Student Protection Policy

1. Student Protection Policy Protecting You, Rotary, and Our Students

2. Our Mission Rotary District 7770 is committed to creating and maintaining the safest possible environment for all our Youth Exchange Students, both inbound and outbound.

3. Our Mission • Recognizing that all young people have the right to freedom from harassment & abuse. • Ensuring that all our staff and volunteers are carefully selected, trained and accept responsibility for helping to prevent the abuse of children • Allegations of harassment and/or abuse, and by providing adults and young people with the opportunity to voice any concern they may have.

4. Our Mission • Ensuring that appropriate contacts are made available to parents, children, host families and outside agencies. • Ensuring that access to confidential information is restricted. • Reviewing the effectiveness of the Student Protection Policy and activities periodically.

5. 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

6. YE Volunteer Guidance • What You Need to Know • Definitions • Your Functions • Code of Ethics • Reporting Procedures • Follow-up • Rotary Issues and Privacy

7. Definitions • Sexual Abuse • Fondling , Masturbation, Oral sex, Intercourse • Viewing pornographic materials • Taking part in making pornographic materials • Physical Abuse • Hitting, shaking, squeezing, biting or burning • Excessive sports training

8. Definitions • Neglect • Failure to meet basic physical needs • Constantly leave alone or unsupervised • Failure or refusal to give affection or attention • Left in an unsafe “at risk” environment

9. Definitions • Emotional Abuse • Persistent lack of love and affection • Frequent shouting • Taunting • Over-protection • Constant criticism, bullying or unrealistic pressure to perform to higher expectations • Financial Abuse • Misappropriation of student’s funds • Overt illegal use of funds by other than student

10. District Chair Functions • Oversee Background Checks on all district and club level Youth Exchange volunteers • Report all allegations in accordance with District policy • Notify all entities (District, Club, Students, Host families) of requirements and assure they know and understand the requirements • Assure organizational compliance with requirements • Document compliance • Apply to RI for certification

11. District Committee Functions • Confirm that your Inbound and Outbound students are provided a copy of District Student Protection materials • Assure that your students receive harassment/abuse training • Maintain consistent monthly contact with your students, keeping in mind warning signs of a problem • In the case of an allegation of criminal conduct, notify the police immediately

12. Club YEO Functions • Club Youth Exchange Officer is responsible for overseeing YE Program in their club; knowing and understanding YE policies and procedures • Responsible to keep club officers and Board of Directors informed of all program and student activities • Assure that all persons involved with the program including but not limited to YE committee, spouses, host families, counselors and others with unsupervised access to students complete affidavit and agree to undergo background checks

13. Club YEO Functions • Submit Affidavit and agreement to Background check to inbound coordinators • Identify and Process Host Families & Implement YE Program • Review Host Family Application affidavits • Conduct In-home interviews • Check references provided & document findings • Provide information for Criminal Background & Abuse checks to inbound coordinators – Jay Cook or Alison Meeks

14. Club YEO Functions • Appoint, train & oversee club counselor for student. COUNSELOR SHOULD BE SAME SEX AS STUDENT! • Complete Guarantee Form & other documentation in timely manner • Assure Host Families receive training and send training certification for Host Families to inbound coordinators • Maintain monthly contact with Student, Host Family & School • If/when notified of abuse allegation, follow procedures

15. Volunteer Code of Ethics • DO: • Treat students with respect - be aware of your tone of voice & manner and their reactions • Touch and hug students in a way that is not intrusive/disturbing to them or observers • Control who they hang around with • Communicate with the police and the District if there are any criminal allegations or suspicions or if you have questions

16. Volunteer Code of Ethics • 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

17. Allegation Reports • 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 • 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 the police and the District Chairperson

18. Responsibilities of District Chair • Notify District Governor & keep him/her informed • Notify Host Club YEO/Counselor/President • Notify Country Contact • Determine who will contact students parents & sponsor Rotary District • Assure District notification to RI and Dept of State within 72 hours as appropriate • Emphasize confidentiality of information. Do not speculate or comment

19. Follow-up • Respond to needs of student and support student • Assure proper authorities are contacted • Offer student independent non-Rotarian counseling • Assure students parents or legal guardian have been notified • Provide student option of staying or going home once stabilized • Remove abuser from all contact with victim and other students • Cooperate with police involved in investigation

20. Rotary Issues & Privacy • Most important concern is the victim • Rotarians should not speculate, make editorial comments to media or others or offer personal opinions. “No Comment” is appropriate. • Members should be cautioned about commenting on the situation and possibilities of slander or libel claims • If Rotarian is accused – remove Rotarian from all possible contact with victim and other youth

21. Summary • Always remember - We are legally and morally responsible for the well being of other parents’ children • 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

22. Student Bill of Rights • When feeling threatened, you have the right to: • Trust your instincts or feelings • Expect privacy • SAY NO to unwanted touching or affection • SAY NO to an adult’s inappropriate demands or requests • Withhold information that could jeopardize your safety • Refuse gifts • Run, scream, and make a scene • Physically fight off unwanted advances • Ask for help • Report any situation in which you feel threatened to your Host Club Counselor immediately.

23. Safety Guidelines for Students • If you have a problem or are worried about something, always tell someone you trust about it, such as your host parent, host club counselor or host club YEO. Don’t suffer in silence! • If someone does or says something that bothers you, tell them that you do not want them to do it again.

24. Safety Guidelines for Students • Always pack your own suitcase and never carry items abroad for others. • When you go out, plan what you would do and where you would go if you got lost or had a problem – a shop, restaurant, police station or library.

25. Safety Guidelines for Students • Before you leave your home, make sure that you have your ID card. • Always tell someone where you are going and when you will be home. Be sure to call your host parents if your plans change while you are away from home. • If you are out at night in a city, stay in places with streetlights. Wherever you are, make sure that you don’t get separated from your friends.

26. Safety Guidelines for Students • Make sure you know who is coming to pick you up. Never get into a car with someone you don’t know. • If you are on a bus or train, and someone makes you feel uncomfortable, move to a seat near the driver. • Dress and behave sensibly and responsibly • Be sensitive to local codes and customs. • Think things through carefully before you act and do not take unnecessary risks.

27. Safety Guidelines for Students • If you do get lost or separated, follow your plan – or go to a shop or place where you will be seen by lots of people to ask directions. • If someone you don’t know talks to you in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable, walk away. • Keep your host family’s address and telephone number with you at all times.

28. Safety Guidelines for Students • Always keep enough money with you to make a phone call. • Always arrange for someone to pick you up; don’t go home alone.

29. What You Can Expect • We will listen attentively & assure you it was right to tell someone • We will stay calm & make sure you feel safe • We will explain that we have to tell someone else • We will only ask questions to establish what & who and will not jump to conclusions or promise to take a specific action until the situation is thoroughly investigated • We will take detailed notes of what you say, dates and times

30. What You Can Expect • Your safety will be our primary concern • Be assured you that you are not making things worse - few things are worse than allowing abuse to continue • DO NOT keep abuse a secret!! If something happens to you or someone else, it should be reported to a responsible adult to protect you and others.

31. Student Protection Policy Protecting You, Rotary, and Our Students