1. Orientation Program
for Host Families
Welcome
Thanks for watching!

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

3. Orientation Agenda What is Rotary? RYE Program?
Purpose of the RYE Program
Who are Rotary exchange students?
Expectations – host family, students, clubs
Arrival and settling in
Activities and calendar
Conflict management and support system
Host family transitions
Rotary rules
Sexual Abuse & Harassment Policy and procedure
Other topics
End of the year

4. What is Rotary? World’s oldest international service organization
1.2 million Rotarians in 170+ countries
34,000 clubs around the world
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?
Rotary’s Five Avenues of Service
Vocational ● Community
Club ● International
New Generations – the home of Youth Exchange!

5. What is Rotary? (cont.) Rotary Motto: Service Above Self
District 5520 includes New Mexico & West Texas
72 Rotary Clubs
Approximately 20 of these clubs participate and host or sponsor about 15 inbound and 15 outbound students each year.

6. What is the RYE Program? Country-to-country exchanges
Approximately 8,000 students exchange worldwide each year
Open to all high school students
Operated completely by volunteer Rotarians as part of Rotary’s commitment to youth
One year program in District 5520

7. Purpose of the RYE Program
Provides students an opportunity to study in another country and to develop maturity, leadership skills and serve as young ambassadors
Brings world friendship into our local communities and increases cultural tolerance and understanding
Promotes Public Diplomacy and Rotary’s goal of world peace and understanding, one person, one exchange at a time

8. Who are Rotary Exchange Students?
Between ages 15-18½ upon arrival in host country
Outstanding young people
Carefully selected and oriented
Most can carry on a conversation in English
Anxious and excited to:
Learn our language
Discover U.S. culture
Represent their countries as ambassadors
Become part of your family

9. Expectations of Host Family
Treat student like your own teen
Help with challenges
Language
School
Culture shock
Homesickness
Provide an ear to listen, a shoulder to cry on, a hand to depend on
Communicate with the club committee who supports you

10. Expectations Host Family (cont.)
Assist student in making good choices
Encourage activities and outings with teens who are known as trustworthy and safe
Delegate daily responsibilities for the home
Be prepared to say NO when appropriate
Set limits while understanding the challenges which may affect students

11. Expectations Host Family (cont.)
Provide room and board
Provide extra support for family travel and other activities, if you can
Assist student with communication about extraordinary expenses with their natural family and Rotary Club (i.e. for travel with host family)
Communicate about travel sleeping arrangements with student and natural family so appropriate accommodations can be agreed upon in advance. Student should not share sleeping area with host parents unless it has been discussed.

12. Sample Family Rules Be on time Obey curfew Do school work
No telephone after a certain hour
Help with chores
Limit computer time
Participate in family activities
No electronics use at meal time

13. Communication Set rules and explain costs of phone and computer
Phone cards
Facebook
Cell phone (Club/student expense)
SKYPE
Support contact with parents and expect that home country communication will not interfere with exchange

14. Computers/Internet Limit time and downloads
May be necessary for schoolwork
Social networking is important for student but it should not interfere with family interaction
Encourage use in public spaces of home and share in the interaction where appropriate
If possible, provide access to a family computer (as needed)

15. Expectations of Student
Adapt to host family
Learn our language and culture
Perform well in school
Communicate
Represent your country and Rotary
Participate with Rotary, school, and community
Return home within two weeks after school ends or one week after Rotary trip
Presentations to Rotary (required) and other organizations as often as possible

16. Student Role as Ambassador
Rotary’s most emphasized element: Students portray their whole country and can make a difference in the world’s viewpoint of their country.
By their attitude
By their decisions
By their appearance
By their willingness to do for others

17. Host Club Involvement Select and screen host families
Support host families 24/7 - contacts sheet provided with this orientation
Required contact with student and host family at least once/month
Club meetings at least once/month (student receives allowance)
Involve student in club activities
Involve student with members’ lives

18. Host Club Involvement (cont.)
Rotary volunteers obtain school consent for placement and assist with student registration
Help with school problems and questions throughout year
Arrange transition to new host family
Provide transportation to mandatory district meetings

19. Arrival and Settling In
Welcoming your student
Notify District Inbound Placement Officer and club committee of any flight changes
Coordinate with the club to meet student at airport
Assist with lost baggage reports
First Night Questions
Review school registration and dress code and first week activities

20. School Obligations and Logistics
Clarify if student will be receiving credit for school work at home
Students usually will not be given a high school diploma (most schools allow “walking” participation for the experience)
Regular class attendance and attention to work is required, even if student has vacation/Rotary orientation obligations
Communicate with school to assist student in completing missed assignments or for extra language tutoring, when needed
Homework must be completed

21. School Obligations and Logistics (cont.)
Student visa requires high school attendance
Visit school registrar and/or counselor to register student right away
No Driver Education permitted
Encourage participation
Sports
Music, Drama, etc.
Interact
School lunches can be brown bag and/or purchased. Host family supports as may be possible and asks for Rotary help with expense if student’s stipend is not sufficient for purchase of lunch.

