Rotary professional development exchange provides insights

The Rotary district of Tasmania 9830 sent five delegates, along with team leader Adrian Wood, to Southern India where they learnt about agriculture, health, policing and administration. 

Each team member was given opportunities relevant to their profession during the exchange to expand their professional development. 

Perioperative clinical nurse manager Lynette Stebbings said the trip allowed her to experience behind the tourist curtain. 

“We got the opportunity to see things you wouldn't see as a tourist and to meet people you probably wouldn’t meet as a tourist,” she said. 

“I was really excited to be able to visit a number of hospitals in India.”

Mrs Stebbings said there were many differences in healthcare in India. 

“When I first said, ‘Oh I’m going to go to India on professional development exchange’ [people] said, ‘Oh what are you going to learn from the Indians?’, but I learnt a lot and I can bring a lot back to what I do here,” she said. 

“Looking after resources and managing population, versus how busy we are here compared to what they are in India and how productive they are with such a large population ... to manage those sorts of differences and to see how they manage with a higher turnover of numbers.”

Mr Wood said India is more advanced than many realise, and is developing quickly. 

Mrs Stebbings agreed, “The real India is a lot different, they’re not poor, they’re not all living in little huts, it is developing.”

The last three weeks has seen Rotary delegates from Southern India travel to Tasmania, to complete the exchange and observe and experience Tasmania. 

Mr Wood said it was a valuable exchange for all involved. 

“We’ve got plenty to show them here in Tasmania and plenty to be proud of,” he said. 

Mrs Stebbing said she is grateful to have had the opportunity to take part in the exchange, although “I still have nightmares about the traffic!” she laughs.