requisite qualifications act as a formidable barrier for individuals from impoverished families. This creates a glaring incongruity – a profession purportedly dedicated to inclusivity inadvertently perpetuates exclusivity through prohibitively high threshold fees.
The issue of threshold fee structures is not merely a matter of economics but also a question of social justice and equity. As we navigate an increasingly interconnected world, it's imperative that we prioritize inclusivity and accessibility in all aspects of society. By reevaluating and redesigning fee structures to remove barriers and empower individuals, we can create a more equitable and inclusive future for all.
Amir Rahsaz
The discussions of Ken and Carol were interesting to me from the perspective that I have no tangible experience with non-governmental organizations and clubs because immediately after my enrollment at the university in 2005 in Iran, there was a widespread cultural revolution by the Iranian government to reduce the power of the people, and non-governmental organizations were gradually closed down or significantly restricted in their scope of authority. The fact that this club has been able to create unity among the people and residents of Lake Country and attract members to itself was important to me because the previous speaker was talking about the legislation, bylaw and standards for change, and here we should not have another law in place, and voluntary activities and civil society become important. Many successful activities that Ken mentioned as part of the Rotary Club's resume made me realize countless potential solutions that could not be delayed by the government and could be implemented through people's desires and voluntary activities or initiatives. For me, Ken and Carol's response regarding the scattering of members and their personalities representing a small portion of the broader Lake Country community was contrary to my assumption because this city is immigrant-friendly and attracts a large number of newcomers every year who face many mental and material obstacles to assimilate with the primitive population structure of Lake Country and may not quickly be absorbed into associations and clubs. The point that reading Jared's reflection gave me more strength was the high membership fees and the necessity of an invitation from club members for membership, which may pose a challenge to many newcomers in meeting these two conditions, and therefore, the club structure will not be able to represent the entire community. For our project, which requires cultural awareness and the importance of creating corridors and protecting wildlife travel routes, it should be turned into public demand so that legal matters support it, emphasizing the need for clubs such as Rotary and their potential in advancing the bold plan.
JAJ: Very interesting contrast with your experience in Iran. Relating to Coles comment about single purpose clubs compared to general purpose clubs, the former seems to create even more chaos as people are getting involved with promoting causes or project without any kind of coordination. This freedom can create waste. This chaos is of course challenging to a government that wants to maintain control. The waste that is created, and the sometimes conflicting goals and inability to cooperate sometimes bothers me. However, it doesn't sound like an overarching power that guides and coordinates all the volunteer activity is necessarily a good way to go either, particularly if that authority has its own objectives.
Leandro reflection on Amir
Amir describes how listening to Ken and Carol's conversations reminded him of their lack of experience with non-governmental organizations and clubs due to the cultural upheaval in Iran. Being from another place that is similarly different makes me relate to that. He was impressed by the Rotary Club's ability to foster unity among Lake Country residents and their successful initiatives; students in the university environment could also replicate this type of club, which is different from a union. However, membership fees and invitation requirements could further marginalize newcomers, which is partly my feeling about clubs. Today, we are more prone to pay a monthly fee to watch movies than to talk with other people and some changes in societal relationships and priorities of leisure. Jared's reflections on community engagement reinforced Amir's commitment to promoting public demand for legislative support for initiatives such as the wildlife corridor project that I am part of, emphasizing the importance of organizations like Rotary in championing bold endeavours for societal benefit
Emma Carey
There were a number of interesting thoughts I had coming out of Carol and Ken’s talk. I’ve seen many signs in my home town of Toronto about various initiatives that were funded by Rotary but I never knew a whole lot about the organization. It was fascinating to hear about the structure of it with local chapters, then districts, and finally Rotary International at the top providing support. I was a little confused about the focuses of Rotary International, are those same focuses mandated to the local chapters? Or are they able to pick their own priorities based on local contexts? I liked that Ken talked about why people start with the club, to give back to the community, and how they stay due to the social connections the club provides.
