MULTI-DISTRICT CONTACT & WEBSITE SCANEX Website: www.scanex.org Ronda Werner, YE Chair, D-5240 Multi-District SCANEX/Rotary YES Managing Director Programs tshirts@roadrunner.com
OUTLINE PURPOSE OF RYE PROGRAM BRIEF OVERVIEW OF RYE PROGAM TERMINOLOGY & Types of Exchanges YOUTH EXCHANGE FAQ S HOW TO HOST A STUDENT ROTARY COUNSELOR REVIEW
WHAT IS ROTARY YES/SCANEX? Organization of 10 Rotary Districts in So. Calif, AZ, Nevada, Hawaii &Utah that pool their resources to provide effective & efficient services. Rotary YES has the COMBINED advantage of years of YE experience together with Rotarians in local Districts.
PURPOSE OF RYE TO PROMOTE PEACE & UNDERSTANDING STUDENTS BECOME BETTER WORLD CITIZENS LEARN A NEW CULTURE & LANGUAGE INT L CONFLICT RESOLUTION CAREERS & SCHOLARS EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME FUTURE AMBASSADORIAL SCHOLARS FUTURE ROTARIANS COLLEGE APPLICATION CAREER ADVANCEMENT & OPPORTUNITIES LIVE THE CULTURE, NOT JUST READ ABOUT IT
ROTARY YOUTH EXCHANGE VS. OTHER YE PROGRAMS RYE is run by volunteers so cost is significantly less than comparable programs Student is Hosted by whole Rotary Club Have 2-3 Host Families Receive Stipend Many planned activities End of year tours
BACKGROUND OF RYE This year almost 8,000 students from 80 countries will enrich their lives Students will see another part of the world from the inside out through RYE RYE Began in California in 1939
TERMINOLOGY OUTBOUND Student Going Abroad from our District INBOUND Student Placed in our District From Abroad ROTEX former Inbound or Outbound RYE Rotary Youth Exchange YEO Youth Exchange Officer LTEP: Long Term Exchange Program STEP: Short Term (Summer) Exch Program
TYPES OF EXCHANGES SHORT TERM: Family to Family Only 3-6 Weeks Summer Program Short Application No Student Visa Req d LONG TERM: Full Academic Year Student has 1-4 host families (3 Optimal) Student has J-1 Visa and must attend HS Student Learns Language Fluently Not Family-to-Family
YOUTH EXCHANGE FAQ S
Who is eligible to be an exchange student?
ELIGIBLE STUDENTS OUTBOUND or INBOUND STUDENTS: May be related to Rotarian OR NOT Aged 15 18.5 at start of exchange Enthusiastic, adaptable, above avg. grades Can go abroad before or after graduation as long as student is within age range Prefer to go Junior Year but this is optional Sources: Interactors, RYLA grads, Club, Foreign Language Classes
TIMELINE July - November Recruit Outbounds, conduct interviews December 31 - Outbound Apps due March May: Place Inbounds, Home Interviews Early Spring: Outbound Orientation for So. Cal held in Camarillo Mid July: Host Family & Counselor Training Mid to Late August: Inbound students arrive and Outbounds Depart 2 nd Weekend in Sept.: Inbound So. Cal. Rotary Orientation in Lake Elsinore
How Do We Host a Student? Appoint Club YEO/Counselor (can be same person) Let District YEO know of interest in Hosting (students placed in Spring) Board Approval for Hosting a Student Budget approx. $1,500 to cover student s expenses - $100 Mo. Stipend, Misc., District Conference, RYLA, etc. Confirm 1 st Host Family & possible 2 nd & 3 rd families Can co-host with nearby Rotary Club
HOW DO WE PROMOTE RYE? Appoint Club YEO Club YEO attends District Assembly New Generations Session RI has Host Family primer & other materials on RI website District YEO has a FAQ sheet for potential host families Let Interactors know about program may want to go abroad or be host family Offer Outbound scholarship to help deserving student go abroad
HOST FAMILY SOURCES Club members Club YEO should ask in person Interact Club, RYLA Grads Student s friends at school Families of Outbound Students Hosts do NOT Have to be Rotarians as long as they are willing and suitable Sources: Friends, Neighbors, Church Ideally students have 2-3 host families length of time is totally flexible
HOST FAMILY & COUNSELOR ORIENTATION Held in mid-july before students arrive Covers Host Family and Counselor Responsibilities, answer questions Helps Families understand program & rules, cycles of homesickness, adaptation Discuss Expectations Go over the planned YE Activities
ROTARY COUNSELOR Is available to student for the whole year Meets with student at least once a month Helps find & Interview Host Families Provides Counseling & Support Develops trust and good rapport Watches out for signs of abuse or harassment Former Host Parents make good Counselors Counselor has to be Rotarian
YOUTH ABUSE AND HARASSMENT PREVENTION New Policy from RI Applies worldwide Host Families & Counselors undergo a basic criminal background check We have Youth Abuse & Harassment Prevention Policy & Committee for District Follow RI Stmt of Conduct for working with Youth All Districts in SCANEX are certified for Youth Exchange
REVIEW Multi-District Program: Rotary YES/SCANEX STEP & LTEP Program Eligible Students Timeline: Place INBOUNDS in Spring & Recruit OUTBOUNDS in Fall Promote RYE: Club YEO, Recruit Outbound Student Brochure & FAQ handouts are available Safety of students is foremost
YOUTH EXCHANGE CHANGES LIVES