E-016 · A 90-day try-out

A club plan for Rotary Impact Stories Night

Use this as a starting point. Cross out what does not fit, add what is missing and make it your club's own.

Where this idea came from

Playbook entry: E-016 · Rotary Impact Stories Night
Theme: Theme 2: Engagement & Belonging · Subtheme 1: Onboarding & First 90 Days
Source material: Current playbook index title and category plus an internally authored detailed-guide draft

Initiative-specific development wave

How this draft was developed

These sources support general principles for evidence-led Rotary stories, permissions and Australian privacy practice; they do not constitute Rotary International endorsement of the named Rotary Impact Stories Night initiative, any selected story or this locally designed event.

Primary references consulted

People of Action (Rotary International)
Used for: Rotary's People of Action guidance calls for stories to say what was done, offer proof of the difference and make the next action clear.; Impact communication should use real moments and credible evidence rather than unsupported promotional language.
Getting Permissions (Rotary International)
Used for: Recording or publishing an identifiable person's image, voice, story or personal information requires clear permission and attention to applicable local law.; Best practice prioritises the subject's interests, confirms accuracy and avoids material that may place a person or family at risk.
Chapter 3: APP 3 Collection of Solicited Personal Information (Office of the Australian Information Commissioner)
Used for: Personal information collection should be limited to what is reasonably necessary and use lawful and fair means.; Sensitive information generally requires consent that is informed, voluntary, current and specific.

Candidate District material

No candidate local guide was used for this version. The current initiative identity and the attributed primary references remain separate.

Theme 2 source-assurance wave

What has been checked

3 current primary pages used by this guide were reopened on 9 August 2026.
6 attributed source claim(s) were mapped to their bounded use in this initiative.
Candidate District material remains separate and does not establish this result.

See each source's scope and limit

People of Action
Supports: The 2 attributed Theme 2 claims attached to this source, limited to the implementation elements and supporting documents named in each initiative-level claim mapping.
Does not establish: That the initiative is endorsed by Rotary International or District 9510, that it is permitted by the club's governing documents, that members want it, that it suits the local club, or that it will achieve the intended outcome.
Getting Permissions
Supports: The 2 attributed Theme 2 claims attached to this source, limited to the implementation elements and supporting documents named in each initiative-level claim mapping.
Does not establish: Whether the Privacy Act or another duty applies to this club, whether consent is informed and valid, whether collection or publication is authorised, or whether the proposed safeguards are sufficient in the actual circumstances.
Chapter 3: APP 3 Collection of solicited personal information
Supports: Data-minimisation, collection-purpose, proportionality and consent safeguards where the Privacy Act and APP 3 apply.
Does not establish: Whether a particular Rotary club is an APP entity or whether a proposed renewal survey, diagnostic or member record is lawful in its actual circumstances.

What still needs a person to confirm

Confirm the member, prospective-member, past-member and community needs, preferences and consent that the local design assumes.
Confirm which privacy, safeguarding, incorporated-association, charity, work health and safety, food, liquor, copyright, licensing, screening and other duties apply to the club and the activity.
Test accessibility, cultural safety, belonging, language and alternative participation routes with affected people and recognise First Nations cultural authority rather than inferring suitability from the guide.
Confirm every local fact, starting point, cost, role, current service contact, measure, stopping condition and platform capability before the club decides to proceed.
Confirm the authority and current scope of each primary source, resolve login-gated or moved-page references and keep any candidate District material attributed and unapproved until its source decision is made.

The source-verification release gate remains closed.

Checks still on hold

A locally appropriate permission or release process must be approved; Rotary's international guidance does not replace Australian legal advice.
Stories involving children, people lacking legal capacity, trauma, health, family violence, displacement or other sensitive circumstances require specialist safeguarding review and may be excluded.
Project owners and relevant partners must approve outcome facts, statistics, names, quotations and attribution before rehearsal.
No photograph, recording or story may be published after the night without the separate communications and permissions approval attached to that exact material.
Any fundraising or grant-related claim requires additional financial and grant compliance review.

Still an internal draft: source interpretation, local suitability, accessibility, governance and editorial approval remain open checks.

1. Is this worth trying here?

What we hope will change: Use Rotary Impact Stories Night to give new members a clear first 90 days, early relationships and a useful way to contribute.

What is happening in our club or community now?What is the smallest useful version we could try? What will we leave out?

