Orientation for Host Families

Rotary District 5010 Yukon and Alaska 1

 Welcome

Introduction

 Our goal – Making World A Better Place  Thank you for your participation !!!

District 5010 Host Family Orientation 2

Areas in Our Rotary Club District

3 4 5 1 2 Fairbanks Area, Nome and Barrow Kenai Area: Homer, Kodiak, Seward, Soldotna, Anchorage: Eagle River to Girdwood Mat-Su: Palmer to Susitna Southeast: Ketchikan to Whitehorse District 5010 Host Family Orientation 3

District 5010 Organization

District Chair Outbound Chair Inbound Chair Rebound Chair District 5010 Host Family Orientation 4

What You Will Learn Today

 Closeness of new friends (family of Rotary)  Rotary expectations  Helpful ideas for you  Calendar of activities District 5010 Host Family Orientation 5

CHALLENGES FOR THE ROTARY EXCHANGE STUDENT ARE MANY

Community School Host Families Exchange Student / Rotary YEO Friends in High School Host Rotary Club Host Rotary District

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Rotary Support Structure

 Rotary Club  Rotary Youth Exchange Committee  Rotary Youth Exchange Officer (YEO)  Counselor District 5010 Host Family Orientation 7

Youth Exchange Officer Responsibilities

 Maintain contact with student and family – Show continued interest & support – Resolve problems before problems get big  Register student at school & monitor performance  Ensure that student receives monthly allowance  Keep club YE committee informed  Get Rotary club membership involved District 5010 Host Family Orientation 8

Items Rotary YEO Must Hold for Student

 Prepaid return airline E-ticket information  Emergency fund ($500) deposited in a bank  Copies of Passport and Department of State form DS-2019 District 5010 Host Family Orientation 9

Student Challenges

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Adapting to host families and new culture Doing well in school Homesickness & making close friends Speaking English Following the rules of Rotary Getting involved in Rotary club and community District 5010 Host Family Orientation 10

A Host Family is expected to:

 Treat student as member of the family  Delegate daily responsibilities for the home  Assist student in finding right friends  Be prepared to say “No” when appropriate  Ensure students dress & present themselves appropriately District 5010 Host Family Orientation 11

Sample Family Rules

      “Be on time” “Be home by 10pm curfew” “Call to let us know where you are” “Finish homework” “No telephone/computer after 10pm” “Help with chores (cleaning dishes, mowing lawn, etc.)” See dual-language “First Night Questions” to ask on www.

yeoresources.org

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Use of Telephone

 Explain how it works; set rules for use  Limit calls to country (family, friends) – Helps them to overcome homesickness  Explain phone charges  Ask student to obtain telephone calling card for calls home District 5010 Host Family Orientation 13

Computer Use

 Limit the students’ time on computer  Limit or prohibit downloading videos, etc.  Explain no visits to pornography sites, etc.

 Limit the use of Instant Message programs (Skype, etc.) to 30 minutes a week  Encourage weekly or monthly blogs, or group e mails, to keep friends and family informed – Makes adapting to new culture more difficult District 5010 Host Family Orientation 14

Expectations at School

  Ensure clear understanding of school credit Usually “not allowed to graduate”  Remind them to say thank you to school teachers  Ensure regular class attendance and proper attention to school work (leave cell phone off, don’t wear iPod headphones in hallway or class)  Ensure missed school work will be completed – Rotary will take students out of school at times – They are expected to make up work District 5010 Host Family Orientation 15

Varsity Sports at School

 Students who have already graduated cannot play on varsity team – May be able play on junior varsity (JV)  Participation in varsity athletics requires approval from state association (and costs money) – School has association paperwork – Student is expected to pay own costs for sports and fundraise with the team District 5010 Host Family Orientation 16

Making Close Friends

 A major challenge to YE students  Help the student find clubs to join – Interact (a Rotary Program in many schools) – Sports at the gym or other program – Theater, Drama-Debate-Forensics (DDF) team – Band, orchestra, choir  Active participation is good cure for homesickness District 5010 Host Family Orientation 17

