ROTARY YOUTH EXCHANGE NEEDS YOU!

WANTED:  Rotarians who have an interest in Youth Exchange from a District perspective
 
WHY: To maintain a successful and sustainable Program, we need to have bench strength.
 
WHAT: District Youth Exchange Committee Roles
 
Summary of duties for each District Youth Exchange Role:
 
  • Outbound (OB) Long Term Chair – First point of contact for all Current and Future Outbounds to manage any Student, Parent or Host Club issues.
    • Talk with prospective outbound students to explain program. Handle all application paperwork, from registration through country assignment
    • Be familiar with what is required of a student applicant
    • Promote interest in OB Exchange
    • Process completed applications by November or early December
    • Conduct interviews of the OBs and their parents, to satisfy yourself that the student and parents are fully committed to a successful exchange
    • Collect from the applicants the application processing fee
    • Help prepare the OB student for departure to their Host country
    • Review the OB student’s monthly reports while they are abroad
    • Maintain communication with the OB’s family while the student is abroad
    • Participate in a debrief session when the OB student returns
    • Encourage their participation in subsequent Youth Exchange events
    • Attend District Conference of Clubs to assist with OB Investiture Ceremony and assist with the Parade of Flags Ceremony, as needed
  • Short Term (STEP) Chair - First point of contact for all Current and Future STEP OBs to manage any Student or Parent issues
    • Talk with prospective STEP students to explain program. Handle all application paperwork, from registration through country assignment
    • Be familiar with what is required of a student STEP applicant
    • Promote interest in STEP Exchange
    • Conduct extensive interviews of interested students and all family members at their homes
    • After the match by O-E, notify OB students of their assignments. After matches are confirmed on both sides, the families can be in contact with each other and can decide on the dates of Exchange and can make travel arrangements.
    • Collect from the applicants the application processing fee
    • Conduct STEP OB Orientation prior to departure
    • Conduct STEP Inbound Orientation upon the Inbound STEP student’s arrival
    • Encourage STEP student participation in subsequent Youth Exchange events
    • Attend District Conference of Clubs to assist with OB Investiture Ceremony and assist with the Parade of Flags Ceremony, as needed
  • Inbound (IB) Chair - First point of contact for all Current and Future Inbounds to manage any Student or Host Parent issues
    • Encourage clubs to Host IB students
    • Ensure the willing club has an approved Youth Protection Officer in place
    • Ensure the willing club meets Hosting requirements by identifying a Youth Exchange Officer and a Counselor (RYE Volunteers)
    • Review and confirm approval and vetting of each RYE Volunteer and Host Family application prior to IB student placement
    • Prior to an IB’s arrival, receive from the hosting club, the completed required documents in order for the IB to obtain their DS-2019 Form
    • Provide, timely, the required documents referenced above to the Country Contact for the IB student
    • Provide additional training to RYE Volunteers prior to IB Student arrival
    • Confirm arrival of IB student and that the arrival is documented in the system of record for RYE (YEAH Database)
    • Ensure IB Orientation is conducted and documented
    • Ensure RYE Volunteer and Host Family additional training is conducted and documented during IB Orientation
    • Confirm that the IB has a valid visa and full return airline ticket to their home country with complete flight details documented in YEAH
    • Confirm all post arrival tasks have been completed and documented by the RYE Volunteers
    • Ensure YEAH Database is up to date and contains accurate information
    • Ensure trailing Host families are approved and vetted prior to IB Student move
    • Ensure required reporting is completed by the RYE Volunteers throughout the Exchange Year
    • Promote interest in the Program
    • Coordinate and plan RYE Group Events that are sponsored by the District and/or clubs
    • Attend District Conference of Clubs to coordinate the Parade of Flags Ceremony for all Youth Exchange students and assist with OB Investiture Ceremony, as needed
       
  • General Chair - Overall program coordination with Committee members to meet the goals of the program
    • Be familiar with the duties of the other Chairs, as you are to oversee their actions, and circumstances may dictate that you take charge of some issue
    • This role is the District’s liaison with the O-E Multi District
    • Coordinate the response (documentation) needed to the Department of State Audit (bi-annual)
    • Attend the spring and fall O-E Multi District meetings, as well as the July meeting at Otterbein University
    • Attend District Conference of Clubs to facilitate Investiture Ceremony for OBs
    • Develop ways to recruit OB, IB and STEP applicants
    • Enlist clubs to sponsor OB and STEP students and host IB students
    • Advise Sponsoring and Host clubs of their respective obligation and commitment
    • Participate in training provided to RYE Volunteers, Host families and Students throughout the Exchange year
    • Provide guidance, as needed, to IB Chair and/or RYE Volunteers throughout the Exchange year
    • Clear early returns through the O-E Chair and Country Contact and report early returns as required to RI
    • Provide periodic reporting, as requested, to District Board of Directors
       
  • District Youth Exchange Trainer - Coordinate with General, Inbound and Outbound Chairs to plan all training.
    • Prepare, plan and conduct IB Student Orientation Weekend Training (Annual)
    • Prepare, plan and Conduct 3 additional weekend training sessions for IB, OB and ROTEX students
    • Attend District Conference of Clubs to conduct training session for IB, OB and ROTEX students and assist with students
    • Be familiar with what is required of Hosting and Sponsoring clubs
    • Be familiar with OB (long Term and STEP) application requirements
    • Promote interest in the Program
 
If any of the above roles sound interesting to you and/or you would like more information, please reach out to any one of the current District Exchange Committee Members below:
 
Pat Kelley, RYE District General Chair - ryepatrickkelley@gmail.com ; cell: 330-233-7200
 
Shelia Hedrick, RYE District Inbound Chair & Compliance Officer -  ryesheliahedrick@gmail.com; 330-414-2501
 
David Lariviere, RYE District Outbound Chair - rye6630.david@gmail.com; cell: 330-421-2225
 
Susan Colville-Hall, RYE STEP Chair and District Trainer - rye6630susan@gmail.com; cell: 330-714-3765
 
Christina Potter, RYE District Trainer - christinapoteer73@gmail.com; cell: 330-998-1693