The Rotary Youth Exchange Program generally provides for the selection and sponsorship of students in the 16 – 18 age group to travel to another country to spend 12 months attending a secondary school (NOT a tertiary institution) and living with host families in that country.
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To further international goodwill and understanding by enabling students to study at first hand some of the accomplishments and problems of people in lands other than their own.
- To enable students to advance their education by studying for a year in an environment entirely different to their own.
- To broaden their outlook by learning to live with, and meet, people of different cultures, creeds and colours.
- To act as ambassadors for their own country.
- To study and observe all facets of life and culture in the country where they are hosted.
- Rotary Youth Exchange students should be 16 years and not have turned 18 years and 6 months on January 1st in the year of departure from Australia.
- Applicants must have above average academic ability and must have an outgoing and pleasant personality to fit them for the role as an ambassador for Australia. They must have the ability to accept discipline and be capable of adjusting to new and strange conditions.
- Applicants must be of good character and reputation.
- All applicants are selected solely on merit. Sons and daughters of Rotarians are eligible for Rotary Youth Exchange, but receive NO special preference in selection.
- The District Youth Exchange committee has the responsibility to make the final selection of students to leave our District as well as brief and prepare those outbound students.
- The District Youth Exchange committee will arrange for Rotary Clubs in another country to host those students for 1 year.
- The appropriate District committee representatives will maintain liaison with the host District/Club throughout the exchange year to ensure the smooth functioning of the exchange.
- The host Club will pay a monthly monetary allowance to the student for the duration of the exchange.
- Students are expected to obey the laws of the host country at all times.
- They must accept the discipline of the host school and host parents. Students are expected to adapt to the home environment of the host families – the host families are under no obligation to adapt themselves to the student.
- The student is an ambassador for Australia and must at all times behave in a manner which will reflect credit on his or her family, country and Rotary.
- While under the supervision of the Rotary Youth Exchange Program, students are NOT permitted to drive any motorised vehicle, under any circumstances.
- Students may have “special” friends but NO romantic involvement.
- Students must return directly home after the completion of the exchange period. Students are not allowed to stay in the country to further their education. They must return home.
- Breaching of any rules will result in the early termination and return home of the student.
- The parents are required to provide the cost of the exchange including transporting the student to and from the host country. The cost varies considerably and depends on the final destination of the student and the cost of living varies in individual countries.
- The parents will provide an emergency fund of AUD$500 which can only be drawn on with the consent of the students Club counsellor. If the fund has to be used in full or part during the year the parents must restore the amount to the original $500 and at the end of the exchange the amount in the account is refunded to the parents.
- Host families will provide accommodation and meals only. The natural parents will provide for all other expenses.
- The parents will attend the appropriate session at the final briefing before the student leaves and attend the debriefing when the student returns.
- Applications for exchange close with the local Rotary Club in February of the year PRIOR to the year of departure.
- Applications must be lodged in writing with a Rotary Club in the area in which the student resides.
- Local committees appointed by individual Rotary Clubs will interview students and the parents during February/March and will recommend suitable applicants to District Youth Exchange Chairman by 1st April.
- The District committee will conduct selection interviews in May of all applicants recommended by Clubs within the District and will make selection of students to be sent abroad subject to the committee being able to secure host agreements from Rotary Clubs abroad. No student is to be regarded as a Rotary Youth Exchange student until official acceptance as such by a Rotary Club in another country.
- While the District committee will consider the country preferences of the applicants, it is not possible to guarantee placement in any chosen country. The student will be asked to prioritise the list of countries available.
- Students chosen by the District committee will depart from Australia in mid January and arrive back home the following January, the length of exchange is a minimum 50 weeks and maximum 52 weeks.
- The returned students and parents are required to participate in a debrief session after the student has returned, this debrief is one full day for the student and the afternoon session includes the parents. This takes place usually on the last Sunday of January.
January
- All District 9680 Outbound students depart for overseas (members of the sponsor Club should attend)
- All District 9680 students currently overseas return home ((members of the sponsor Club should attend)
- Inbound students arrive Chile, Brazil (members of the host Club should attend)
- Briefing by District committee for recently arrived Inbound students
February
- Debriefing of recently returned District 9680 students (Rotex students)
- Welcome Home Dinner for recently returned students by Rotary Club of Carlingford
- Weekend for Inbound students hosted by the Rotary Club of Umina Beach
- Rotary Clubs wishing to participate in Youth Exchange Program to advertise and canvas for prospective applicants. Visit schools and youth groups in your area. Enlist the help of Rotex students, if your Club doesn’t have a Rotex student, the District committee will be able to arrange one for you.
- Rotary Club to conduct interviews of students once applications have been received from interested students. Submit your Club’s successful applicant’s papers to District Chairman by 1st April.
March
- All Inbound students attend District Conference
- Briefing about Safari for all participating Inbound students.
