Host Family Orientation for Rotary District 5170: Embracing Cultural Exchange and Support

1. Orientation for Host Families Rotary District 5170

2. District 5170 Host Family Orientation Introduction • Welcome • Our goal – Making World A Better Place • Thank you for your participation !!!

3. District 5170 Host Family Orientation What You Will Learn Today • Closeness of new friends (family of Rotary) • Rotary expectations • Helpful ideas for you • Calendar of activities

4. District 5170 Host Family Orientation 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

5. District 5170 Host Family Orientation Rotary Support Structure • Rotary Club • Rotary Youth Exchange Committee • Rotary Counselor

6. District 5170 Host Family Orientation Counselor Responsibilities • Maintain contact with student and family • Show continued interest & support • Resolve problems before problems get big • Assist in registering student at school • Ensure that student receives monthly allowance • Keep club YE committee informed • Get Rotary club membership involved

7. District 5170 Host Family Orientation Items Rotary Counselor Must Hold for Student • Prepaid return airline ticket • Emergency fund (~$350) deposited in a bank • Passport and DS-2019

8. District 5170 Host Family Orientation Student Challenges • Adapting to host families and new culture • Doing well in school • Homesickness & making close friends • Speaking English • Following the rules of Rotary • Getting involved with Rotary and community

9. District 5170 Host Family Orientation What we expect from Host Families • 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

10. District 5170 Host Family Orientation Sample Family Rules • Be on time • Curfew • Do school homework • No telephone usage after certain hour • Help with chores (cleaning dishes, mowing lawn, etc.) See list of questions to ask on yeoresources.org

11. District 5170 Host Family Orientation Use of Telephone • Explain how it works: Set rules for use • Limit calls to country (family, friends) • Helps them to overcome homesickness • Ensure no phone bills ($100, $500, $1,000) • Telephone calling card for student calling home • buy at Wal-Mart (ATT International Card)

12. District 5170 Host Family Orientation Use of Family Computer • 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, MSN, Facebook or other IM/social networking programs • Ensure not too many e-mails to family and friends back home • Makes adapting to our culture more difficult

13. District 5170 Host Family Orientation Expectations at School • Ensure clear understanding of school credits while they are here (often the answer is “None”) • Usually “not allowed to graduate” • Remind them to say thank you to school teachers • Write letter introducing themselves & 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

14. District 5170 Host Family Orientation 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 (and may cost $$) • School will have the required paperwork • Student is expected to pay own costs for sports

15. District 5170 Host Family Orientation Making Close Friends • A major challenge to YE students • Help in finding clubs for student to join • Interact (in many of the schools) • Sports • Theater • Band, orchestra • Active participation is good cure for homesickness

16. District 5170 Host Family Orientation Limit Visits with Other Exchange Students • Rotary provides many opportunities for exchange students to get together • Their goal: To make American friends • Limit birthday party invitations to American students and exchange students close by • Transportation can be difficult • Can cause family frustration

17. District 5170 Host Family Orientation Speaking English • Sometimes students speak native language • Considered quite rude • Forces others away from you • This can be major problem • Ensure students actively work to improve • Good computer programs available • Don’t be afraid to correct student’s English

18. District 5170 Host Family Orientation Serious Rules of Rotary • No drinking • No driving motor vehicles of any kind • including no drivers’ education class • No serious dating • Obeying the law • No smoking • No drugs • No shoplifting, etc.

19. District 5170 Host Family Orientation 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

20. District 5170 Host Family Orientation 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 & time • Don’t promise to keep secrets & explain the necessity of informing the District Abuse Prevention Coordinator (DAPC)

21. District 5170 Host Family Orientation Student Protection Guidelines • Keep communications open • Assure student that you can jointly address his/her concerns/problem • Report the case to the DAPC Immediately • Don’t investigate • Leave this to the proper authorities • Support the student emotionally

22. District 5170 Host Family Orientation Student Getting Involved • Active involvement in Rotary and community are essential • 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

23. District 5170 Host Family Orientation Activities • Sharing family activities (even if not favorite thing to do) • Rotary Club • Meetings and socials • Fund Raisers • Other activities • District (see follow-up slides)

24. District 5170 Host Family Orientation Rotary District Activities • YE Orientation (mandatory) August • Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk September/October • Day on the Bay October • Holiday Party December • WESSEX Hawaiian Adventure March • Ski Trip February/March • Yosemite 1st WkEnd May • District Conference (mandatory) 1st WkEnd June • WESSEX Western Safari June/July

25. District 5170 Host Family Orientation Student’s Role as 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 counselor and host family needed

26. District 5170 Host Family Orientation One Last Request • Student’s Name, Address &Telephone # must be kept current in US SEVIS database • Please inform Mark Junod when student moves families and provide the needed information including host family e-mail

27. District 5170 Host Family Orientation 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

28. District 5170 Host Family Orientation Where to get more information • District committee • District Chairs: Evonne Hopkins • Phone: (925) 963-3546 • E-mail: evonne@imagesetters.com • Inbound Chair: Mark Junod • Phone: 831.332.0720 • E-mail: mjunod@metlife.com • DAPC: Ron Hyde • Phone: 925.846.2727 • E-mail: shundahai@att.net • District website – www.rotary5170.org • WESSEX website – www.rotarywessex.org