Title: Thank you for coming
1Welcome
Orientation Program for Host Families and Club
Volunteers
2Congratulations!
Orientation Program for Host Families and Club
Youth Exchange Officers
- Youre Expecting a New Arrival
3Orientation Agenda
- What is Rotary and its purpose?
- Who are Rotary exchange students?
- Expectations families, students, clubs
- Arrival and settling in
- Student transition throughout year
- Insurance, Finances, Travel, School
- Rotary involvement Support system
- Activities and calendar
- End of the year
- Other topics
- Student Protection Policy (video)
4What is Rotary International?
- Worlds oldest and most international service
organization - 1¼ million Rotarians, in 170 countries
- Celebrated 100th anniversary in 2005
- 32,000 clubs, in 520 districts
- Rotary Motto Service Above Self
- 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?
- The Rotary Foundation
- Polio Plus
- Nicaragua
5What is Rotary District 5890?
- In Houston area, Rotary is District 5890
- 10 counties
- Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Colorado, Harris,
Matagorda, Washington, Wharton, Fort Bend,
Montgomery - From Weimer to Brenham, to Tomball, to Kingwood,
to Clear Lake, to Lake Jackson, to El Campo - 60 Rotary Clubs
- Approximately 1,700 Rotarians
6District Leadership
- Co-Youth Exchange Officers
- Tony Sortino
- sortino_at_cdstexas.com
- 281-370-5162 (home)
- 281-351-4040 (work)
- 832-723-1302 (cell)
- Mindi Snyder
- mindis_at_ci.rosenberg.tx.us (until Sept 1)
- msnyder_at_ci.el-campo.tx.us (after Sept 1)
- 979-543-1822 (home)
- 832-595-3369 (work until Sept 1)
- 979-541-5000 (work after Sept 1)
7District Leadership
- Youth Protection Officer
- Ted Turk
- tedmturk_at_sbcglobal.net
- 713-957-9888 (home)
- 713-821-9335 (work)
- 713-305-3026 (Cell)
8District Leadership
- District Insurance Officer
- Carl Luckenbach
- cluckenbach_at_sbcglobal.net
- 281-257-8564 (home)
- 281-651-0002 (work)
- 281-796-8151 (cell)
9District Leadership
- District Compliance Officer Anais Watsky
- Please send compliance paperwork and information
to Beverly Galinski !!! - 281-937-0298 (home)
- 713-542-6704 (cell)
- beverlygalinski_at_yahoo.com
- 7403 Orchard Hills Lane
- Sugar Land, Tx 77479
10Purpose of Long Term RYE Program
- Promote Rotarys goal of world peace and
understanding, one person, one exchange at a time
11Background Information
- District-to-district program
- 8,000 exchange students per year
- Open to children of Rotarians and non-Rotarians
alike - Operated completely by volunteer Rotarians as
part of Rotarys commitment to international and
community service - In compliance with certification reqments of RI
and US Department of State
12Who are Our Inbound Exchange Students?
