Student Protection Policy Training Program

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Student Protection PolicyTraining Program
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Our Mission

• The Rotary District 5500 and its member districts
  are committed to creating and maintaining the
  safest possible environment for all our Youth
  Exchange Students, both inbound and outbound.
• We do this by

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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

• Responding swiftly and appropriately to all
  suspicions or allegations of
• harassment and/or abuse, and by providing
  adults and young people
• with the opportunity to voice any concern
  they may have.

• Appointing a Rotary District 5500 Student
  Protection Officer to act as the main contact for
  parents, children, host families and outside
  agencies.

• Ensuring that access to confidential
  information is restricted.
• Reviewing the effectiveness of the Rotary
  District 5500 Student Protection Policy and
  activities periodically.

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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

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YE Volunteer Guidance

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

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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 training
• 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

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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 students funds
• Overt illegal use of funds by other than student

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Rotary District 5500 Student Protection Officer

• Provide training for Inbound Outbound chairs
  and other YE volunteers
• When an allegation of abuse is reported
• Contact District Student Protection Officer and
  Rotary District 5500 Chair immediately
• Assure that the allegation is reported to the
  police, District Governor, Rotary District 5500
  Child Protection Officer, and Rotary
  International
• Service as a resource and point of contact for
  districts
• Advocate for the victim to assure help is
  provided
• Document all details

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Rotary District 5500 Student Protection Officer

• Kermit Miller
• [phone]

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District Student Protection Officer

• Provide training to Club Inbound Outbound
  chairs and other YE volunteers
• When an allegation of abuse is reported
• Gather facts on allegation
• Contact appropriate authorities
• Contact YE Chairperson immediately
• Report to District Governor, Rotary District 5500
  Child Protection Officer, and Rotary
  International
• Service as point of contact for all agencies
  involved
• Advocate for the victim to assure help is
  provided
• Act as link to the professional care agencies
• Document all details

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District Chair Functions

• District Chair
• Oversee Background Checks on all district and
  club level YE personnel volunteers
• Report all allegations in accordance with RI
  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 and notify Rotary District 5500 of
  certification

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District Committee Functions

• District Committee
• 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, notify the police
  and the SPO immediately

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Club YEO Functions

• 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.

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Club YEO Functions

• Club Youth Exchange Officer
• Submit Affidavit and agree to Background check
• 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
• Appoint, train oversee counselor for student if
  other than self. Counselor SHOULD BE SAME SEX AS
  STUDENT!
• Complete Guarantee Form other documentation in
  timely manner
• Assure Host Families receive training
• Maintain monthly contact with Student, Host
  Family School
• If/when notified of abuse allegation, follow
  procedures

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YE Volunteer Code of Ethics

• Do
• treat all young people with respect and be aware
  of their reactions to your tone of voice and
  manner
• remember that is it okay to touch young people in
  a way that is not intrusive or disturbing to
  him/her or to observers.
• make sure that any allegations are recorded and
  acted upon, according to Rotary District 5500
  Student Protection Policy.
• Do Not
• engage in rough physical games including
  horseplay
• use physical force in any way, especially as a
  form of punishment
• touch a young person in an intrusive or sexual
  manner
• make sexually suggestive comments to a young
  person, even as a joke
• Try to Avoid
• spending too much time alone with a youth
  exchange student. Such situations may lead to
  misunderstandings.

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Student Protection

• Do
• Treat students with respect - be aware of your
  tone of voice manner and their reactions
• OK to 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 District or
  Rotary District 5500 Student Protection Officer
  if there are any allegations or suspicions or if
  you have questions

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Student Protection

• 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

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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
• Remain calm and make sure student feels safe
• Encourage student to share with you what happened
  and who was involved
• Make detailed notes including date time
• Dont promise to keep secrets explain the
  necessity of informing the police and the Student
  Protection Officer

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Responsibilities of YE Chairperson

• 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 within 72
  hours as appropriate
• Emphasize confidentiality of information and need
  to not speculate or comment

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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

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Rotary Issues Privacy

• Most important concern is 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 from all possible
  contact with victim and other youth and treat as
  other accused would be treated

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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

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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 adults inappropriate demands or
  requests
• Withhold information that could jeopardize your
  safety
• Refuse gifts
• Be rude or unhelpful if the situation warrants
• 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.

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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 chairperson. Dont suffer in
  silence!
• If someone does or says something that bothers
  you, tell them that you do not want them to do it
  again.
• 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.

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Safety Guidelines for Students

• Before you leave your home, make sure that you
  have your ID card, supplied to you by your Host
  Club Chairperson.
• 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 dont get separated from your friends.
• If you need to use a public toilet, go with a
  friend.

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Safety Guidelines for Students

• Make sure you know who is coming to pick you up.
  Never get into a car with someone you dont 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.

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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 dont know talks to you in a way
  that makes you feel uncomfortable, walk away.
• Keep your host familys address and telephone
  number with you at all times.
• Always keep enough money with you to make a phone
  call.
• Always arrange for someone to pick you up dont
  go home alone.

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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
• Only ask questions to establish what who and
  not jump to conclusions or promise to take a
  specific action until the situation is thoroughly
  investigated
• Take detailed note of what you say, dates and
  times
• Contact the District or Rotary District 5500
  Student Protection Officer
• Assure you that you are not making things worse.
  Few things are worse than allowing child abuse to
  continue