Carol is doing some very interesting work on enhancing inclusion within the club in terms of membership. I appreciated her unabashed “feminist soapbox” moments when she discussed the “old boy’s club” Rotary used to be. Going from 32% women 4 years ago to 52% women membership now is a great statistic that shows the commitment the club has to this goal. Sometimes you hear statistics like that and wonder about the stories behind them. I’m curious how Carol came to join the club, I think she said she’s been part of it for 2+ years now. I really enjoyed the banter and dynamics between her and Ken, she has found friends in the club and it makes me wonder about the overall culture of the organization in relation to other women that have recently joined. What are the stories of those other women that have joined? Will the numbers of women members stay as high as it currently is? Sometimes you can have a high number of attrition if women join an organization and the true patriarchal elements have not been fully dismantled. When organization is toxic (for any number of reasons), it becomes very difficult to increase inclusion because those two states are anti-thetically to each other.
Now, I don’t think that Lake Country Rotary today is toxic to women, in fact I suspect they are quite welcoming. Instead, I’m reflecting on how organizations can morph and change, for the better and sometimes for the worst. At my previous place of employment, we had some interesting training sessions on workplace rights. In Ontario, workers are protected from ‘toxic environments’ that include social toxicity. Under the Ontario Human Rights Code, there are 12 protected grounds such as age, gender identity/expression, and sex (including pregnancy and breastfeeding) (Ontario Human Rights Commission, n.d.). They are also protected under the Occupational Health and Safety act, this ensures if a workplace becomes toxic workers in Ontario have a mechanism for legal redress.
A last parting thought, Ken made a small comment towards the end of the talk about local government having a huge impact on people’s lives. This was very similar to one of our other speaker’s main messages. Todd Pugh of CivicInfo came to talk with us Feb 1 and discussed in depth how people underestimate the influence of local government on their lives.
References
Ontario Human Rights Commission. (n.d.). The Ontario Human Rights Code. https://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/ontario-human-rights-code
JAJ: Thanks for your thoughts on toxic environments, and how it seems that the Lake Country Rotary Club at least is quite welcoming. May not be the case for other chapters. Your comments also connected me with my traditional Roman Catholic upbringing. Patriarchal is probably a gentle description of the Catholic church. However, women are by far the largest contributor to the practical functioning of the church. Perhaps like the description of the Rotary Club, the opportunity to serve the community and to get together with people who share some common beliefs provides value, even when the larger organization can be easily criticized for a number of serious current and former failings.
Jared Brown - Reflection on Emma's Reflection
Emma’s reflection was quite enjoyable and interesting to read. I was particularly interested by how she focused on the positionality and stories of the women who have joined Rotary, as I think it is one of the more unique reflections I have read this semester. I find myself trying to reflect on this topic very carefully, given that as a man, I cannot fully understand or relate to the negative experiences women have previously faced and are currently facing due to their gender. If anything I said comes across as offensive, I apologize and please correct me as it is not my intention to cause that.
Like Emma pointed out, it is wonderful to see how much and how quickly female membership has increased in Rotary, which to me suggests that the club is an overall positive environment for women. Nonetheless, I too would still like to know the stories of the women who have joined Rotary, given the club’s patriarchal origins and exclusive male membership up until women were allowed to join in the 1980’s. Why did they join? What has their experience in Rotary been like? Do they feel that a large patriarchal element still constitutes the culture of the club? Hearing these stories are crucial if we want to achieve and maintain sustainability and resilience in our communities, after all, gender equality is one of the UN’s sustainable development goals for a reason.
By listening to the stories and experiences women have had in groups that act on sustainability initiatives like Rotary, we can identify where changes need to be made to empower women and help eliminate gender inequality. In turn, empowering women can help put them in a stronger position to enact sustainability initiatives and policies that meet their needs and help make sure they are not burdened with the impacts of sustainability issues more than men (UNDP, 2023). Of course, it is incredibly important to listen to the stories and experiences from women beyond just Rotary, after all, empowering women has several benefits including increased economic growth and food security (Kim et al., 2016; Quisumbing & Meinzen-Dick, 2020). Based on the rapid increase in female membership, it seems like Rotary is doing a good job at making sure that women are empowered and have an equal part in its initiatives. However, only the stories from its female members will really tell us whether that is the case or not, highlighting the importance of gathering such information.
References:
Kim, J., Lee, J.-W., & Shin, K. (2016). A Model of Gender Inequality and Economic Growth. Asian Development Bank. https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/publication/180687/ewp-475.pdf
Quisumbing, A. R., & Meinzen-Dick, R. S. (2020). Empowering Women to Achieve Food Security. International Food Policy Research Institute.