22. School Sports
Rotary Club should assist with school-based athletic fees
State athletic regulations will determine if student can participate and at what level
Participation in varsity sports is not allowed in New Mexico
Generally students that have graduated at home cannot play on varsity teams
Participation in varsity sports requires paperwork

23. Activities and Calendar
Four MANDATORY district orientation weekends:
Locations vary around district
Arrive Thursday dinner time and depart Sunday after breakfast (Transportation by host Rotary Club/district committee member)
Students must attend, sports activities are NOT a substitute – they should not commit to sports with end of the year tournaments or state competitions if the date will conflict.
Orientation – 2nd or 3rd weekend of Sept.
Inbound/Outbound – 1st weekend of Dec.
Ski Weekend – February or March
District Convention – April or May
Student talent show during Saturday breakfast

24. Activities and Calendar (cont.)
Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta – Oct.
Optional weekend – host family or club assistance to attend
Rotary Approved Tours
Optional trip in June
2 – 2 ½ weeks long
All Rotary Exchange students
Must apply and pay for early – Sept is best, December may be too late.

25. Making Close Friends A major challenge to RYE students
Active participation is best cure for homesickness
Help find activities for students
Sports
Theatre
Band
Clubs

26. Travel RYE is not a travel program
Travel is restricted by Rotary policies
Student travel outside the District cannot happen without permission in advance from District RYE chair, club, and natural parents
Student may not travel long distances un-chaperoned or with other teens.
Advise club committee when a student leaves town but remains in the district
Opportunities for travel may exist with Rotary club members and host families

27. Conflict Management
Day to day life of the student is managed by the family, using flexibility, while treating the student equal with other family members.
Respect between student and host parents is essential
Communication when things break down is also essential

28. Conflict Management (cont.)
Language barriers can pose problems for student transition in host home, use translation tools as needed to get points across clearly
Social customs may be a barrier to easy communication
Some customs may be more or less expressive than US and therefore create tension and unexpected behaviors

29. Conflict Management Support System
When things are difficult, use resources:
Assistance from Rotary: Club Level – Counselor, YEO, President; District Level – Country Contact/Counselor, Youth Protection Officer, Chair
Local translator
Professional/school counselor for complex issues

30. Transitions: Host Families
First Host Family
Excitement – everything is new
Culture shock – major adaptations
Language struggles
School arrangements
Often the closest bonds

31. Transitions: Host Family (cont.)
Second (or Third) Host Family
Transition issues – wanting to spend time with friends competes with getting to know new family
New rules and family practices
Language and culture begin to click
Last Host Family
Comfortable with language and culture
Big events: prom, graduation, departure
Preparing for separation
Tearful goodbyes

32. Rotary Rules: Drinking
Rotary International and District 5520 do not allow students to drink alcoholic beverages.
If host family customarily has wine or beer with dinner, student may have a glass of wine or beer in the host family home.

33. Rotary Rules: Drugs
Rotary International and District 5520 have a zero tolerance to drug use. Students involved with illegal drugs will be sent home.

34. Rotary Rules: Driving
Rotary International and District 5520 do not permit driving motorized vehicles.
Motorized vehicles includes cars, boats, skidoos, and jet skiis.
YE students may not get a driver’s license during their exchange year.

35. Rotary Rules: Dating
Rotary discourages steady romantic relationships with only one person. Students are encouraged to meet as many people as possible and to date different people, if they choose to date.
If there is a relationship issue, the club committee should be advised.

36. Rotary Rules: Changes and Smoking
No permanent changes in appearance with tattoos or piercing
No changes in religious affiliation
Return to home country the way you arrived in the USA
No Smoking cigarettes or other tobacco products

37. Sexual Abuse and Harassment
Rotary International and Rotary Youth Exchange have a zero tolerance policy for sexual abuse and harassment

38. Sexual Abuse and Harassment (cont.)
Engaging in implicit or explicit sexual acts with a young person or forcing or encouraging a young person to engage in implicit or explicit sexual acts alone or with another person of any age, of the same or opposite sex. This includes non touching offenses, such as indecent exposure or showing a young person sexual or pornographic material.
Sexual harassment
Sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. In some cases, sexual harassment precedes sexual abuse and is used by sexual predators to desensitize or groom their victims.

