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 member-led connection, introductions, choice and belonging; they do not constitute Rotary International endorsement of the named Member Matchmaker Coffee Pairings initiative, its matching criteria or this locally designed conversation process.
Primary references consulted
Make Connections(Rotary International) Used for: Rotary encourages clubs to ask what people care about and create connections around interests, skills and service.; The guidance supports relationships that let members share skills across generations rather than merely receiving a list of activities.
Engage Emerging Leaders(Rotary International) Used for: Rotary encourages personal connection, useful introductions and regular check-ins as members find their place.; Clubs should learn what inspires a member rather than pushing a predetermined pathway.
Enhancing Belonging and Engagement at Rotary(Rotary International) Used for: Rotary states that it values contributions from people across different backgrounds, abilities, experiences, ideas and beliefs.; Belonging and engagement require club practices that make space for different ways of participating and contributing.
Candidate District material consulted
These records remain draft evidence and still need a human source decision.
Club Playbook - Theme 2 The related Member Matchmaker Tool concept,Pairing members around shared hobbies or professions for coffee or a get-to-know-you lunch,Peer support and connection as draft outcome intentions,A matching form as the proposed starting resource
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
Engaging Younger Professionals: Make Connections Supports: The 32 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.
Engage Emerging Leaders Supports: Member-centred discovery, mentoring, feedback, emerging-leader support and club-health review principles during renewal. Does not establish: That a person is ready for office, should be selected, has consented to a role or that a proposed renewal pathway will work locally.
Enhancing Belonging and Engagement at Rotary Supports: Belonging, accessibility, respectful participation and equitable access principles for renewal and club experience. Does not establish: That a particular meeting model, membership pathway, leadership process or club culture is inclusive without testing with affected people.
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
The club must approve the conduct, concern and escalation route before inviting pairings, including responsibility for any activity represented as a club event.
Contact details and preference information may be shared only for the accepted pairing and under an approved privacy and deletion arrangement.
The coordinator must not pair people for grievance resolution, pastoral care, safeguarding, professional advice or complaint handling.
Any subsidy, venue booking, alcohol service, transport or insurance arrangement requires the responsible club officer's approval.
Still an internal draft: source interpretation, local suitability, accessibility, governance and editorial approval remain open checks.
Why a club might use this
It helps knowledge, confidence and encouragement move between members instead of resting with a few people.
It may suit: Members seeking guidance or a new challenge, and the people offering practical support.
Use it when
Consider Member Matchmaker Coffee Pairings when members want guidance or a next challenge but the available pathways are hard to see.
Clubs where new, quieter, hybrid or less regularly attending members remain outside the usual informal networks.
Members who want one purposeful conversation before deciding whether a project, fellowship, mentor or leadership pathway suits them.
A four- to six-week trial with a small cohort, minimal matching data and one clear follow-up.
Before the club starts
An opt-in preference form explaining the purpose, information used, proposed meeting format, contact exchange and rematch route.
A matching coordinator who applies written criteria and checks every proposed pair privately before sharing contact details.
A short conversation card, conduct boundary and named contact for concerns, cancellations, access support or follow-up.
A cost-free, low-cost, telephone or online option so venue, travel, food, caring responsibilities or connectivity do not determine who can participate.
Capacity guide
Likely cost
Low; usually limited to coffee, simple materials and coordination time.
Lead time
About three weeks to recruit mentors, map pathways and make the first matches.
People
One coordinator and four to eight mentors, scaled to the number of participating members.
A useful club conversation
Questions worth asking
What part of Rotary, service or community life would you like to understand through someone else's experience?
What would make this a useful one-off conversation even if neither person wants an ongoing mentoring relationship?
Which next introduction or activity would be welcome, and what should remain a private conversation?
Common traps
Trying Member Matchmaker Coffee Pairings when Pairing people to resolve complaints, personal conflict, harassment, wellbeing concerns or matters requiring a trained or authorised response.
Proceeding with Member Matchmaker Coffee Pairings when Assuming shared age, profession, culture or hobby will create a safe or useful match without asking each person what they prefer.
A difficult interaction is dismissed because the initiative is described as informal. — Provide a named concern contact, conduct boundary and prompt response process, and pause further matching while any safety or conduct issue is addressed.
A practical 90-day path
Three milestones for Member Matchmaker Coffee Pairings
When
What the club does
Evidence to keep
Days 1–30: Agree the local design
Ask a small mix of members which connections are currently hard to make and whether coffee, a walk, a phone call or an online conversation would feel useful and safe. Invite opt-in preferences using only the information needed for this round, including interests, conversation goals, format, availability and any access support requested.
A participant-informed purpose, format menu and stop conditions A minimum matching list with clear permission to use the responses
Days 31–60: Run and adjust the first version
Create proposed pairs using the written criteria, check each proposal separately and share contact information only after both people accept. Send a simple introduction covering the reason for the match, agreed format, cost boundary, access arrangement, three optional prompts and the no-fault cancellation route.
