For Rotary Clubs
Basic Steps to start your Long Term Youth Exchange Program
Assign a Club YEO
Assign a Club Counselor
Verify High School Placement
Submit Club Participation Form
Next Steps
Recruit Students to Apply
Interview Students
Select a Student
Club Responsibilities
While coordinated at the district level under the supervision of the district governor, the Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE) program depends on the participation of Rotary clubs, Rotarians and their families, and others in the community to build an effective support system for sending and hosting students. Club members are encouraged to make an effort to participate in Youth Exchange activities, either as a member of the club Youth Exchange committee, a host parent, or a Rotarian counselor.
Each participating club assumes the following responsibilities:
- Identify a Youth Exchange Officer for your club & ensure they become an approved RYE program volunteer.
- Identify a Counselor for your club & ensure they become an approved RYE program volunteer.
- To participate financially in the program by paying the District fee in July.
- Coordinate club Youth Exchange activities with the district program and ensure compliance with RI and district policies like the Youth Protection Plan and the RYE Youth Protection Plan.
- Ensure your Youth Exchange Officer attends district Youth Exchange meetings.
- Establish club expectations for students.
- Ensure that students attend mandatory functions, such as RYE orientations and district conference.
- Receive feedback from students for program modification.
- Notify the district Youth Exchange chair of any student issues or concerns.
For outbound students
- Promote the Long Term Exchange Program (“LTEP”) and the Short Term Exchange Program (“STEP”) to students and prospective host families in your community.
- Interview and select candidates to nominate for either the LTEP or the STEP
- Maintain contact with the district outbound coordinator
For inbound students
- Establish and develop contact with inbound students before they arrive.
- Meet students at the airport or train station.
- Ensure each inbound student has a counselor who is neither their host parent nor the student’s Youth Exchange Officer.
- Coordinate the selection and orientation of host families and maintain contact with host families throughout the student’s exchange
- Ensure host families are in a fully approved status before a student is placed with the family.
- Maintain contact with the district inbound coordinator.
- Arrange disbursement of the monthly stipend to the LTEP students.
These responsibilities are shared among the club president and the club Youth Exchange committee and chair as follows:
- The club president appoints the club Youth Exchange chair (often called the Youth Exchange Officer or YEO), who should be someone with previous Youth Exchange experience. The president also oversees the selection of the club committee and supports the club’s Youth Exchange activities.
- The club Youth Exchange chair plans, implements, and supports all activities involving sending and hosting long-term and short-term exchange students.
- The club Youth Exchange committee provides support as directed by the chair. The size and scope of this committee will vary according to the size of the club and the extent of its involvement in the program.