April
- All applications for next January Outbound students should be with District Chairman.
- Inbound students depart on their 3 week safari through NSW, Victoria, South Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland, taking in Ayers Rock, Kings Canyon, Barrier Reef and Fraser Island.
- Contact with applicants for District interview information and times done by District committee in late April.
May
- District interviews/selections of Outbound students for next year held first week of May.
- District committee makes home visits to family of every successful student selected for exchange in next year.
- International Exchange Student Review hosted by Rotary Club of Waitara.
- Rotary Clubs informed of their students success or failure
- All unsuccessful District interview applicants notified by District Chairman.
June
- Mailing of application papers for overseas placement should be complete
July/August
- First briefing for new Outbound students and their parents conducted by District committee.
- New Inbound students arrive from Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand and USA.
- Briefing of recently arrived Inbound students by District committee
September
- Welcome BBQ for Inbound Students hosted by Rotary Club of Glenhaven
October
- Camping weekend at Narrabeen for inbound students
November
- All Outbound students should know their host Club, District and family by now.
- Second briefing conducted by District committee for new Outbound students. This is a live-in weekend briefing attended by all Outbound and Inbound students immediately after HSC. The parents of the Outbound student are required to attend on the Sunday.
December
- Outbound preparation for their year in a new country (souvenirs, banners, blazer, uniforms, etc)
- Presentation of blazer and kit by sponsor Rotary Club. An appropriate speech/ presentation should be made by the student to the Club (students parents are usually invited to the Club on this occasion).
The countries which District 9680 exchange with are Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, and the USA.
The Rotary Youth Exchange Program is one of the most important and far reaching programs of Rotary currently in existence.
Students go to an exchange country/District/Club for 12 months. During that time it is usual for the student to be hosted by 3-4 host families.
Worldwide, over 10,000 students now participate in Rotary Youth Exchange. District 9680 currently exchange with Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand and USA.
All young people who think they have the desired talents and also the support of their parents may submit an application to the nearest Rotary Club in February-March of each year.
The age limit for District 9680 is that students must be 16 years of age and no older than 18 years and 6 months on January 1st of the year of their departure overseas.
Students who are not in the top third of their class should not apply unless their school principal considers he/she possesses outstanding qualifications in other areas.
Those students who are sponsored by a Rotary Club, have gained endorsement from the District committee and received advice that an overseas Club and District is willing to host them can then and only then look forward to leaving Australia about the middle of January for a year of exchange.
Costs may vary considerably, depending on the host country and how generous the students parents are. The following will serve as a good guide.
- To parents of Outbound students - for air fares, insurance, clothing, safari, miscellaneous travel, contingency fund, school uniform and fees (if applicable), briefings, debriefing on return and youth Exchange uniform - say $10,000 to $12,000 depending on host country.
- To sponsor Club - for blazer, banners presentation slides and several dinners - say $550
- To host parents of Inbound student - for food, accommodation and other miscellaneous expenses, depending on their generosity - say $500 to $1,500 for three months.
- To host Club of Inbound student - for monthly allowance of $150, Club dinners, District Conference, gifts and other excursions depending on Club’s generosity - say $2,500 to $3,500 for the year.
- Appoint a Youth Exchange committee for your Club, consisting of a Chairman and at least 2 other members. This committee should make themselves aware of the rules and requirements of the program as well as understanding the processes. The committee has to sell the benefits of being involved in Youth Exchange to the members of their Club. Once the decision has been made to sponsor a student you form an interview panel consisting of male as well as female and try to include a returned student.
- Advertise for applicants and visit your local high school to talk to an assembly, interview and select your student. Visit the successful applicant at home for a full family interview, explain the process and then forward the application to the District Youth Exchange Chairman by the required date.
- Your District Youth Exchange committee will assist you with training and guidelines if your selection panel is inexperienced – just phone and ask.
- Appoint a counsellor for your Outbound student who will assist the student before departure and maintain contact during the student’s year away on exchange.
- Make the student familiar with Rotary activities, especially within your Club.
- Invite the student to Rotary Club meetings.
- Acquaint the student with the expectations of your Rotary Club for his/her exchange.
- Make sure the student presents a well prepared speech to the Club. This should be a Partner’s night and invite the student’s parents.
- Have a farewell function at the Club, perhaps with former exchange students from your Club.
- Have a big farewell by members at the airport
- Write to your student regularly
- Make sure you receive a copy of the student’s monthly report from the District Counsellor
- Make and keep contact with the host Rotary Club
- Have a big Rotary Club welcome at the airport.
- Ensure your student attends the District debriefing session and Welcome home dinner.
- Keep contact with your student after their return making sure they address the Club as well as inviting them to Club functions and Partner’s Nights, etc. They can also help you with selection of your next student.
For more information go to the District Youth Exchange website
or go to the Australian Rotary Youth Exchange website