Connection and Collaboration: How we Unite for Good

By Jennifer Scott AM. RI Director 2025-27.

The beginning of the new Rotary year is a time to remind Rotarians of our global message – Unite for Good.

Connection:

• The power of human connection: The power of human connection is a fundamental aspect of Rotary. I encourage members to welcome new faces and strengthen these bonds. I believe that Rotary’s greatest gift to the world is its people and the relationships they forge.
• Overcoming division: In a world increasingly fractured by political, social and economic divides, I urge Rotarians to rise above polarisation and Unite for Good by embracing your unique ability to connect people across lines of faith, race, age and ideology. Rotary knows no boundaries.
• Engaging new members: Let’s make 2025-26 the year we expand the best-qualified team of volunteers on the planet by fostering connection, particularly in attracting new members. Create diverse club models (satellite, cause-based, enterprise and passport clubs) to meet future Rotarians ‘where they are’ and offer them different ways to experience Rotary and find community.
• Finding purpose and community: People of all ages, including older individuals, seek purpose and connection, and Rotary provides that community.

Collaboration:

• Collaborating on service projects: A core aspect of Unite for Good is to collaborate on service projects to expand Rotary’s global impact. Zone 8 has many wonderful examples of Rotary thriving when clubs, districts and communities come together, ensuring continuity and greater impact for our programs and strategies.
• Strengthening partnerships: Building partnerships is one of three essential pillars for Rotary’s growth (alongside innovation and continuity). Let’s aim to strengthen Rotary’s partnerships with government institutions, corporations and public bodies like hospitals, schools and environmental agencies. These partnerships are crucial for structured, sustained action beyond mere charity.
• Expanding reach and impact: By collaborating with clubs regionally and globally, Rotary can expand its reach, amplify its impact and create sustainable change. I encourage clubs to identify emerging needs in your communities and mobilise resources effectively by leveraging the skills and networks within your clubs and with external partners.
• Collective efforts: When members and clubs collaborate, they experience the profound impact that happens when passionate individuals come together with a shared purpose to serve, to uplift and to make lasting impact.

The 2025-26 Unite for Good message is a powerful call for Rotary to intentionally foster deeper human connections and actively pursue strategic collaborations. These will be the driving forces behind membership growth, effective service and Rotary’s ability to be a unifying force for positive change in a divided world.