Youth Exchange – District 7430

1. Youth Exchange – District 7430

2. YEO/Counselor YEO (Youth Exchange Officer) and Counselor Often in clubs the YEO and Counselor are the same person If a club wants to break it up a good way to do so is: Counselor – works directly with the student YEO - Works directly with the host family and is the liaison between club and host family

3. HOW YEO/COUNSELOR BECOME CERTIFIED • Complete and submit Volunteer Application/Affidavit via the ESSEX Volunteer Portal • References will be sent automatically • Waiver for background will be sent to you automatically – annual requirement • Access to the Dept of State Online testing will be sent to you automatically – annual requirement NOTE: YEO cannot view the students application until they have been vetted. (DOS)

4. INBOUND Application Process • Certified YEO receives and processes the IB application – in a timely manner One….identify a local High School Two…. Identify a Host family in your school district

5. Hosting Family • Identify Host Family • Conduct In-Home interview will all host family members residing in the home • Ensure HF capable of providing nurturing environment • Ensure HF Financial secure • An inspection of the home is to be done at this time • Confirm not a relative of the IB student (DOS) • HF Application must be completed via Portal • Background checks

6. Secure the following………………… • Guarantee form - (2 original copies with signatures from the club…. in blue ink and official school seal) • School Counsel Letter • Electronic Hosting form RETURN COMPLETED FORMS TO: Sharon Rittenhouse – YEP Admin

7. Expectations of Rotary Club • Provide student with Counselor and support the exchange - helps with school arrangements - supply monthly allowance - help with transportation to District, club activities • Select and support Host Families in your community • Encourage members to get involved with the student • Involve the student in club activities

8. Student Protection Policy • Effective 2006-2007 year by RI & DOS • Committed to creating and maintaining the safest possible environment for all participants • Dept of State 2006-2007 • Annual Audit • Constant review of files • Internet monitoring

9. Background check policy “Background checks should be done for all District adult volunteers and hosts who will have direct, unsupervised one-on-one contact with exchange students.” Definition of Volunteer:   any adult involved with Rotary YEP activities who has direct interactions with students.   This includes, Club and District YEP Officers, Rotarians and non-Rotarians (their spouses or partners) that host students for activities or outings or who might drive students to events and functions regularly.       In general, background checks need not be conducted for adults who will have ONLY casual or occasional group interactions with YEP students. Any volunteer adult taking the student away or overnight should be background checked.

10. Definitions Sexual Abuse: engaging in implicit or explicit sexual acts with a student or forcing or encouraging a student to engage in implicit or explicit sexual acts alone or with another person of any age, of the same sex or opposite sex. Examples: non-touching offences, Indecent exposure, exposing a child to sexual or pornographic material MUST REPORT Sexual Abuse TO RI AND DOS WITHING 24 Hours Sexual Harassment: sexual advances, requests for sexual favors or verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Examples: Sexual advances, jokes, written or oral references to sexual conduct gossiping about one’s sex life, comments about sexual activity, verbal abuse of a sexual nature, displaying sexually suggestive objectives, pictures, sexual leering or whistling, any inappropriate contact such as brushing, touching MUST REPORT Harassment TO RI AND DOS WITHING 72 Hours MUST REPORT TO ESSEX Student Protection Officer all allegations Immediately

11. Youth Protection cont’d Allegations Reporting Guidelines • Report from Student • Listen attentively and stay calm • Assure privacy but not confidentiality • Get the facts, but don’t interrogate • Be non-judgemental and reassure the student • Keep a written record of the conversation • Remove the student from the situation immediately • Protect the Student • Report IMMEDIATELY to District Chair and/or District Youth Protection Officer • Report to appropriate Law Enforcement Authorities Immediately if ABUSE • Avoid Gossip and Blame • Do not challenge the alleged offender • Follow up after reporting

12. Youth Protection Cont’d • Post Reporting Procedures • Confirm that the student has been removed • Ensure that the student receives immediate support services • Offer the student an independent, non-Rotarian counselor to represent the interests of the student • Contact student’s parents • Remove alleged abuser from all contact with all youth exchange students • Cooperate with the policy or legal investigation SUPPORT THE STUDENT AT ALL COSTS…….

13. Expectations of Student • Adapt to host family • Learn our language and culture • Attend school with passing grades • Represent country and Rotary • Participate in Rotary, School and Community • Adhere to Rules and Regulations of the Program

14. Expectation of Host Family • Provide a safe, non threatening, respectful and appropriate environment • Adhere to the Youth Protection Policy and Program Guidelines • Room and Board • Treat student like your own • Provide an ear to listen, a shoulder to cry on and a hand to depend on • Assist with transportation • Help with challenges • Language • School • Culture shock • Homesickness

15. Prior to student arrival • Communicate with the student via email Welcome to your club Introduce host family, community, school • Arrival of the student • Monthly contact with student and Host family – first contact being within the first week of arrival – should be separate contact • Ensure 2nd sponsor representative visits HF 30-60 days into the hosting (DOS) • Ensure student receives monthly allowance • Ensure student attend Rotary Club meetings and participates in club activities • HF Changes must be reported via the ESSEX YEP PORTAL • Preparing for Departure of the student • Secure HF Evaluations Post-Hosting • Secure School Evaluation Post-Hosting

16. France- Pauline Pasquier – Newtown Rotary Club • Brazil- Rafaela (Rafa) Pereira – Saucon Valley Rotary Club • Thailand-Tanachot(Hong) Ua-Anantathanakul - Boyertown Rotary Club • Spain- Felix Krinner - Fleetwood Rotary Club • Belgium- Olivier Herman – Lehigh Flex/Nazareth Rotary Clubs • Slovakia- Simona (Sima) Majernikova - Ambler Rotary Club • Chile- CamilaButron – Doylestown Rotary Club • Germany - Eric Bickmann - Blue Bell Rotary Club • Sweden- Fredrik Ragnell - Allentown West Rotary Club • Bolivia- Diego Pinto - Kutztown Rotary Club • Austria- Elisabeth Gruber – Central Bucks Rotary Club • S. Korea- Ji Hyun Yun - Spring-ford Rotary Club • Argentina-Maria Carolina Sofia Alfonso - Saucon Valley & Emmaus Rotary Clubs • Taiwan- Man-Ling (Money) Huang – Saucon Valley & Bethlehem Rotary Clubs • South Africa - Refief von de Lingen – Bethlehem Morning Star

17. Your YEP Committee at work Join us anytime….. Keep yourself young

18. YEP Calendar WORK IN PROGRESS for 2014-15 • September 5-7– Camp Conrad Weiser YMCA • October 3-5– Olivet Blue Mountain Camp – Hamburg – Hike Hawk Mountain, Carve Pumpkins, eat apple pie • Outbound Interviews – Nov/Dec Date: TBD • January 3-4– Celebration of our Outbounds and Orientation for Students and Parents

19. February 6-7 - Ski Weekend – Spring Mountain • March - Washington Trip • April– District Conference • May – Final OB Orientation for students and parents • May/June – Farewell picnic TBD COME FIND OUT WHAT YEP IS ALL ABOUT JOIN ANYONE OF THE EVENTS HAVE FUN…. KEEP YOURSELF YOUNG!!!!!!