President's Message March 2023
 

Where is our club headed?

The Board has spent a number of months making updates to our Strategic Plan which we will bring to the club for a vote in March. While we recommend that our primary focus remain the same:

• Keep people from becoming trafficked

• Team up with organizations who provide proven prevention programs and projects that we can replicate

We have added a couple of key items:

First, a focus on measurement and supporting organizations that make data-driven decisions. We specifically added a requirement that organizations we support measure the outcomes of their programs and not just measure outputs. These terms come from Result Oriented Logic Models which were originally introduced in 1983. The intent was to help organizations measure actual program results rather than just count tasks. So, as an example, the number of people who get and retain a job, not just the number of people who attend an employment class. If you want to learn more about Logic Models and the terms “outcomes” and “outputs” you can watch this and many other videos on YouTube. 

Next, we added a focus on economic development as a way to give those who might otherwise become trafficked options. We specifically added that “we will support the creation of economic development tools specifically designed for areas of the world where trafficking is endemic.” For those who went to our February 23 Rotary meeting you heard Michael Podolny talk about the research he, Erin Maloney and Colin Christensen have been conducting regarding the use of microloans to stabilize those in high risk areas around the world. The idea would be to create Rotary Satellite clubs in areas such as Ghana or Sudan and then set up microloans that would eventually self fund areas to provide options and stability to those living there. This article is what kicked the discussion off and we are excited about this becoming a possible project for the club.  

Decisions of this level do require club approval, so we will vote on the updates at the March 23 General Meeting. If you are interested in the high level discussions related to the club’s focus and direction then contact Lisa Podolny <lisa.podolny@gmail.com> about joining her Board in July. Leadership opportunities still exist and we welcome members to join us!