World Community Service Resource Network

Background:

In June 1997, the Rotary International Board of Directors approved a plan for establishing, promoting and supporting a World Community Service Resource Network (WCSRN) to provide comprehensive information and advice to clubs and districts on successful approaches to carrying out international service projects, funding opportunities available through The Rotary Foundation and other sources, and international shipping procedures for donated goods projects. These projects can be World Community Service (WCS), Health, Hunger, and Humanity (3H), Matching Grant, Disaster Relief or other Humanitarian Aid projects of Rotary and others.

The WCSRN acts as an on-going, all volunteer support mechanism to whatever WCS Committee, Task Force, or other humanitarian aid program emphasis structure that is created by the RI President each year. In addition, it provides an extension of the capabilities of the Rotary International Programs Department and The Rotary Foundation staff related to Humanitarian Aid Programs.

Purpose:

The purpose of the WCSRN is to help Rotarians, Rotary Clubs and Districts perform humanitarian aid projects more effectively, on a more timely basis, at less cost and in so doing, permit the expansion of the number of projects that can be done and the number of people who can be effected worldwide.

Composition of the WCSRN:

The WCSRN is composed of five major elements:

1. The Heart of the WCSRN is its Web Site at http://www.handsacrossthesea.org/ . From here you can access information on all the resources necessary for the planning and execution of humanitarian aid projects.
2. The Rotary International Web Site Section on WCS at www.rotary.org/programs/wcs/index.html. From here you can access the WCS Projects Exchange, Rotary Volunteers and additional information regarding projects.
3. The Lifeblood of the WCSRN is the hundreds of Rotarians who have experience in the various humanitarian aid projects of Rotary International and the Rotary Foundation. Many of these are directly linked from the WCSRN Web Site or instructions will be found on how to connect with an advisor who has the expertise needed.
4. This Yahoo WCSRN Listserve is an "active" Cyberspace communications tool that provides, all those registered, an immediate dialog on the subjects of humanitarian aid questions, project needs, help available, suggestions, etc.
5. The RI Web Site provides for a "passive" communication tool for posting messages in Discussion Rooms. These Discussion Rooms, are like bulletin boards, and cover a broad range of topics and access is available from the Home Page of either the RI or the WCSRN Web Site.

Organization of the WCSRN Web Site:

The site has introductory information such as Mission, History, and Leadership as well as extensive instructions on How to Connect and Use WCSRN. Each month additions and changes are announced in a section entitled What’s New? The functional sections of the WCSRN Web Site are:

Rotarian Knowledge:

Access to the knowledge of Rotarians experienced in the many facets of the Rotary humanitarian aid projects can be made from the WCSRN Web Site. Rotarians may serve in many ways:

1. The current WCSRN Advisory Committee consists of seven Rotarians, all of who are past officers of Rotary International. It is the policy of the WCSRN to always have three successive year’s WCS Committee or Task Force Chairs on the Advisory Committee in order to provide continuity of input from RI Presidential emphasis programs.
2. The Operations Committee consists of seventeen Rotarians experienced in the various administrative aspects of project management as well as the functional areas required for successful projects.
3. The “field” structure of the WCSRN consists of over sixty Zone, Country and Area Advisors. The function of these advisors is to help the Rotarians in their geographical area understand the resources available from the WCSRN and to provide an interface from those Rotarians to these resources.
4. Over a hundred Project Specialists are available to advise on approximately eighty five specific project subjects within the broad categories of Agriculture and Food, Community Development, Disaster Relief, Education and Literacy/Numeracy, Environment, Health, Housing and Building Construction, Material/Equipment and Supplies, Peace Projects and Water/Sanitation.
5. Since inception in 1997, over 300 Rotarians have registered with Rotary International as Members of the WCSRN. These Rotarians have their functional experience recorded in a Database and are available to answer specific questions and give advise in very specific areas and in various areas of the world.

Rotarians who relate to WCSRN Resources:

Thousands of Rotarians can benefit from the information and manpower experience organized by the WCSRN. The following are the broad categories of related Rotarians:

1. Club and District WCS Chairs – Since these are the Rotarians around the world who actually plan and execute the humanitarian aid projects of Rotary, these are the ones who will find the most interest in the WCSRN.
2. District Grant Chairs – This relatively new District Rotarian function will find the information available to be very helpful in maximizing the District’s grant funds.
3. Project Contacts – Like the Club and District WCS Chairs, the Project Contacts need to be aware of the WCSRN so that the project can be as effective and far-reaching as possible, with the fewest problems.
4. Rotary Volunteers – Rotary Volunteers not only have the experience to be WCSRN Project Specialists but they also use the information and Rotarian knowledge available to help extend their abilities on a project.
5. TRF Cadre of Technical Advisors – These Rotarians are assigned based on their experience and many will also be WCSRN Project Specialists. In their Cadre assignment, they can refer Project Contacts to the WCSRN resources for future projects being considered.

Additional Information:

For additional information on the WCSRN, we would recommend the following:

1. Review the WCSRN Web Site Background section on the Mission and Creation of the WCSRN.
2. Review the Leadership section for an understanding of the functions and depth and experience of the WCSRN Leadership Team.
3. Become familiar with the various links from the Home Page
4. Review the contents of the eight functional sections (the eight linked boxes across the top).
5. Review the Rotarian Knowledge section to be familiar with how to reach the various advisors.
6. Surf around any other sections of the Web Site that might be of interest.

Please Make www.RotaryWCSRN.org a Favourite Place on your Computer and Use it Often

Any questions may be directed to Jim Johannsen, PDG, D5240, 1992-93 at Rotary.WCSRNATverizon.net