Mutually accepted pairs or a private rematch and waitlist record A shared pairing brief that both members can correct
Days 61–90: Review the evidence and decide
Hold one 30- to 45-minute conversation, let each person choose what to share and end by naming one optional introduction, activity or follow-up rather than forcing another meeting. Check separately whether the match was comfortable and useful, respond to any concern, and let each person continue, pause, rematch or finish without disclosing the other's feedback.
A privately chosen next step or a completed one-off connection A de-identified trial review and a private outcome for each participant
Fit it to the club you have
Small club
Pair across a neighbouring club or district network when everyone already knows one another. Use one coordinator from outside the pair if local roles make it hard to decline or give candid feedback.
Larger club
Run small themed rounds, publish the matching criteria and use a waitlist rather than making weak matches. Audit whose preferences are repeatedly harder to meet.
Regional or rural club
Offer telephone, low-bandwidth video, a walk or a pairing attached to an existing trip. Do not treat long travel or seasonal unavailability as lack of willingness.
Metropolitan, hybrid or online club
Offer several time and format choices, avoid automatically matching by postcode or profession, and provide accessible online meeting details without sharing personal calendars or contact data beyond the accepted pair.
Learn, adapt and know when to stop
Evidence worth keeping
Proposed pairs accepted by both people before contact details are exchanged.
Accepted pairs completing a conversation in the agreed accessible format within two weeks.
Participants reporting that the match was comfortable, purposeful and free of pressure to continue.
Change course when
A person feels unable to decline a senior, well-connected or socially influential proposed match. — Check each proposal separately, use a no-reason-needed decline route and never tell one member why the other declined or requested a rematch.
The matching process relies on stereotypes or shares unnecessary personal information. — Use member-stated goals and format preferences, collect the minimum data and share only the reason for the accepted match and agreed contact details.
Venue cost, alcohol, food, transport, disability or connectivity creates an avoidable participation barrier. — Offer cost-free and non-café formats, ask about access privately and confirm the chosen format before making the introduction.
How to put it into practice
Detailed implementation steps for Member Matchmaker Coffee Pairings
Step
Action
Suggested owner
Timing
Evidence or output
1
Ask a small mix of members which connections are currently hard to make and whether coffee, a walk, a phone call or an online conversation would feel useful and safe.
Connection coordinator
Three weeks before the trial
A participant-informed purpose, format menu and stop conditions
2
Invite opt-in preferences using only the information needed for this round, including interests, conversation goals, format, availability and any access support requested.
Connection coordinator
Two weeks before the trial
A minimum matching list with clear permission to use the responses
3
Create proposed pairs using the written criteria, check each proposal separately and share contact information only after both people accept.
Connection coordinator with privacy contact
Within five days of expression-of-interest close
Mutually accepted pairs or a private rematch and waitlist record
4
Send a simple introduction covering the reason for the match, agreed format, cost boundary, access arrangement, three optional prompts and the no-fault cancellation route.
Connection coordinator
At introduction
A shared pairing brief that both members can correct
5
Hold one 30- to 45-minute conversation, let each person choose what to share and end by naming one optional introduction, activity or follow-up rather than forcing another meeting.
Paired members
Within two weeks of introduction
A privately chosen next step or a completed one-off connection
6
Check separately whether the match was comfortable and useful, respond to any concern, and let each person continue, pause, rematch or finish without disclosing the other's feedback.
Connection coordinator
Within seven days of the conversation
A de-identified trial review and a private outcome for each participant
Controls and safeguards
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.
A person feels unable to decline a senior, well-connected or socially influential proposed match. — Check each proposal separately, use a no-reason-needed decline route and never tell one member why the other declined or requested a rematch.
The matching process relies on stereotypes or shares unnecessary personal information. — Use member-stated goals and format preferences, collect the minimum data and share only the reason for the accepted match and agreed contact details.
Venue cost, alcohol, food, transport, disability or connectivity creates an avoidable participation barrier. — Offer cost-free and non-café formats, ask about access privately and confirm the chosen format before making the introduction.
A difficult interaction is dismissed because the initiative is described as informal. — Provide a named concern contact, conduct boundary and prompt response process, and pause further matching while any safety or conduct issue is addressed.
The club must approve the conduct, concern and escalation route before inviting pairings, including responsibility for any activity represented as a club event.
Contact details and preference information may be shared only for the accepted pairing and under an approved privacy and deletion arrangement.
The coordinator must not pair people for grievance resolution, pastoral care, safeguarding, professional advice or complaint handling.
What to measure
After 90 days, review Member Matchmaker Coffee Pairings. Look for suitable matches, regular check-ins and progress against goals chosen by the participating member.
Proposed pairs accepted by both people before contact details are exchanged.
Accepted pairs completing a conversation in the agreed accessible format within two weeks.
Participants reporting that the match was comfortable, purposeful and free of pressure to continue.
Participants choosing a next introduction, activity, rematch or clear conclusion after the conversation.
Follow-up: At the 90-day review, compare the recorded measures with the starting point, resolve the listed governance holds and tell participants whether Member Matchmaker Coffee Pairings will change, continue 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.
01
Pairing Preference and Consent Form
Collect the minimum information needed for a mutually accepted and accessible introduction.
