Clubs New to
Youth Exchange
Think Your Club Might Want to Participate in YE?
Club involvement in Rotary Youth Exchange is one of the most rewarding things a club may ever do. It's a great way to get members involved, cultivate new members and get the word out how great Rotary really is. If you would like to learn more about starting Youth Exchange program, contact us.
What is the club role common to both Long-Term and Short Term programs?
Rotary clubs that participate in the Youth Exchange program are demonstrating their commitment to International Service in one of the best, most direct, most meaningful, and most fun ways possible. Clubs will seek out and sponsor local (outbound) students for an exchange experience overseas in a remarkable, life-changing experience, and will host one or more foreign (inbound) students for a year in your community.
Under the leadership of a club Youth Exchange Officer, Rotarians visit high schools and/or local community organizations to tell teenagers about the opportunities in the Youth Exchange program, meet with interested students and their parents, and interview the students and parents to determine their suitability for the program. Clubs are urged to invite their outbound candidates to one or more Rotary meetings before the student leaves, to help them learn more about Rotary and the sponsoring club. Outbound students should be given a few club banners to exchange overseas.
What is the club's role in the Long-Term program?
For the inbound students, the club is responsible for finding host families (if a Long-Term outbound student has not provided them), vetting host families and arranging for schooling, in addition to providing the student with a monthly allowance (see below). Ideally, there should be three or four different host families through the year, so the student gets to enjoy a variety of experiences, several families get to enjoy the student, and no one family is over-burdened. The club must get approval from a local high school for the student's enrollment there, and that information, along with the identity of the first host family, must be submitted to the District YE Committee at least three months before the student's arrival.
The host club must also designate one of its members to serve as the inbound student's Counselor, to meet with the student and host family on a regular basis, keep on top of the student's progress through the year, help resolve problems, and provide a direct link to the Rotary club. The Counselor can be the Club Youth Exchange Officer or a different member, but the Counselor cannot be the current host parent. Host clubs should try to bring their inbounds to at least one Rotary meeting each month, so as many members as possible can meet the student. It's also a great idea to involve the student in club activities, whether they are community service efforts, social events, or whatever. These events allow the student to meet more Rotarians, and vice versa, opening up wonderful opportunities for future times together and greater international understanding.
What is the club's role in the Short-Term program?
Rotary's Short-Term exchange program offers teenagers a unique opportunity to spend part of a vacation with a family in another country, and then share an equal time here with a foreign teenage guest. The program is a family-to-family exchange, usually during the summer months when school is not in session.
Clubs wishing to offer this program in their communities need only to find students and families who wish to participate. The club then interviews the students and parents, vets the parents to be a host family, and, if they are acceptable candidates, forwards their applications on to the District YE Committee. As with Long-Term students, it's a nice idea to invite the outbound student and parents to a Rotary meeting, to get to know the members and gain an understanding about the club and the organization as a whole.
Some clubs schedule a special activity for both students during the inbound part of the exchange - a cookout or other outing, or perhaps just an evening at a club member's home. Inviting both students to a Rotary meeting is, of course, always a nice idea.
What will it cost the club to sponsor an outbound student?
Not very much at all, actually. The sponsoring club should appoint a club member to be a counselor to the student to meet with the student, maintain regular email correspondence, and help resolve problems that develop. Before the student departs, counselor should provide a few club banners and one or two meals as guests of the club. Clubs may choose to provide a partial scholarship to outbound students, to help offset the costs of the exchange, and while we certainly would encourage clubs to do so, it is not mandatory or expected.
What will it cost the club to host an inbound student?
As part of the Youth Exchange program, Rotary Clubs are required to provide a monthly allowance, typically $100 per month, to Long-Term exchange students. This is specified on the Guarantee Form (part of the student's application), and is mandated by the US State Department for issuance of student visas. This money is paid directly to the students, to help offset the cost of their expenses, and is a valid use of charitable Rotary funds. The cost of enrollment in RYLA camp, providing a Rotary meal to an exchange student who visits the club regularly, as well as appropriate club socials, should also be considered an expense of the program. Some clubs also plan on gifts for the student's birthday and Christmas, and for a year-end going away present.
How do we find exchange student candidates?
