FROM THE R.I.
SOUTH PACIFIC & PHILIPPINES
OFFICE
with Manager Harley TarrantExtracted from the Rotary Downunder Magazine May 2004
"The Decline of Vocational Service"
When I joined my club, one of the books I was given to read was Service is My Business, a 140-page book devoted to inspiring Rotarians to adopt and apply the principles of Vocational Service. This book has long been out of print and R.I. today publishes nothing more than a practical guide on Vocational Service programs.
The book made it clear that the privilege of holding a classification in a Rotary club carried an obligation “to make service rather than self the basis of every principle, policy and procedure” in one’s occupation.
It stated that “Vocational Service is SHARING with others who are not Rotarians – SHARING with them the ideal of Rotary.”It is the duty of all Rotarians to communicate to others in their business or profession, and to the community at large, the principles of Rotary Vocational Service.
Vocational Service has always been the main feature distinguishing Rotary from other organisations and one of the primary reasons for its existence. Yet, today, at a time when ethics in business and professions have slumped to a level lower than almost any time in the past 100 years, and when huge corporations are permitted to use their wealth to put smaller competitors out of business, R.I. and Rotary clubs have given up the fight.
For many years Rotary has made little attempt to inform or to inspire Rotarians to follow and apply the
principles of Vocational Service. The Vocational Service program of many clubs is restricted to a few job talks and vocational awards and we constantly hear the complaint that there is nothing to do in Vocational Service.There has hardly been a time when the promotion of Rotary’s ideals of Vocational Service has been more vital to the well-being of society. We need to get back to the basics and promote:
Pride in one’s work
Fairness to employees
Service to customers
Fair competition
Good faith and honesty
