Orientation Program for Host Families

1. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Orientation Program for Host Families Welcome Our goal – Making World A Better Place Thank you for your participation !!!

2. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Orientation Program for Host Families Congratulations! • You’re Expecting a New Arrival

3. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Orientation Agenda -- What You Will Learn Today • What is Rotary & its purpose? • Closeness of new friends (family of Rotary) • Who are Rotary exchange students? • Rotary Expectations – families, students, clubs • Arrival and settling in • Sibling relationships • Choosing friends • Insurance, Finances, Travel, School • Student Protection Policy • Rotary involvement • Support system • Being the first, second, last host family • End of the year

4. D6150 Youth Exchange Program What is Rotary? • World’s oldest and most international service organization • 1¼ million Rotarians, in 170+ countries • Celebrating 100th anniversary in 2005 • 32,000 clubs, in 520 districts • Rotary Motto: “Service Above Self” • “The Four Way Test” • Is it the TRUTH? • Is it FAIR to all concerned? • Will it build GOOD WILL and better friendships? • Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned? • The Rotary Foundation • Ambassadorial Scholarships • Polio Plus • Group Study Exchange

5. D6150 Youth Exchange Program What is Rotary? • D6150 covers Central and Northeast Arkansas. • 41 Rotary Clubs • Approximately 2500 Rotarians • In 2013-14 we expect to have 8 long term inbound students, 8 long term outbound students, and 2 short term exchange students

6. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Purpose of the RYE Program • Provide high school students an opportunity to spend up to a year studying in another country, learning the language, discovering the culture, developing skills and maturity • Bring the world into our local communities through friendship • Promote Rotary’s goal of world peace and understanding, one person, one exchange at a time

7. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Purpose of the RYE Program • District-to-district program • 8,000 exchange students per year • Open to children of Rotarians and non-Rotarians alike • Operated completely by volunteer Rotarians as part of Rotary’s commitment to international and community service • CSIET – Council on Standards for International Educational Travel • Accredited for listing

8. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Rotary YE is about • SERVICE to OTHERS

9. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Who are Rotary Exchange Students? • Outstanding young people • Age 15-18½ upon arrival • Carefully selected and well prepared • Most speak English well • Anxious and excited to: • Learn our language • Discover American culture • Represent their countries • Become part of your family

10. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Expectations of Host Families • Provide room and board • Treat student like your own child • Help with challenges (language, school, homesickness, culture shock, etc) • Provide an ear to listen, a shoulder to cry on, a hand to depend on • Delegate daily responsibilities for the home • Assist student in finding right friends • Be prepared to say “No” when appropriate • Ensure students dress / present themselves appropriately

11. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Sample Family Rules • Be on time • Curfew • Do school homework • No telephone after certain hour • Help with chores (cleaning dishes, mowing lawn, etc.) See list of questions for students to ask each new host family.

12. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Expectations of Counselors • Maintain at least monthly contact with student and family • Showing continued interest / support • Resolving problems before problems get big • Ensure insurance in place, student has card • Obtain State ID for student • Register student at school • Provide monthly allowance • Keep club YE committee informed; get Rotary club membership involved

13. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Items Rotary Counselor May Hold for Student • Paid for return airline ticket • Emergency fund • With student’s permission, Passport, VISA and DS-2019

14. CHALLENGES FOR THE ROTARY EXCHANGE STUDENT ARE MANY Your Community Host Families School Exchange Student / Rotary Counselor Host Rotary Club Friends in High School Host Rotary District

15. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Expectations of Students • Adapt to host family • Learn our language and culture • Follow Rotary rules • Perform well in school • Communicate • Represent country and Rotary (Youth Ambassador) • Participate with Rotary, school, and community • Return home at end of exchange year

16. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Expectations of Students • Program Rules • Learn English • Learn to adapt • Be an ambassador • Fit into host family • Make right set of Friends • No operating motor vehicles, no driver ed • No alcohol or drugs • No dating • No smoking • No body piercings or tattoos

17. Expectations (continued) • No downloading without permission • Attend school regularly and make an honest effort. • Follow travel rules. RYE is not a travel program. • Visits by parents and family may be permitted in the last month or two if visit OKed by host family, not in conflict with school or Rotary events, and not during Christmas, New Year’s or Easter. • No visits by friends • Attend Rotary club meetings once a month.

18. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Use of Telephone • Each Host Family -- Explain how it works; set rules for use • Limit calls to country (family, friends) • Helps them to overcome homesickness • Ensure no phone bills ($100, $500, $1,000) • Options for student calling home • Telephone card • Call parents; ask them to call them back • Cell phone, if needed, should be prepaid phone.

19. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Use of Family Computer Attention each host family … • Do not let student spend too much time on computer • Limit / prohibit downloading information • Explain no visits to pornography sites, etc. • Try to limit too many emails to family and friends back home • Makes adapting to our culture more difficult

20. D6150 Youth Exchange Program School • Educational program, student visas • Visit ASAP with Rotary counselor to set schedule • N Driver Education • Encourage participation • Sports • Music, Drama, etc. • Interact • Homework

21. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Relations with School Counselor and host families work together to … • Ensure clear understanding of school credits while they are here (often answer is “None”) • Usually “not allowed to graduate” • Remind them to say thank you to school teachers • Write letter introducing student & RYE to teachers • Ensure regular class attendance and proper attention to work • Assure school missed work will be completed • Rotary will take students out of school at times • They are expected to make up work

22. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Sibling Relationships • The Good • Set the example • Be a protector and a listener • Introduce to friends & activities • The Not-so-good • Jealousy • Withdraw from family & exchange student • Anger to point of harassment or physical abuse • Relations can go beyond normal bounds of siblings

23. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Making Close Friends • A major challenge to YE students • Help in finding clubs for student to join • Interact (in many of the schools) • Sports • Theater • Band, orchestra • Active participation is good cure for homesickness

24. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Limit Visits with Other Exchange Students • Rotary provides many opportunities for exchange students to get together • Their initiative -- to make American friends • Limit birthday party invitations to American students and exchange students close by • Transportation can be difficult • Can cause family frustration

25. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Speaking English • Sometimes students speak own language • Considered quite rude • Forces others away from you • This can be major problem • Ensure students actively work to improve • Good computer programs available

26. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Problem Solving • Some problems will occur • Student must ask for help, in this order • Host family • Club counselor • Club youth exchange officer • District Youth exchange committee • Do not let small problems become big problems

27. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Student Getting Involved • Active involvement in Rotary and community essential to be good ambassador • Rotary meetings • Orientations for American students • Programs to Rotary clubs • Programs to schools and clubs • Help student to say “yes” and to be proud to be ambassador for their country and Rotary

28. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Activities • Sharing family activities (even if not favorite thing to do) • Rotary Club • Meetings and socials • Fund Raisers • Other activities • District

29. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Student’s Role as Ambassador • Students portray their whole country • By their attitude • By their decisions • By their appearance • By their willingness to do for others • Students make a difference; so much depends on their desire to be ambassador • Reminders from counselor and host family needed

30. Decision Making ? Year-of-a-Lifetime Which doorway you choose is up to you. Rotary will help. So-So Year • Rotary 4-Way Test • Is it the truth? • Is it fair to all concerned? • Will it build good will and better friendships? • Will it be beneficial to all concerned? Student Goes Home Early

31. Student Discipline Process D6150 Youth Exchange Program • Infractions of some rules will result in the District sending a student home immediately. • In the case of other problem behaviors, we use the yellow card/red card system. Yellow card is a written warning in which student is given a time frame to correct behavior. Student is on probation. Student, counselor and district yeo sign the warning, and it is sent to student’s home Rotary district and parents. Red card means student is sent home.

32. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Expectations of Host Clubs • Select suitable host families • Provide counselor • Consider a backup also (counselor in training) • Counselor/YEO “supervise” student • Help with school arrangements • Supply monthly allowance & Bring to meetings regularly

33. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Expectations of Host Clubs • Communicate & Support host families & schools • Help with transportation for “special events” • Organize ways for club to be involved • Ensure participation in club activities • Remind student of district activities • Form transportation committee to offload host parents

34. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Expectations of Host Clubs • Counselor contacts student and host family once/month (min.) • Club meetings once/month (min.) • Encourage involvement by members • Help with school issues during year • Arrange transition to new host family • Maintain student’s Emergency funds • Available 24/7/365 for support

35. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Arrival and Settling In • Welcoming your student • Notify us of any flight changes • Check-in by YE Committee member • Assist with lost baggage reports • First Night Questions • A Welcome Party? • School arrangements • Introduce them to family & friends • Encourage their involvement • Do not let them retreat to their room

36. Rotary Prepared to Help Your Community Host Families School Exchange Student / Counselor Host Rotary Club Friends in High School Host Rotary District

37. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Support System • Club Level • Counselor • Youth Exchange Officer • President • District Level • In-Bound Coordinator • Youth Exchange Officers • Student Protection Officer

38. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Rotary Involvement • Counselor visits once/month (min.) • Club meetings once/month (min.) • Club contact student once/month (min.) • Club contact host family once/month (min.) • Encourage involvement by members • Help with school issues • Support host family • Arrange transition to new host family • Monthly allowance

39. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Medical Insurance & Care • All Inbounds Insured • CISI/Bolduc policy • Belgium, Sweden, Denmark have own • CISI/Bolduc – Plan B • Medical Accident/Illness – up to $1,000,000 • Repatriation - $50K • Medical Evacuation - $100K • Deductible - $100

40. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Medical Insurance & Care • In the event of illness/accident • Medical care authorized by parents • Stabilize first • Call Rotary Contact • Notifying student’s family • Let Rotary do the contacting once details are known

41. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Student Protection Policy Our Role: • Create and maintain the safest possible environment for all participants • Safeguard welfare and prevent physical, sexual, emotional or financial abuse of exchange students • Provide the means to address all concerns and indications of harassment or abuse

42. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Student Protection Code • Do • Treat students with respect - be aware of your tone of voice & manner and their reactions • OK to touch and hug students in a way that is not intrusive/disturbing to them or observers • Control who they hang around with • Communicate with Rotary counselor or Rotary club YE committee chair if there are any allegations or suspicions or if you have questions

43. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Student Protection Code • DO NOT • Engage in rough physical games including horseplay • Use physical force in any way, especially as a form of punishment • Touch an exchange student in any way that could be interpreted as intrusive or sexual • Make sexually suggestive comments, even as a joke • Spend excessive time alone with a student, this may lead to misunderstanding

44. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Student Protection Guidelines • What to do if your exchange student tells you of Harassment and/or Abuse • Listen attentively & let him/her know it was right to tell you • Assure him/her that they are not to blame • Remain calm and make sure student feels safe • Encourage student to share with you what happened and who was involved • Make detailed notes including date & time • Don’t promise to keep secrets & explain the necessity of informing Rotary officials

45. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Student Protection Guidelines • Keep Communications Open • Assure student that you can jointly address his/her concerns/problem With all of us working together, we can keep our exchange students safe and make this a meaningful and happy exchange experience for all of us.

46. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Student Finances • Emergency Fund • Maintained by Host Club • True emergencies – medical, etc. • Student Bank Account • Credit/Debit Card are good option • Telephone bills assumed by student • Monthly Stipend from Rotary • Accountability

47. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Host Family Finances • Support day to day routine expenses • Room and board • Laundry detergent, toothpaste, soap etc. • Regular family activities: movies, out to eat, family trips etc.

48. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Host Family Finances • Extra-ordinary expenses • Clothing and postage are student responsibility • Telephone: Long distance costs are student responsibility • Family vacations: discuss expenses, establish cost share long before departure • IRS publication 526 allows a tax deduction of up to $50 per month for hosting a student.

49. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Student Travel • Cultural & Educational Program • NOT Travel program • District 6150 Travel Policy • Students not allowed to make own travel plans – must be pre-approved • Unauthorized Travel will result in student being returned home

50. D6150 Youth Exchange Program Summer Tour Summary • Three optional tours available www.youthexchangetours.com/ • Western – California, Grand Canyon, … • Eastern – Washington D. C., New York … usatour.us – 4 weeks – all around U.S. Mid-June to mid-July Belo USA – 2 weeks west coast. June 5 to Jun 18 • Sign up as soon as possible • First to register will go; last may not • Package must be complete when student submits • Price of airplane tickets to tour starting point not included in tour fee