- Outstanding young people
- Age 16-18½ upon arrival
- Carefully selected and well prepared
- Most speak English well
- Anxious and excited to
- Learn our language
- Discover American culture
- Represent their countries
- Become part of your family
13Expectations of Club YEO
- Ensure YE committee for club
- Ensure club compliance with district
- Forms required on district web site
- Provide counselor
- Lead effort to find host families
- Report changes of address to district
14Expectations of Counselor
- Club representative for student and host families
- Beginning tasks
- Save important papers
- Return airline ticket
- Passport, Visa, DS 2019 form, I94
- Retain emergency fund (400)
- Register student at school
- Obtain Texas ID for student (using I94 form)
15Expectations of Counselor
- Throughout year
- Be an advocate for student
- Support host families schools
- Ensure help with transportation
- Invite to meetings/involve club members
- Arrange transition to new host family
16Expectations of Counselor
- Ongoing tasks
- Maintain monthly contact (form enclosed)
- Provide monthly allowance
- Inform students and families of district
activities - Transition
- Orient new families about current situations and
upcoming activities - Problem Solving
- Assist student and family with resolving problems
before problems get big
17Expectations of Host Families
- Provide a home away from home
- Clearly communicate family expectations
- Treat student like your own child
- Love, support, encouragement, understanding,
discipline - Know their new friends
- Be willing to say No when appropriate
18Expectations of Host Families
- Help with challenges
- Language
- School
- Culture shock
- Homesickness
- Provide an ear to listen, a shoulder to cry on, a
hand to depend on
19Expectations of Students
- Represent country and Rotary (be ambassadors)
- Adapt to host family
- Learn our language and learn our culture
- Perform well in school
- Communicate
- Participate in Rotary, school, and community
activities - Return home within 2 weeks of end of school, or 1
week after USA Tour
20Expectations of Students
- Program Rules Guidance
- No Driving, Drinking, Dating, and Drugs
- No Downloading onto family computers
- Well Groomed (no tattoos, extra body rings)
- No Smoking (state law)
- Maintain Excellent School attendance
- Make Right Set of Friends
- Participate in Community Volunteering
- No Working at a job
- Restricted visits / communications from home
21Arrival and Settling In
- Welcoming your student
- Meet at airport
- First Night Questions (enclosed)
- Introduce them to family friends
- Have a welcome party
- Encourage family involvement
- Do not let them retreat to their room
- In-room tv, telephone, computer not good
22Being the 1st Host Family
- Excitement everything is new
- Culture shock major adaptations
- Language struggles
- School arrangements
- Often the closest bonds
- Set the standards for the year
23Sample Family Rules
- Be on time / let family know where you are
- Curfew
- Do school homework
- No telephone after certain hour
- Help with chores (cleaning dishes, mowing lawn,
etc.)
24Use of Telephone
- Explain how it works set rules for use
- Limit calls to country (family, friends)
- Helps them to overcome homesickness
- Options for student calling home
- Telephone card
- Call parents ask them to call them back
- Be aware Large phone bills have occurred
25Use of Family Computer
- Do not let student spend too much time on
computer - Limit / prohibit downloading information
- Explain no visits to sites in poor taste
- Ensure not too many emails to family and friends
back home - Makes adapting to our culture more difficult
26Making Close Friends
- A major challenge to YE students
- Help in finding clubs for student to join, even
before student arrives - Interact (in many of the schools)
- Sports
- Theater
- Band, orchestra
- Active participation is good cure for homesickness
27Problem Solving
- Some problems will occur
- Student must ask for help, in this order
- Host family
- Club counselor
- Club youth exchange officer
- District Youth exchange committee (inbound chair,
YEO, committee) - Do not let small problems become big problems
28Being the 2nd/Last Host Family
- Second (or Third) Host Family
- Transition issues
- New 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
29Sibling Relationships
- The Good
- Set the example
- Be a protector and a listener
- Introduce to friends activities
- The Not-so-good
- Jealousy
- Withdraw from family exchange student
30Medical Insurance Care
- All Inbounds Insured (keep cards on them at all
times) - Plan B CISI/Bolduc policy normally
- Plan A for Sweden, Belgium, Danish students who
bring insurance from their country - CISI/Bolduc Plan B
- Medical per Accident/Illness - 500K
- Repatriation - 10K
- Medical Evacuation - 50K
- Deductible - 100 One time
- Web Site www.cisi-Bolduc.com
31Medical Insurance Care
- In the event of illness/accident
- Stabilize first
- Call Rotary Contact in Club (counselor, YEO)
- Emergency medical release provided by family
- Be sure each host family has copy of release form
- Part of students application
- Use club member or host family doctors
- Notifying students family
- Let Rotary do the contacting once details are
known
32Student Finances
- Emergency Fund
- 400.00 from students maintained by Host Club
- True emergencies medical, etc.
