1. Ohio Erie Rotary Youth Exchange Charlotte: Fall Conference District Chairs Meeting Needs Assessment

2.  Position Responsibilities at the district level are unclear or non existent. Position responsibilities should include those for District Chair, Treasurer, Outbound Chair, Inbound Chair, Short-Term and New Generations Chair. These responsibilities should also spell out responsibilities to Ohio Erie and all other related agencies such as CSCIET, Rotary International, and Department of State. They should also spell out requirements of the position such as testing for DOS and Background Checks. District Operations Needs Assessment

3.  The Counselor position should be delineated along with requirements for reporting and background checks. The position should show the relationship of the exchange student to the counselor and the club. It should also contain emergency procedures for such things as accidents, bad placements, violations of contracts, and emergencies at home and abroad.

4.  All Computer generated PAPERWORK of the district should be minimal and available as formats through the Ohio Erie Web Site.  The reporting materials should be arranged chronological from the time that an exchange is recruited through the evaluations of their exchanges.  All completed formats should have a computer backup system enabling them to be transferred easily for any justifiable purpose such as audits.  An index of the formats should be maintained by Ohio Erie and the files at the local level should follow the chronological order.  Each type of exchange format should be maintained separately.  Minimally at the beginning of an application, a district officer should be able to download all forms necessary for that exchanges file.

5.  Often described as the balance between outbounds and inbound exchanges, the district including its member clubs and district officers should be aware of the need for a balance between outgoing and incoming exchanges, recognizing too that some countries insist on a balance. All district officers especially the exchange officers shall work to maintain a balance at all times and follow a best practice agreement of Ohio Erie.  At the present time that agreement is that you are allowed the same number of outbounds as you have inbounds with others taken at a first-come, first serve basis and best qualified candidate.

6.  Best Practice ideas are needed for recruitment of exchanges. This assumes that there are Ideal Strategic Model available.  Innovative Materials and Presentations for different audiences are needed Recruitment

7.  The present volunteers are taxed beyond limits with many assuming as many as three different roles.  Additional volunteers at the district level are needed and the ideal model would be to have teams of three for each district office holder and a working New Generations Team in every Rotary Club.

8. I.Server/Web Issues—At this juncture decisions affecting the dissemination of information and the gathering of information are being bogged down by: A.Incomplete Web Information B.Disorganization of the Web Information C.Lack of Standardization of Web Information D.Lack of simplified information on the access of web based sources and/data basis Ohio-Erie Relationships

9. II. Communication—Sometimes described as “off the wall” or sporadic. There is no systematized method of communication, no established calendar  III. Complication of Program differences—No two programs require the same information in the same format. Information concerning exchange students varies from program to program and sometimes from country to country. Idiosyncrasies of school requirements make for delays and misinformation.  IV. Country contact information and requirements need to be consistent in practice and format.

10.  V. Although regulations concerning different programs are different, training to chairs needs to be clear as to those difference and formats need to follow established common formats whenever possible.

11.  VI. Best Practices as guides for recruitment tools need to be organized and placed on the Web. These best practices should include:  Finding host parents  Encouraging exchanges  Evaluating experiences  Handling specific types of problems Best Practices

12. I.External audits are both complicated and time consuming for all persons involved at the district as well as with O-E volunteers. II.Steps should be taken to analyze the needs of the audit requests and prepare computer friendly forms and formats to gather successful audit friendly information. III.DOS testing provides training as well as ascertaining a level of competence at the volunteer level. However, the sheer numbers of volunteers involved, the annual requirement, and the accessibility/confusion for those new to the procedure requires clarification and information especially to new volunteers. IV.Rotary International requires information of an audit nature as well as compliance “pro forma” of clubs. Who and how this information is to be provided needs to be clarified

13.  With the economic downturn, many districts have experienced difficulties in collecting dues in a timely fashion. This has caused greater constraints in funding operations of Ohio Erie.  Transfer/Cash Flow for things such as payments for insurance, travel, and fees are adversely affected by delayed payments at home and abroad, part of which is a lack of communication with vital partners.  Alternative practices to travel that are more cost effective need to be explored.

14.  There is a serious decline in volunteer support at almost every level of operation needed to have a regional volunteer program.  Ohio Erie volunteers sometimes carry as many as three jobs. Country contacts serve more countries than good communication or a work load should allow. District level positions remain unfilled with burdens falling on one or two people. At the club level, new generation avenues of service are not widely understood and not adequately managed.  In order for Ohio Erie to remain effective in its mission of service to youth, it is clear that at all levels the volunteer force must be increased and that a full time paid executive serving as General Liaison to clubs and Web Master should be examined as a way to relieve some of the burden of the all volunteer force and to ensure the accomplishment of meaningful goals.