Rotary clubs confront the challenge of finding a new generation

A shortage of volunteers has forced the Lara Rotary Club to close after 13 years of community service.

The club officially wound up last weekend after a long struggle to attract new members, ending a chapter that saw more than 50 volunteers support a wide range of projects and initiatives across Lara.

Club members had repeatedly appealed for new volunteers in recent years, warning that a small core group was carrying an increasing workload.

Long-time member Bethany McClean said the decision was difficult but necessary.

“This closure is not a failure nor an end, but an opportunity to change how clubs facing similar membership concerns can survive long term,” she said.

“When it was identified that this year our core group was under too much strain due to the heavy demand placed on such a small group, it was suggested that we close.

“Closing, for now, allows our members and volunteers to focus on priorities in their own lives.

“One of the club mottos, Service above Self, is a powerful reminder of just how valuable the time and money donated by volunteers is.”

McClean said members viewed the closure as a chance to pause and rethink how the club could operate in the future.

She stressed it would not be goodbye forever.

“By closing now, ensuring members’ needs are met, and prioritising the volunteer experience, this leaves the door open to return in the future,” McClean said.

 

Lara Rotary is not alone in facing membership pressures.

Across the region, Rotary clubs are working to attract younger members and adapt to changing volunteer habits, with many acknowledging their long-term future depends on it.

“Rotary used to be a business people’s organisation, and now it’s turned into an older people’s one,” Bellarine North Rotary Club vice-president Ken Withers said.

“We need people who are coming off school councils and things like that to get interested in Rotary.

“We are all going to drop off the perch, so it’s never been more important to attract younger members.”

Like Lara, Bellarine North has spent recent years encouraging new members to get involved as it works to secure the club’s long-term future.

Withers said the consequences of declining membership extended beyond Rotary itself, with local communities standing to lose a significant source of support and fundraising.

“Most years we are putting $40,000 back into just the local community,” he said.

“Our intention is to make life less bad for people in the local area, as well as of those abroad.

“We fill a gap of what comes from the government and the community’s needs. We think we do something important and it would be a huge shame to lose it.”

Although Torquay Rotary continues to attract members and raise funds successfully, vice-president Bruce Turner said the club understood the importance of adapting to changing expectations around volunteering.

“At its heart, Rotary is about people,” he said.

“We recognise the financial pressures facing many individuals and their families. Membership will always be accessible here and has come down for a second year.”

Turner said fostering connection and a sense of purpose remained key to attracting and retaining members.

“People join because they want to make a difference. That sense of connection is becoming increasingly valuable in today’s busy world,” he said.