Rotary International Presidential Theme


Rotary Club of Hamilton and Wenham Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE)


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Frequently asked questions about hosting a youth exchange student from another country.


Why host a Rotary Youth Exchange Student?
What are the host family responsibilities?
What are the student’s responsibilities?
What are the specific Rotarian responsibilities?
Must I be a member of Rotary to participate as a host family?
Must I/we have children to participate as a host family?
How are host families screened and selected?
Does an exchange student need to have his/her own bedroom?
Why do long-term exchange students stay with three host families during their stay?
Can the student go on vacation with our family?
Will our family be compensated monetarily by Rotary for hosting a student?
How are the exchange students selected?
How and when do I learn about being a host family?


Why host a Rotary Youth Exchange Student?
Hosting a Youth Exchange student from another country is a challenge — and an opportunity. Involvement with an exchange student challenges a host family to become familiar with another culture, while providing the opportunity to share a student's hopes and ambitions. These challenges and opportunities promise to enrich the lives of every member of your family.
Because Rotary exchanges with more countries than any other exchange organization, you could have a student from one of 163 countries living in your home. Not only will you provide an unforgettable service to a student from abroad, but you also will educate your family about the world around them.

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What are the host family responsibilities?
As a Rotary Youth Exchange host family, it is your responsibility to provide room and board for your exchange student. You are also expected to exercise general parental supervision over the student just as you would your own children, and involve him or her in daily household chores and activities.
However, most host families' involvement with their student does not stop at room and board. The families often share their native background while also learning about their visitors' culture. This does not mean that you have to arrange elaborate entertainment, but simply make the student a part of your family. Give him or her the opportunity to share in the same aspects of your family life that most teenage students experience in your culture.

Other suggested host family responsibilities include:



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What are the student’s responsibilities?

First and foremost, students are ambassadors of the Rotary club that sponsored them and of their country. They are expected to follow the Youth Exchange program rules, be open to new experiences, and strive to learn the language of the host country.
The student and his/her own family will assume certain financial obligations. These include round-trip air transportation, clothing, health insurance, administrative fees and incidental expenses.

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What are the specific Rotarian responsibilities?
Rotarians work to take care of the logistics of the exchange. As all Youth Exchanges are carried out at the local level, the local Rotary club and district will arrange school enrollment, tuition and other educational matters with the local secondary school (for long-term exchanges). All program volunteers are devoted to the safety of the students, and the host club and district maintain policies and procedures to protect the students. Local Rotarians also introduce the student to the other club members and organize some social and cultural functions for the student to attend.
For long-term exchanges, the hosting club or district appoints a Rotarian counselor and arranges a monthly allowance for the student. The Rotarian counselor maintains contact with the host family and the student throughout the exchange.
While Rotary International offers support to local Rotary Youth Exchange programs through publications and suggested guidelines, Rotary districts and clubs run their programs independently of Rotary International. Therefore, each club or district program has its own specific rules for youth exchange participants to follow.

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Must I be a member of Rotary to participate as a host family?
No, one need not be a Rotarian to be a host family.

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Must I/we have children to participate as a host family?
No. We are looking for people who enthusiastic and willing to host a student for 3 months of the year.

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How are host families screened and selected?
If your family is interested in hosting a Rotary Youth Exchange student, please contact please contact Win Dodge, HW Rotary Youth Exchange Officer (978.468.3474; wdodge "atmark" comcast.net).
To ensure the safety and well being of students, as well as the success of each exchange, host families are carefully screened. All host families are required to fill out an application, which will then be reviewed by a committee of HW Rotarians. Then, a member of the HW Youth Exchange committee will come to your home for an in-home interview. During this interview, all family members are expected to be present. The in-home interview helps the chairperson determine the enthusiasm and willingness of all family members to host a student.

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Does an exchange student need to have his/her own bedroom?
It is not required that you provide the student with a private bedroom in your home; however, a single bed is essential.

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Why do long-term exchange students stay with three host families during their stay?
Because the primary goal of the Rotary Youth Exchange program is to promote cultural understanding, the best way for students to experience a wide cross-section of host country life is to live with more than one host family. Switching families during the student's stay also helps the student's ability to adapt to new environments and improve communication skills.

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Can the student go on vacation with our family?
Most Rotary clubs and districts have strict rules about where and when a student may travel. Students are not necessarily prohibited from accompanying your family on vacation, but usually require written permission from their natural parents and the hosting Rotary club and district.
In addition, if you are planning to leave the country on your vacation, it is advisable that you check the status of your student's visa. Some students are permitted entry into only one country entry during their stay.

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Will our family be compensated monetarily by Rotary for hosting a student?
Rotary is not able to provide any monetary compensation for families that choose to host students. The reason why the Rotary Youth Exchange program does not provide compensation for host families is that it helps keep overall program costs low. Rotary Youth Exchange is the most affordable program of its kind, and is run entirely by dedicated volunteers. As such, students are not required to pay any kind of placement fee to participate in the program. This enables financially disadvantaged students and students from developing countries to share in the exchange experience.
In the United States, families who host students may be eligible for a tax deduction. For more information, consult your tax attorney. 

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How are the exchange students selected?
It is standard practice for local Rotary districts and clubs to screen young people interested in Youth Exchange using detailed applications and interviews. This process helps to ensure that only highly responsible and mature students are sent on an exchange. Program administrators in the student's home country generally assess an applicant's scholastic record, linguistic ability, and general adaptability, among other qualities.

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How and when do I learn about being a host family?

Win Dodge, HW Rotary member and Youth Exchange Officer, and Dr. Marinel McGrath, Superintendent and HW Rotary member will an present informational meeting for prospective host families in early May will review the application process and program expenses.

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