- Monthly Stipend from Rotary
- Student Bank Account
- Rotarian normally co-signs
- Student may have home Credit/Debit Card
- Student should not overspend
33Host Family Finances
- Support day to day routine expenses
- Room and board
- Laundry detergent, toothpaste, soap etc.
- Regular family activities movies, out to eat,
family trips etc. - Extra-ordinary expenses
- Clothing and postage are student responsibility
- Telephone Long distance costs are student
responsibility - Family vacations discuss expenses, establish
share of cost long before departure
34Student Travel
- Cultural Educational Program
- NOT Travel program
- District, clubs, families often provide
opportunities - Students not allowed to travel alone or make own
travel plans - Special requests must be pre-approved by YEO
- Approval from natural Parents Required
- Unauthorized Travel will result in student being
returned home (has happened)
35School
- Educational program - student visas
- Class participation essential
- Rotary counselor to set schedule
- NO Driver Education
- Encourage participation
- Sports (not in varsity if has graduated)
- Music, Theater, etc.
- Interact
- Help with Homework
- Suggest student get phone for attentive
classmate in each class
36Support System
- Club Level
- Counselor
- Youth Exchange Officer
- President
- District Level
- In-Bound Chairman
- Youth Exchange Officer
- Student Protection Officer
- Dept of State requires students to know how to
contact them - All information on club contact form
37Activities and Calendar
- Mandatory Events
- Inbound Orientation September 10-12
- In New Braunfels
- Depart Friday morning, 800 AM
- Transportation by Rotary
- Return Sunday afternoon, 500 PM
- District Conference April 28-30
- Hyatt Regency Resorts and Spa
- Lost Pines, Texas (Bastrop)
38Activities and Calendar
- Optional activities
- George Ranch Week-end Oct 16-17
- Christmas party Dec 4-5
- Youth Exchange Conference Jan 28-30
- Host Family Appreciation Banquet Feb
- Interact District Conference Mar 5-6
- RI Convention New Orleans May 19-23
- Farewell party Jun 4
39SCRYE Spring Break Tour
- Participation at student expense
- Orlando / Disneyworld
- March 13 19
- Coincides with most spring breaks
- Not to interfere with family plans
- Student Cost -- 795 airfare
40SCRYE Summer Tours
- 2 weeks Tours in June
- Western tour Las Vegas, California, Grand
Canyon - Eastern tour Washington D.C., New York, Niagara
Falls, Boston - Student cost 1,975 airfare
- 4 week Tour June / July
- All across US cost 2,600 airfare
- Rotary will suggest flights so students can
purchase / fly together
41The End of the Year
- Leaving for home will be hard for the student and
the host families - Reverse culture shock
- The more successful the exchange, the harder the
leaving re-entry - Maintain contact
- You WILL probably see them again
42District Student Protection Policy
43Student Protection Policy
- Our Role
- Maintain safest possible environment for all
participants - Safeguard welfare and prevent physical, sexual,
emotional or financial abuse of exchange students - Provide means to address all concerns and
indications of harassment or abuse
44Student Protection Code
- 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 Rotary D5890 Student Protection
Officer if there are any allegations or
suspicions or if you have questions
45Student Protection Code
- 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 joke
- Spend excessive time alone with a student, which
may lead to misunderstanding
46Student Protection Guidelines
- What to do if your exchange student tells you of
Harassment and/or Abuse (video) - 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 Protection Officer
47Student Protection Guidelines
- Keep Communications Open
- Assure student that you can jointly address
his/her concerns/problem - 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.
48Summary
- We have assumed the legal and moral
responsibility for someone elses children - We are here to help you and the student have a
meaningful and safe year to learn and live our
American culture - We cannot help if we do not know
49Particulars for 2010 2011
50District 5890 Exchanges
- 23 Inbound exchange students (15 countries)
- List of students / host clubs enclosed
- 23 Outbound exchange students
- 16 Short-Term exchanges
- For 2011 2012 recruiting
- Will conduct information meetings in September /
October - Presentation Available
- Let us know if you wish for our help)
- Club interviews October / November
- District interviews December 4-5
51Questions