Board contactPerson leading the workPerson checking what happened

2. Our 90-day try-out

What our club will do for Rotary Impact Stories Night
Step	What we will do	Who could lead it	Our date	How we will know it is done
1	Invite project and community partners to nominate stories worth sharing and ask who should have authority to shape or tell each story; do not begin with the club's publicity needs.	Impact night producer and project lead	Four to six weeks before the night	A story shortlist with proposed story authority and partner involvement
2	Build an evidence card for each story, distinguishing activity, output, observed outcome, participant account and untested attribution; remove any claim that cannot be supported or appropriately qualified.	Evidence checker with project owner	Four weeks before the night	A verified story evidence pack with limits and unknowns visible
3	Agree the story content and participation boundaries with each contributor, including names, images, sensitive details, recording, audience, later use and the option to change or withdraw before the event.	Permissions lead	Three weeks before the night and reconfirmed before delivery	A permission record matched to the approved story and media plan
4	Rehearse each eight-minute story using the same arc: the need as understood locally, who shaped the response, what was done, what evidence shows, what remained difficult and what the club learned.	Story facilitator with contributor and project partner	One week before the night	Three concise, accurate and non-extractive story briefs
5	Deliver the stories with a short reflection between them, then let new members choose a question, skill contribution or learning visit connected to a current project rather than asking for an immediate commitment.	Host, contributors and project connectors	During the 60- to 75-minute night	A question log and opt-in expressions of interest linked to named connectors
6	Thank contributors privately, confirm any agreed follow-up, correct the record if a factual issue arose and use only the separately approved material for any later club communication.	Impact night producer and communications lead	Within seven days	Contributor follow-up, corrected evidence record and a controlled publication decision

3. Checks before we start

Things our club needs to check
Question	What it means for us	Who will check	Done?
Check the idea with the people affected and confirm its purpose, owner and practical limits before putting it into use.
Protect member choice and privacy, make participation accessible, and do not infer belonging or satisfaction from attendance alone.
Confirm venue, accessibility, safety, incident, cancellation and follow-up arrangements for the actual audience and setting.
The club is cast as the hero while community members and partners are reduced to beneficiaries. — Give the people closest to the work authority over framing, name partner and community contributions, and include what the club learned or got wrong.
Activity counts or personal testimony are presented as proof that the club caused lasting change. — Use an evidence card that labels the type and limits of every claim and remove unsupported attribution.
A speaker's attendance is treated as consent to photographs, recording or future publication. — Record separate, informed choices for each use, provide a no-recording route and reconfirm boundaries immediately before delivery.
A personal story exposes sensitive information, distress or reputational harm for the contributor or their community. — Minimise personal detail, complete a safeguarding and privacy review, offer alternative formats or anonymity and prioritise the person's interests over the event.
A locally appropriate permission or release process must be approved; Rotary's international guidance does not replace Australian legal advice.
Stories involving children, people lacking legal capacity, trauma, health, family violence, displacement or other sensitive circumstances require specialist safeguarding review and may be excluded.
Project owners and relevant partners must approve outcome facts, statistics, names, quotations and attribution before rehearsal.

4. What changed?

What we will keep an eye on
What matters	Where we are now	What we hope to see	How we will check	Who
After 90 days, review Rotary Impact Stories Night. Look for agreed early steps being completed, at least one useful club connection and every promised follow-up being delivered.
Stories carrying a completed evidence check, contributor approval and permission record before delivery.
Impact claims clearly distinguished as outputs, observed outcomes, participant accounts or longer-term change.
New members making a connection, with their agreement, to a relevant project, learning visit or subject expert within 30 days.
Contributors who confirm after the night that the story remained accurate, respectful and within the agreed boundaries.

After 30 days

Is it reaching the right people? Is anything unsafe, unfair or harder than expected?

After 60 days

Make one useful change based on what people have told you.

After 90 days

Compare with where you started. Decide whether to change it, continue it or stop.

Made for this initiative

Tailored supporting documents

These working documents use the decisions, safeguards and evidence needs of this initiative. Complete them with the people affected and keep the agreed version with the club's project record.

Impact Story Evidence Card

Keep the story accurate by separating what happened, what changed and what remains uncertain.

Open supporting document

Contributor Permission and Boundaries Record

Document informed choices for live participation and each proposed later use.

Open supporting document

Story Night Run Sheet and Follow-up Map

Balance concise storytelling, reflection, accessibility and low-pressure next steps.

Open supporting document

Before your club says yes

Does the idea fit?

Talk with the people it is meant to serve and check that the need is real.

We have checked this

Who can say yes?

Name the person or group that can approve the work, spending and any safety arrangements.

We have checked this

Are people protected?

Check privacy, consent and safety. Collect only the information you genuinely need.

We have checked this

Can everyone take part?

Check the language, format, place, technology and cost for barriers.

We have checked this

Are the facts and permissions right?

Check names, claims, images, quotations, partner references and Rotary branding.

We have checked this

How will we learn?

Note where things stand now, check in at 30, 60 and 90 days, and decide what to do next.

We have checked this

Worksheets for your club

Open them online, print them or change them to suit the way your club works.

Event brief

Use this worksheet to plan who the session is for, when it will happen, how people can take part and what happens afterwards.

Open worksheet

Registration and follow-up log

Use this worksheet to map each step and keep only the information the club genuinely needs.

Open worksheet

Feedback form

Use this worksheet to hear what people experienced and decide what to change next.

Open worksheet