39. Sexual Abuse and Harassment: Procedure
Receive the report.
Listen attentively and stay calm.
Assure privacy but not confidentiality.
Get the facts, but don’t interrogate or suggest facts which you have not heard from student.
Be nonjudgmental and reassure.
Protect the young person.
Ensure the safety and well-being of the youth exchange student by removing him or her from the situation immediately and preventing all contact with the alleged abuser or harasser.

40. Sexual Abuse and Harassment: Reporting
Report the allegations to appropriate authorities — child protective services or law enforcement.
Immediately report all cases of sexual abuse and harassment to District Youth Protection Officer, Youth Exchange Chair and/or Rotary District Governor for assistance with assessment and reporting to appropriate authorities.
Assist with delivery of student to appropriate authorities for reporting as instructed.

41. Sexual Abuse and Harassment: Reporting
4. Avoid gossip and blame.
Be careful to protect the rights of both the victim and the accused during the investigation and do not repeat what you have learned to anyone except Rotary District 5520 designated leadership or designated law enforcement.
District 5520 will maintain the privacy (as distinct from confidentiality) of any accused person by limiting discussions only to those people who need to know. The audience will be limited to the club counselor, club youth exchange officer, district youth exchange officer, district Youth Protection Officer, the District Governor, and appropriate government or law enforcement individuals.

42. Sexual Abuse and Harassment: Reporting
Do not challenge the alleged offender.
Don’t contact the alleged offender. In cases of sexual abuse, interrogation must be left entirely to law enforcement authorities. In cases of non-criminal harassment, the district governor or youth protection officer is responsible for follow-through and will contact the alleged offender after the young person has been moved to a safe environment.

43. Sexual Abuse and Harassment: Follow up by Rotary
Rotary will confirm that the student has been removed from the situation immediately and has no contact with the alleged sexual abuser.
Rotary will offer the student an independent, non-Rotarian counselor to represent his or her interests. Social services or law enforcement may recommend someone who is not a Rotarian or in any way involved with the youth program and assistance with that follow up is appreciated.
Rotary will contact the student’s parents or legal guardian after the facts have been assessed, contact with parents at home should only be through that pre-established relationship.

44. Money
Students are encouraged to open a bank account (savings is preferred) when they arrive in the District.
Often banks will provide ATM cards even if the student is a minor.
A separate bank account will be established by the Rotary Club with $400 emergency fund. This is used for urgent needs and will be sent home with the student if unused.

45. Passports
Adults may not take the passport and travel papers from the student but are encouraged to help the student find a safe place to store them.
Students must have their passport with them whenever they leave their host town/city.
Students should make a copy of the picture page of their passport, the DS 2019 form, and visa and give a copy to the host family and the club committee.
Special arrangements must be made for students to travel outside the USA and is discouraged

46. Employment Students are on a J-1 visa which prohibits working.
Students may do odd jobs for cash, but never as an employee or a regular at a commercial business.

47. Religion Rotary does not promote any particular religion.
Students are encouraged to go to church with host families, if they are comfortable with attending services.
Students should not change their religion while in District 5520.
If students request to attend services of their own religion, host family and club should try to facilitate attendance, if at all possible.

48. Insurance
Students are required to obtain emergency accident/health insurance prior to arrival.
Host families and clubs are not responsible for student’s insurance or for medical expenses.
Host family and club committee should have a copy of student’s insurance card.
Student can go to doctor or dentist of host family or other established relationship, such as a Rotarian service provider. Student will pay for services as required.
Student’s natural family is responsible for filing insurance reimbursement claims, host family can assist by sending necessary papers to them.

49. High Risk Activities
Bungee jumping, hot air balloon rides, high risk sports, non-commercial plane travel and travel into Mexico are forbidden.
These activities may not be covered on accident insurance policy
Any exceptions would require full waiver and release by natural parent. District 5520 reserves the right to refuse the activity. Requests are not encouraged.

50. Visits by Family
Family visits are allowed but strongly recommended to occur at the end of the exchange year.
Visits at beginning of the exchange year increase homesickness
Family visits should be coordinated with host family and club committee
Visits by young, un-chaperoned friends from home are not encouraged

51. The End of the Year
Leaving for home will be harder than leaving home was a year earlier
Reverse culture shock
“The more successful the exchange, the harder the re-entry”
You WILL see them again, and you will have travel opportunities related to your new family member.
You will be encouraged to fill out an evaluation after you host to help us improve the program.

52. Rotary has a great year planned!
Summary
Thank You!
Rotary has a great year planned!
Rotary Youth exchange program cannot succeed without dedicated host families who show care, concern, and a loving attitude to our students.
We are eager to help because good communication leads to an easy year for all participants!
You are important!