Use “Where Are They Now” Stories to offer former members a respectful way to reconnect without assuming that they want to rejoin.
Where this idea came from
Playbook entry
E-129 · “Where Are They Now” Stories
Theme
Theme 2: Engagement & Belonging · Subtheme 8: Past Member Re-Engagement
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 changing participation, accessible media and purpose-limited use of personal information; they are not an endorsement of the named “Where Are They Now” Stories initiative or authority for any contributor, claim, asset or publication.
Requirements and Standards for Video and Audio(Australian Government Style Manual) Used for: Audio and video need accessible alternatives such as transcripts, captions and audio description where relevant.
Chapter 6: APP 6 Use or Disclosure of Personal Information(Office of the Australian Information Commissioner) Used for: Personal information should not be reused or disclosed beyond the understood purpose without an applicable basis.
Candidate District material consulted
These records remain draft evidence and still need a human source decision.
Club Playbook - Theme 2 Candidate record 80 “Where Are They Now” Series provides the related former-member interview and newsletter-profile concept. It is not a literal current-title match and does not supply selection equity, contact authority, contributor topic control, claim verification, rights, accessibility, channel-specific consent, correction, expiry or deletion controls.
Theme 2 source-assurance wave
What has been checked
3 current primary pages used by this guide were reopened on 9 August 2026.
3 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
Deliver Continued Value Supports: The 49 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.
Requirements and Standards for Video and Audio 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: Accessibility or inclusion conformance, the needs or preferences of any person or community, cultural authority to act, the suitability of a format or venue, or local approval.
Chapter 6: APP 6 Use or Disclosure of Personal Information Supports: The 21 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.
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 editorial purpose, selection method, contact authority, story boundary, rights, accessibility, channels, expiry and response service.
No person may be profiled from old records or public information, and a contributor cannot be required to discuss Rotary, departure or private circumstances.
Every claim, quotation, image, third-party detail and Rotary description requires an identified source or authority and contributor review.
Publication in one channel does not permit another, and correction, withdrawal, expiry and deletion must be practical across all controlled copies.
Still an internal draft: source interpretation, local suitability, accessibility, governance and editorial approval remain open checks.
What could this idea change?
It helps more people feel known, valued and able to take part in ways that work for them.
It may suit: Former or less-connected members, and the club members reaching out to them.
Could this work in our club?
Consider “Where Are They Now” Stories when past members may value news, friendship or a limited service opportunity but have not been offered a suitable route back.
A voluntary invitation based on an authorised contact route, a clear editorial purpose and a choice to speak about life, community, work or nothing related to Rotary.
A short, accessible story whose claims, quotations, images, third-party details and Rotary references can be verified and approved before publication.
A publication process with separate internal, newsletter, website and social-media permissions plus correction, withdrawal, expiry and deletion.
Before you start
An editorial brief stating audience, value, selection method, equity check, contact basis, non-recruitment boundary, channels, expiry and response owner.
A contributor choice form covering topic, prompts, name, biography, Rotary description, quotation, images, third-party mentions, review method and permitted channels.
A source and rights check for every factual claim, image and third-party reference, with unsupported achievement, causal or impact wording removed.
An accessible publishing standard covering headings, plain language, meaningful links, alternative text, captions or transcripts and a visible correction and withdrawal contact.
At the end: At the 90-day review, compare the recorded measures with the starting point, resolve the listed governance holds and tell participants whether “Where Are They Now” Stories 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
Past-Member Story Editorial and Selection Brief
Define why the story matters and prevent prestige, recruitment and insider selection from driving the series.
