Transcript Orientation for Host Families

Orientation for Host Families
District 6670
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Introduction
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Welcome
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Our goal – Making World A Better Place
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Thank you for your participation !!!
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Hosting Rotary Clubs
1
Batavia
Czech Republic
2
Beavercreek
Russia
3
Centerville
Lesotho
4
Cincinnati
Brazil
5
Cincinnati
Slovak Republic
6
Farmersville
Belgium
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Hosting Rotary Clubs
7
Oakwood
Germany
8
Springfield
Japan
9
Troy
Hungary
10 Washington Court House
Japan
11 Washington Court House
Ukraine
12 Williamsburg
Ecuador
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District 6670 Organization
Eric Marcus
District Chair
Mac Hickman
Outbound Chair
(vacant)
Inbound Chair
Monte Zinn
STEP Co-Chair
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Michael Kinner
STEP Co-Chair
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What You Will Learn Today
Closeness of new friends (family of Rotary)
 Rotary expectations
 Helpful ideas for you
 Calendar of activities

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CHALLENGES FOR THE ROTARY EXCHANGE STUDENT
ARE MANY
Your
Community
Host
Families
School
Exchange
Student /
Rotary
Counselor
Host
Rotary
Club
Friends in
High School
Host
Rotary
District
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Rotary Support Structure
Rotary Club
 Rotary Youth Exchange Committee
 Rotary Counselor
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Counselor Responsibilities
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Maintain contact with student and family
– Show continued interest & support
– Resolve problems before problems get big
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Register student at school
Ensure that student receives monthly allowance
Keep club YE committee informed
get Rotary club membership involved
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Items Rotary Counselor Must
Hold for Student
Paid for return airline ticket
 Emergency fund ($350) deposited in a bank
 Passport and DS-2019
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Student Challenges
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2.
3.
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5.
6.
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
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1. Host Family Expectations
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
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1. Sample Family Rules
Be on time
 Curfew
 Do school homework
 No telephone after certain hour
 Help with chores (cleaning dishes, mowing
lawn, etc.)
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See list of questions to ask on yeoresources.org
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1. Use of Telephone
Explain how it works; set rules for use
 Limit calls to country (family, friends)
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– Helps them to overcome homesickness
Ensure no phone bills ($100, $500, $1,000)
 Telephone calling card for student calling
home
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– buy at Wal-Mart (ATT International Card)
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1. Use of Family Computer
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Do not let student spend too much time on
computer
Limit or prohibit downloading information
Explain no visits to pornography sites, etc.
Limit the use of AOL Instant Messenger or MSN
or other IM programs
Ensure not too many e-mails to family and friends
back home
– Makes adapting to our culture more difficult
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2. Expectations at School
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Ensure clear understanding of school credits while
they are here (often answer is “None”)
Usually “not allowed to graduate”
Remind them to say thank you to school teachers
Write letter introducing student & RYE to
teachers)
Ensure regular class attendance and proper
attention to work
Assure school missed work will be completed
– Rotary will take students out of school at times
– They are expected to make up work
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2. Varsity Sports at School
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Students who have already graduated
cannot play on Varsity team
– May be able play on Junior Varsity (JV)
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Participation in varsity athletics requires
approval from state (and may cost $$)
– School has paperwork
– Student is expected to pay own costs for sports
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3. Making Close Friends
A major challenge to YE students
 Help in finding clubs for student to join
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Interact (in many of the schools)
Sports
Theater
Band, orchestra
Active participation is good cure for
homesickness
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3. Limit Visits with Other
Exchange Students
Rotary provides many opportunities for
exchange students to get together
 Their initiative -- to make American friends
 Limit birthday party invitations to American
students and exchange students close by
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– Transportation can be difficult
– Can cause family frustration
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4. Speaking English
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Sometimes students speak own language
– Considered quite rude
– Forces others away from you
This can be major problem
 Ensure students actively work to improve
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– Good computer programs available
– Don’t be afraid to correct student’s English
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5. Serious Rules of Rotary
No drinking
 No driving
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– including no drivers’ education class
No serious dating
 Obeying the law
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– No smoking
– No drugs
– No shoplifting, etc.
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5. Problem Solving
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Some problems will occur
Student should ask for help, in this order
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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
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6. Statement of Conduct for
Working with Youth
Rotary International is committed to creating and
maintaining the safest possible environment for all
participants in Rotary activities. It is the duty of all
Rotarians, Rotarians’ spouses, partners, and other
volunteers to safeguard to the best of their ability the
welfare of and to prevent the physical, sexual, or emotional
abuse of children and young people with whom they come
into contact.
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6. Student Protection Guidelines
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What to do if your exchange student tells you of
Harassment and/or Abuse
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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 & time
– Don’t promise to keep secrets & explain the necessity of
informing the District Chair
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6. Student Protection Guidelines
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Keep Communications Open
– Assure student that you can jointly address his/her
concerns/problem
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Report the Case to the District Chair and the Club
Counselor Immediately
Don’t Investigate
– Leave this to the proper authorities
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Support the Student Emotionally
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6. Student Protection Guidelines
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District 6670 has two non-Rotarian Counselors
– Dr. Lazaro Pages, M.D.
Home phone: 937-427-1809
 Office phone: 937-352-2750
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– Mrs. Vickie Williamson
Home phone: 937-372-8889
 Cell phone: 937-271-3525
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7. Student Getting Involved
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Active involvement in Rotary and
community essential to be good ambassador
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Rotary meetings
Orientations for American students
Programs to Rotary clubs
Programs to schools and clubs
Help student to say “yes” and to be proud to
be ambassador for their country and Rotary
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7. Activities
Sharing family activities (even if not
favorite thing to do)
 Rotary Club
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– Meetings and socials
– Fund Raisers
– Other activities
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District (see follow-up slides)
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7. Rotary District Activities
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YE Orientation (mandatory)
Halloween Party (Hamilton)
Christmas Party (mandatory)
TBA
TBA
TBA
District Conference (mandatory)
Kings Island (Cincinnati)
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October
Dec 17
January
February
March
April 27-28
May
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Student’s Role as
Ambassador
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Students portray their whole country
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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 counselor and host family needed
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One Last Request
Student’s Name, Address &Telephone #
must be kept current in US SEVIS database
 Please inform Eric Marcus when student
moves families and provide the needed
information including host family e-mail
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Summary

THANK YOU !!!!!!!!
– We have a great year planned
– Program will not work without dedicated
counselors and host families
– We are more than eager to help
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Where to get more information
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District committee
– Eric Marcus - District Chair
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Phone: 937-427-4010
E-mail: [email protected]
– Mac Hickman - Outbound Chair
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Phone: 513-831-0707
E-mail: [email protected]
– Monte Zinn - Short Term Co-Chair
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Phone: 937-629-9275
– Michael Kinner - Short Term Co-Chair
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Phone: 513-732-2035
E-mail: [email protected]
Ohio Erie website
– www.OhioErie.org
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