Advise the District 9780 Youth Exchange Committee’s Placements Officer of your Rotary club’s intention to Host an Inbound Student for the coming 12-month exchange period, which commences in July each year.
Exchange Papers for prospective Inbound Student will be forwarded to your Club for acceptance, completion and signing. This will involve the following:
| 1 | Club Board ratification of the Club’s willingness to host the student allotted to them by the District YE Committee. |
2
| Need to confirm Club Counsellor and first Host Family. Although not a requirement at this stage, it is recommended that multiple (3-4) host families are committed to participate in the exchange program. |
3
| Complete Guarantee/Visa application. Need President, Secretary and School Principal to sign the papers. |
4
| Return completed Guarantee/Visa application to the District YE Committee Placements Officer as soon as possible. |
5
| Advise the nominated school of your Student’s expected arrival date and, if required, provide a copy of student application. |
CLUB COUNSELLORThe overall obligation the councillor has is to set up a ‘paper trail’ of correct actions to fulfil the ‘Duty of Care’ requirements as well as look after the Student’s personal, educational and pastoral needs.
Counsellor, or nominated Club Representative, must attend ALL District 9780 YE Events where the Inbound Student is requested to participate. Student and Counsellor registration costs for all District YE Events should be paid for by the Club.
Counsellor may contact the Student after 3-4 weeks of returning the Exchange Papers to the District Placements Officer and begin the bonding process.
Counsellor should organise a meeting of host families to outline obligations of duty of care, anticipated costs, responsibilities and to ensure that each adult over the age of 18 years, either living in the family home or likely to have overnight stays with the exchange student, satisfies the Working With Children (Victoria) requirements or has a current Police Check (non-Victorian). Give each Host Family a copy of the Inbound Student’s personal application.
Counsellor should maintain regular communication with the Student, the Club Members and the Host Families. This is even more important when using non-Rotary host families. This will mean extra effort required by counsellor to keep them in the “Rotary Loop”, i.e. send them Club Bulletins, keep in close contact, extend a personal invitation to Club events; in particular those the student is attending while staying with them. Do NOT just depend on the student to keep host families FULLY informed; often they don’t! They are teenagers with a busy schedule and these things simply pass them by.
HOST FAMILIESIn addition to approaching members of your Rotary Club, encourage non-Rotary families, former student families and others to take on the role of Host Family. Non-Rotary families are a valuable resource for youth exchange and MUST be fostered and encouraged.
Follow the Certification guidelines for selection of Host Families.
Ensure they have an adequate understanding of all Rotary Youth Exchange Rules – in particular those relating to driving a vehicle, drugs - including alcohol and smoking, and school attendance. It is District 9780 policy that no Inbound Student is to travel in a vehicle driven by a “Learner” driver and extreme caution should be exercised where a ‘P’ Plate driver is involved.
Host families are expected to provide a safe and caring home environment for the Student and to treat them as a member of the family. They are NOT a long-term “guest”, nor are they a servant!
INSURANCEThere are two insurances that ALL Inbound Students must carry:
| 1 | Travel and Accident insurance for which minimum requirements have been set down by Rotary International. As an Inbound Counsellor you need not worry about this issue because the District 9780 YE Committee Countrymen have attended to this matter and are satisfied that all Inbound Students under their care are appropriately insured. If your Inbound Student has taken the Australian insurance (ACE) we will advise you. If, however, they have brought insurance from home, as is the case with some students, we suggest you copy their insurance for your records as well as the emergency contact number of their insurance company “just in case” it is required. Please make sure a copy of these insurance certificates is passed on to the appropriate District 9780 YE Committee Countryman. |
| 2 | Medical insurance which is taken out automatically on behalf of all Inbound Students. Medibank cards will be issued to the students at the Orientation weekend in August. If they are required before then they can be posted to you on request.
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Where students owe money for either medical insurance or travel and accident insurance an invoice will be emailed to you and we would ask you to arrange that these funds be transferred to our account. Details will be supplied.
ON ARRIVALArrange for someone (Counsellor, Club President, Host Family/Families or a combination) to meet and greet your Inbound Student at Melbourne airport. Think about taking a photo of the Inbound Student at the airport with the “greeters” and emailing it to their parents to let them know they arrived safely Works a treat!
Counsellor to collect the Inbound Student’s passport and return airline ticket and have them stored safely in the Bank until they are required. Do NOT leave them in the care of the student. Please take note of the return date on the air ticket. It is usually a bogus date because airlines can’t issue open return tickets owing to new security safeguards. Students need to book their return flights before the bogus date expires, otherwise they may be recorded as a “no show”. Within the time frame of the bogus dates, they are allowed one change of flight, free of charge, so please work with them to ensure that the return flight they book is the one they take.
Establish an “emergency” fund, $AUD400, with the Counsellor and Inbound Student showing as joint signatures. The parents/guardians expect to provide this dollar amount as part of their designated Youth Exchange requirements. It is to be used in ‘emergency’ situations only and must be replaced by the parents/guardians if accessed at any time. It is refunded to the Student at the end of the year prior to their departure.
The Club should arrange with the Inbound Student how much it is prepared to pay them as an allowance, minimum set by Rotary International is $US80 per month with most District 9780 Clubs paying $AUD120-130 per month. Determine if there are “strings attached” to this payment and, if yes, make them clear to the Inbound Student eg. reporting to the counsellor, writing a regular column for the Club Bulletin, attending a minimum number of Club Meetings, etc.
Depending on their financial arrangements, you may need to establish a new Bank Account for the Inbound Student.
Attend the first meeting at the Student’s new school with them to assist in course selection, books, uniform, etc.
AT SCHOOLWithin a few days of the Student’s arrival, arrange a meeting between the School, the Student and the Club Counsellor to organise Year 11, course selection, home group and House (where appropriate).
Although the Visa applied for by the Student is an Education Visa, requiring full-time studies, many of our exchange country partners DO NOT apply any credit for studies undertaken whilst on exchange. Within reason, therefore, it may be prudent for the Student to select and experience some subjects that they may not otherwise have the opportunity to attempt in their own country. However, this would not negate the need for them to study the English language.
Where possible, subject to availability and health risk, uniform and books should be obtained second hand or borrowed. If they have to be purchased all reasonable costs can be passed on to the Student’s parents/guardians or may be borne by the Host Club.
The Host Club should establish a “policy” with regard to school costs that it considers to be part of the exchange, borne by the Club, and those that are not – to be paid for by the Student and/or their parents/guardians eg. School organised events, seminars, sports days, field trips, Formal (Debutante) Ball, school photos, extra-curricular activities, music programs, dance, etc. This policy should be made clear to the Student and their parents/guardians before any costs are incurred.
AT THE BANK Open transaction account in student’s name, (will need passport and visa), to be signed only by student.
Open an “emergency” account for a minimum of $AUD400 as ‘Rotary in Trust for ’ - to be signed by both the Club Counsellor and the Student.
Set up Direct Debit from Rotary Account to Student’s working account of a minimum of $AUD120 per month.
Set up safe deposit in Student’s name for passport/visa/return air ticket and other National Identity cards/papers.
Advise Club Treasurer of these arrangements.
ENDING THE PROGRAMArrange Rotary presentation 2 – 3 weeks before departure.
Minimum 6 weeks before departure counsellor to ensure advance flight bookings are correct and current (time & date).
Withdraw funds from student emergency account (1 week before departure).
Stop Club direct credit to student account.
With student – withdraw safety deposit with passport, return tickets, etc. (I week before departure).