Limit Visits with Other Exchange Students

 Rotary provides many opportunities for exchange students to get together  Their goal is to make friends from here  Rotary discourages independent travel District 5010 Host Family Orientation 18

Speak English

 This can be major problem  Ensure students actively work to improve speaking skills  Help them by talking to them and correcting their English District 5010 Host Family Orientation 19

Rules of Rotary

 No drinking  No driving – including drivers’ education class  No serious dating or sexual contact  Obey the law – No smoking – No drugs – No shoplifting, etc. District 5010 Host Family Orientation 20

The Six Be’s

 Be First - I am a person of action!

 Be Curious – I seek to understand!

 Be on Purpose – I am certain of my outcome and move steadily toward it!

 Be Grateful – I focus on things I can be thankful for!

 Be of Service – I give of myself!

 Be Here Now – I live in the moment!

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Problem Solving

 Some problems will occur  Student should ask for help, in this order – Host family – Club counselor – Club Youth Exchange Officer – District Youth Exchange Committee  Host families must not let small problems become big problems. Ask for help.

– Club counselor – Club Youth Exchange Officer – District Youth Exchange Committee District 5010 Host Family Orientation 22

Student Protection Guidelines

 What to do if your exchange student tells you of harassment and/or abuse – 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, place & time – Don’t promise to keep secrets & explain the necessity of informing the District Chair District 5010 Host Family Orientation 23

Student Protection Guidelines

 Keep communications open – Assure student that you can jointly address his/her concerns and problems   Report the case to the District Chair and the Club YEO immediately Don’t investigate – Leave this to the proper authorities  Support the student emotionally District 5010 Host Family Orientation 24

Student Protection Guidelines

 District 5010 has two non-Rotarian Counselors – Male Counselor – Dr. David Holladay  Home phone: 907-355-8278  Office phone: 907-745-7080 – Female Counselor – Kaye Zwiacher, M.D.

 Home phone: 907-715-4442  Office phone: 907-694-2244 District 5010 Host Family Orientation 25

Getting Students Involved

  Active involvement in Rotary and community essential to be good ambassador – Attend Rotary meetings on a regular basis – Attend orientations for Rotary students – Give programs to Rotary clubs – Give programs to schools and other clubs Help student to say “yes” and to be proud to be a good ambassador for their country and Rotary District 5010 Host Family Orientation 26

Activities

 Sharing family activities (even if it’s not their favorite thing to do)  Rotary Club – Meetings and socials – Fundraisers – Other activities  District (see following slides) District 5010 Host Family Orientation 27

Rotary District Activities

    Inbound Orientation - September – Brings inbound and recently returned students together for training Winter Orientation – January – Introduction for the new class of outbounds to meet other students and receive their country assignments District Conference – May or June – Students meet with Rotarians from the District at the annual meeting Local or Area meeting opportunities – Varies by area, might be a weekend or day-long orientation get together District 5010 Host Family Orientation 28

Student’s Role as an Ambassador

 Students portray their whole country – By their attitude – By their decisions – By their appearance – By their willingness to do for others   Students make a difference; so much depends on their desire to be ambassador Reminders from host family and YEO’s needed District 5010 Host Family Orientation 29

One Last Request

 Please consider helping us find others who would be willing to be a host family for our program  Encourage kids you may know to learn about Rotary Youth Exchange and consider applying District 5010 Host Family Orientation 30

Summary

 THANK YOU !!!!!!!!

– We have a great year planned – Program would not work without dedicated committee members, host families and friends like you – We are more than eager to help with questions – just ask!

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Where to get more information

 District Committee – - District Chair – Tom Martin  Phone: 907-252-5052  E-mail: [email protected]

– - Inbound Chair – Sally Saddler  Phone: 907-723-2114  E-mail: [email protected]

 Rotary District 5010 Youth Exchange website www.rye5010.org

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