Rotary Youth Exchange
What is the purpose of this program?
To broaden and enrich the lives of youth and their host families. Te overall purpose is to foster world understanding by way of intercultural exchange.
What are the types of programs for youth?
1. Long Term – Academic year, during which time the student lives with 4 designated families and attends school in the host country.
2. Short term – Several days to several weeks, during which time the student lives with a host family but does not attend school.
3. New Generations Exchange – Three to six week exchange for students age 18-25, for either individuals of groups.
What are the responsibilities of the Host Family?
In addition to providing room and board, the family is expected to exercise general parental supervision as you would your own children and involve the student in daily chores and activities. The families also often share their native background while learning about their visitor’s culture. This is not meant to be elaborate, but simply an effort to make the student a part of your family.
Also included: Meeting the student upon arrival; helping with language mastery; helping the student with community and with Rotary obligations; helping the student meet other young people; providing a safe environment; being tolerant of differences.
What are Rotary’s responsibilities?
Rotarians work to take care of the logistics of the exchange. As all Youth Exchanges are carried out on the local level, the local Rotary club and district arranges school enrollment, tuition and other educational matters. All program volunteers are devoted to the safety of the students and the host club and district maintains and follows policies and procedures for the protection of the student. Rotarians invite the student to social and cultural functions. For longer term exchanges, a Rotarian counselor is appointed.
To coordinate a Youth Exchange or for answers to your questions, contact Youth Exchange Officer Lori Harris (lharris2006@yahoo.com).
For more information: Youth Exchange
New Guidelines
Over the last few years, the Rotary Youth Exchange Program has changed dramatically. The changes include many restrictions and rules that we must adhere to in order to comply with Rotary International, the State Department, US Immigration & Customs, and some independent rating agencies. If our District is not in compliance with these requirements by 1 July 2007 and prepared to pass an audit by the State Department, we could forfeit our right to participate in the Youth Exchange Program.
Our task is to implement these changes and put in place a multitude of controls designed to protect our Youth Exchange Students from abuse and sexual harassment. After reviewing the options, our current District Leadership to include Governor Jay Kapner, Governor-Elect Wilson Ray and Youth Exchange Officer Mike Reid have decided that it would be best for our District to join a multi-district program called ESSEX (Eastern States Student Exchange). By joining ESSEX and accepting their procedures and guidelines, we would immediately be in compliance with all regulatory agencies including the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET).
ESSEX is a highly structured, RI approved organization comprised of 35 Rotary Districts that cover 16 eastern states as well as Bermuda and Canada. There are many other advantages to joining ESSEX: they exchange with 50 countries, while we currently have approximately nine. Their network is much larger and can police the regulatory procedures easier and at a lower cost. They will keep all records and make all placements for our students.
Rotary International must approve our request to join ESSEX. However, before applying to RI, we must first have a two-thirds affirmative vote from all the clubs in our District. With that in mind we are asking that every Club President vote affirmative below so we can join ESSEX immediately and not jeopardize our program. Please understand that by voting affirmatively your club is NOT obligated to participate in any student exchanges or spend any additional money in that regard. This is only giving our District permission to join ESSEX. For additional information please call our District point of contact DGE Wilson Ray at telephone (910)-843-4277 or by E-mail bronco549@aol.com. Also, you may wish to visit the ESSEX web-site at www.exchangestudent.org.
Under ESSEX, the cost to our District would be minimal. If we continue to participate at the rate of nine student exchanges per year the annual cost to the District would be approximately $2250.00 ($250.00 per student).