If you think that most teenagers could not be exchange students, and could not handle the challenges of a new language, people, and culture, well, you're absolutely correct! But there are exceptional students in every school who would be perfect for this pro-
gram, and would jump at the chance to take part, if only they knew about it. So the first step is to get into the schools and talk to the kids!
One good place to start is with your local Interact Club. There you have students who already have some knowledge about Rotary (or they should, anyway), and the faculty member who sponsors the Interact Club should be more than open to a speaker from Rotary. But limiting the audience to Interact members excludes other local students, and that's something you don't want to do. We have found that foreign language teachers are usually very receptive to Rotary representatives talking to their students
about the YE program.
Your District Youth Exchange Committee is more than willing to help. Contact us.
An exchange student candidate just called us. What do we do now?
A good first step is to refer them to this website where they can find plenty of information - just like you're doing right now. It's important for the club Youth Exchange Officer to meet with the student and his/her family to get a handle on their qualifications and motivation, and to answer the many questions they may have. If the YEO is new to the position, or would like some help, just contact us, we will be happy to assist. Once you've met the student and decided that your club will sponsor him/her, then, after you’ve received he application, establish a small committee to interview the student and parents. Make a recommendation and forward the application to the District YE Committee in advance of the annual deadline. The District YE Committee has suggested interview questions.
Our club got a call/e-mail from a Rotarian overseas, looking for a place for his hild. What should we do about this?
Rotary's Short-Term exchange program offers teenagers a unique opportunity to spend part of a vacation with a family in another country, and then share an equal time here with a foreign teenage guest. The program is a family-to-family exchange, usually during the summer months when school is not in session.
Clubs wishing to offer this program in their communities need only to find students and families who wish to participate. The club then interviews the students and parents, vets the parents to be a host family, and, if they are acceptable candidates, forwards their applications on to the District YE Committee. As with Long-Term students, it's a nice idea to invite the outbound student and parents to a Rotary meeting, to get to know the members and gain an understanding about the club and the organization as a whole.
Some clubs schedule a special activity for both students during the inbound part of the exchange - a cookout or other outing, or perhaps just an evening at a club member's home. Inviting both students to a Rotary meeting is, of course, always a nice idea.
Our local high school soccer coach wants us to help bring in a star player as
an exchange student. How do we do that?
You probably already guessed the answer to this one. We don't. Rotary does not puts its stamp on exchanges that are not the product of regular Rotary Youth Exchange procedures. A student in another country must apply through their local Rotary Club, be selected and endorsed by the local district, and be recommended by the district to us. It is not the purpose of this program to help a soccer coach win a league championship. Our goals are much more important - to build international friendships, break down barriers and stereotypes, and create understanding that transcends political boundaries. Sorry, coach, you'll have to look elsewhere.
Can our children and grandchildren participate in Rotary Youth Exchange?
YES! YES! YES! The Rotary Youth Exchange program is open to children of Rotarians and non-Rotarians alike. Because this is not a program of the Rotary Foundation, there is no restriction on who may participate, and we can certainly send your club members' children and grandchildren, if they would like to go. At the same time, though, be careful not to restrict participation to offspring of your fellow Rotarians. Both the Short-Term and Long-Term programs offer wonderful opportunities to those very special teenagers who recognize its importance and are willing to take on its challenges. And keep in mind that parents of exchange students can also be potential new members of your club!
Do host families have to be Rotarians?
Absolutely not. Though some clubs prefer to have the first family be a Rotary family, perhaps to cement the relationship with the club, there is no requirement that all or any of the host families be Rotary members. In fact, host families, like families of out-bounds, often discover Rotary because of this program, and ultimately join Rotary Clubs.
But the important thing to remember is that any reputable family in your community is eligible to host a Rotary exchange student.
So how do we get started?
It's easy! Contact us. Schedule one of the Youth Exchange committee members as a speaker for your club, and start talking about sponsoring and/or hosting a student next year (those arrangements need to be made several months in advance, so it's never too early). Make plans to talk to your area high school students early in the fall, for the Long-Term program the following year. Invite an inbound student or former
outbound student to speak at your club to help inspire the membership. And get ready for one of the most rewarding, most wonderful programs that Rotary has to offer. Welcome to Rotary Youth Exchange!