Rotary District 5020 Youth Protection

1. Rotary District 5020 Youth Protection Our Trust

2. BackgroundThe Rotary Youth Exchange program has the highest participation rates among RI Structured Programs (96% of districts in the world participate). More than 250,000 young people participate in Rotary International Youth Programs each year.8,000 students travel to 82 different countries.8,000 families look to us to keep their children safe and well cared for during their exchange year.

3. Daybreak Focus Questions 1. What do you feel the roles and responsibilities of a host family should be? 2. How can 'other' Rotarians support host families to ensure they have support? 3. At the end of the year as a member of our community, what do we hope the Rotary student will have gained? 4. What expectations do we have for our Rotary students?

4. Question? • As a Daybreak Rotary Club what can we do to ensure that the Rotary youth exchange program is a tremendous year of learning and growth ….. a safe,caring, informative and interesting experience that leaves the student and our club members with positive memories that may last for years?

5. There is no greater leap of faith that a parent can make than to entrust your child to: • total strangers with whom you cannot communicate, • in an unfamiliar culture, • in a far away part of the world. Their leap of faith is our sacred trust

6. All organizations that serve youth should have youth protections policies that include awareness, prevention, and response training. GOAL: To create and maintain the safest possible environment for all participants in Rotary activities and to prevent the physical, sexual or emotional abuse of children and young people involved in Rotary

7. Statement of Conduct for Working with Youth “Rotary International is committed to creating and maintaining the safest possible environment for all participants in Rotary Activities. It is the duty of all Rotarians to safeguard to the best of their ability the welfare of and to prevent the physical, sexual or emotional abuse of children and young people with whom they come into contact.”

8. What do we mean when we talk about abuse and harassment?

9. Physical Abuse Mistreatment of a young person by use of physical contact intended to cause pain, injury, or other physical suffering or harm.

10. Emotional or Verbal Abuse Incidents in which an adult uses fear, humiliation or verbal assaults to control the behavior of a young person in his or her care.

11. Neglect Failure to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, supervision or medical care necessary for a young person’s well being.

12. Sexual Abuse Engaging in implicit or explicit sexual acts with a young person or forcing a young person to engage in implicit or explicit sexual acts.

13. Sexual Harassment Unwelcome and often intimidating verbal or sexual advances. Sexual harassment often carries with it the threat of reprisals if such advances are refused.

14. Protection Is:Preventing, Planning and Preparing “It pays to plan ahead- it wasn’t raining when Noah built the Ark.” -Anonymous

15. Positions of Responsibility • District Governor • District youth Protection Officer • Interact and Roteract Coordinators • Youth Exchange Chair • Youth Exchange Committee • Club Presidents • Club Youth Exchange Officer • Club Counselor • Host Families

16. Club Youth Exchange Officer • The Youth Exchange Officer in each club acts as the primary link between host families, students, and the district.

17. Club Counselor • The Club Counselor’s primary job is to build a caring, trusting relationship with the student and advocate for them during their exchange year.

18. Host Family • The role of the Host Family is to provide a safe, non-threatening, caring, respectful and appropriate environment in which trust and friendship can develop.

19. Youth Protection Guidelines! • The YEO, the Club Counselor, and the host parent must be three different people • They should also not be closely related by family or friendship • Ideally, the counselor is the same gender as the student

20. Screening Volunteers • All volunteers who will have significant unsupervised contact with youth must complete a volunteer affidavit. • All volunteers in this category need reference checks • All volunteers in this category need Background/criminal record checks • All volunteers n this category need training about abuse and harassment

21. Support System/Training for Students • Exchange students are to have training and orientation from their sponsor District that includes abuse and harassment issues prior to departure. • Students are also to have training and orientation provided by their hosting district shortly after arrival

22. Planning for Success • Ensure the student regularly attends Rotary meetings / activities. • Encourage participation in school and community activities. Learn about student interests and introduce the student to groups involved in related activities. • Invite one or more students to share a meal with your family at your home. • Meet with the student’s host families in their homes throughout the exchange. • Establish an emergency plan for each student with many ways to contact someone for assistance.

23. Who is responsible for safeguarding Youth Exchange students? Everyone! All Rotarians and adults involved in the program have a responsibility for contributing to a safe environment for young people involved in Rotary Programs

24. Responding to a disclosure: • Listen attentively and stay calm --- An allegation of abuse or harassment must be taken seriously • Assure privacy but not confidentiality • Help the conversation along but don’t interrogate • Be nonjudgmental and reassuring • Assess and assure the student’s safety • Document the disclosure

25. Whom do I contact? • B.C. Help Line for Children 310 – 1234 • Local Ministry of Children and Families 830 -- 6500

26. Reporting Tips • Give clear and objective information – what you witnessed or was reported to you • Be specific • Refrain from making personal comments or judgments

27. Recommendations… • annual program be scheduled to provide an overview of current duties and responsibilities for all C.R. Daybreak members • continued (and possibly expanded) local liaison with the Noon Club • specific training session for all individuals who have specific duties and responsibilities ie. homestay families, RYLA contact, President, President Elect, YEO, counselor ….. • static file keeping system be established electronically to ensure we track our reference checks, criminal record checks, training sessions …. from year to year • standard form be obtained from District Youth Protection Officers to be used as a guide for home inspections

28. Quiz Time • Who is responsible for student safety? • Which club roles are entrusted with ensuring student safety? • What safeguards are in place when working with volunteers? • What are we doing as a club to ensure safety? • As a club that hosts a Youth Exchange Student what is our GOAL?

29. A Thought And so how did Judit view her Youth Exchange Year? What thoughts does she leave with us about her experience?

30. Judit’s Reflections • felt welcomed by all – particularly loved waking up on Tuesday mornings to attend the Rotary Meetings because it was so much fun to be there • felt her response time in English has improved a great deal • school: thought she knew what to expect, yet found it quite different. • wished she had joined a school club or community activity – would love to have been involved in a dance program • Loved inclusion in many activities – Duck Sales -- a great start to theyear

31. Interact: wonderful to see what students can accomplish in Canada -- huge support of Rotary for Interact helped develop a greater understanding of Rotary as a service club • recommended more time with the Rotary Counsellor –good experience • liked the idea of a greeting dinner with all of the host families present • moving can be challenging simply because you have to pack and ‘change’ but this is offset by the excitement of each new homestay and the wonderful people who made her a part of their families • Recognizes each new exchange student will be different – suggested it is important to recognize what makes each student unique and independent

32. Working Together Working together, we can and will make the Rotary Youth Exchange experience a special one …. one that strengthens international connections …. one that lasts a lifetime …. one that builds and strengthens the family of Rotary!

33. Information …. For further information or clarification, contact Craig Gillis, Youth Protection for C.R. Daybreak Rotary 250 923 6330 or craig.gillis@shaw.ca