UNDP. (2023, February 28). What does gender equality have to do with climate change? United Nations Development Programme - Climate Promise. https://climatepromise.undp.org/news-and-stories/what-does-gender-equality-have-do-climate-change
JAJ: Good point about the role of women. Education and empowerment of women - ensuring that women have real opportunities to participate as equals in society and the economy - is key to addressing the fundamental environmental challenge we face, which is continually growing human population on the earth.
Armita Tehranchi
I was really interested in this lecture because as we are working on community gardens, I saw so many community gardens in other cities that were founded by specific clubs in their cities and they had the best engagement of the people over there and also the best website and introduction. So, I wanted to know how they started that and this was a chance for me to look from that point of view. However, I could not completely understand how they founded this club and how someone could do that in future. The conversation with members of the Rotary Club offered a profound glimpse into the dynamics of community engagement and the impactful role organizations like Rotary play in nurturing local development and environmental sustainability.
My takeaway from the discussion was multifaceted, emphasizing the Rotary Club's foundational mission of service beyond oneself. Their dedication to various projects, such as the establishment of a food bank, support for walking trails, and the creation of pollinator gardens, vividly illustrates a commitment to addressing both human needs and environmental preservation. These projects are not merely acts of goodwill; they represent a cohesive strategy aimed at improving the overall quality of life and promoting ecological balance. The construction of the food bank stood out as a testament to the Rotary's capacity to mobilize resources and navigate challenges. This endeavor, driven by a need to provide a stable source of food for the community, exemplifies how collaboration and persistence can yield essential facilities that serve the community's immediate needs. Similarly, the emphasis on walking trails and pollinator gardens reflects an acute awareness of the importance of environmental health and biodiversity for sustaining communities.
Moreover, the conversation showed the importance of social connections and partnerships in achieving these goals. The Rotary Club's ability to bring together diverse groups of people, each with unique skills and perspectives, is central to its success. It is through this collective effort that the Club can undertake significant projects that might otherwise be unfeasible. The notion of using service projects as a means to foster stronger community bonds and address broader social and environmental issues resonated deeply with me. It underscores the idea that contributing to one's community can take many forms, from hands-on involvement in local projects to supporting initiatives that have a wider environmental impact. The dialogue also highlighted the critical role of strategic planning and engagement with local government and other stakeholders in realizing these projects. Understanding the complexities involved in bringing such projects to fruition, including navigating regulatory landscapes and securing funding, was particularly enlightening. It demonstrated that effective community service requires not just goodwill but also strategic thinking and persistence.
In reflecting on the conversation, I am struck by the Rotary Club's role as a catalyst for change and its dedication to making a meaningful difference in the world. The Club's efforts underscore the potential for organizations and individuals to contribute to a more sustainable and equitable future. It has inspired me to consider how I can leverage my skills and resources to contribute to my community in a meaningful way. This engagement with the Rotary Club member was a powerful reminder of the impact that committed individuals and organizations can have on their communities.
Amir reflection on Armita's reflection
Reading Armita's reflection has strengthened my belief in my previous conviction that power should transition from being centralized to decentralized, from governments to the people, and clubs have great potential for this task. As Armita pointed out, the intra-group and upper-level relationships that Rotary Club has at the level of a global club give it the ability to receive budgets and resources appropriately and tailor the type of impact each club wants to have in any given region, depending on its specific circumstances. Whereas when a centralized power like the government tries to undertake a project, it inevitably involves a more general and comprehensive approach that may have limited compatibility with the target area. Another positive aspect I gleaned from Armita's reflection is the wide scope of Rotary's activities, encompassing everything from food security to environmental conservation and wildlife, thanks to its diverse membership, allowing everyone to voice their opinions and priorities, creating a distinction between a general public club and a more specialized club based on individual interests.
According to Armita. The multi-layered nature of Rotary's activities and the multi-level distribution of power within it, as accurately identified by Armita, seem to be the winning leaf of this successful club. One point that, in my opinion, Armita left unexplored is that individuals working in a club engage in activities voluntarily, without the coercion of a job, adding a willingness and desire to the power of a club compared to a governmental organization.