CC – IB YEO CC Monthly Guidelines

The Inbound Program

YEO / Inbound Student Guidelines

 Inbound students can be fragile creatures. They need nurturing and occasional pep talks to guide them down the right path. Here are some suggestions:

• Meet with your student at least twice a month or as Provide a regularly scheduled time and give the student an opportunity to speak in confidence if the need arises.
• Remember the student’s birthday- do something
• Verify that the student has written or emailed the monthly report to the Inbound Coordinator. Respect your student’s privacy and only read the report if the student requests you to do so.
• The confidential section of the monthly report will be seen only by the Inbound Coordinator and may be used to discuss host family or YEO difficulties experienced by the student.
• Go over the travel rules with your student. Any overnight or any travel outside the district must be agreed upon by the Inbound Coordinator and/or the District Chair.
• Process the application and visa information form immediately upon receiving it from the Inbound Coordinator. The student is waiting anxiously to hear where they are assigned and are very excited to make their travel plans to come to America/.
• The RYE program is designed to expose students to a variety of American lifestyles. Ensure that you have at least three host families lined up to house your student during the year. The YEO must comply with the safety requirements outlined in the signed Club Compliance statement with regards to applications, interviews, and criminal background checks for host families.
• Ask your Club President for permission to do a weekly/monthly update of your students’ activities and interests. Include your new members. Help them understand the wonders of this program and encourage them to get
• Use one simple guide to help with your decisions; if your son or daughter were involved in the program or a specific situation, how would you like him or her treated?

Inbound Program Timeline for YEO and Counselors

June/July :

• A host family orientation should be held by the YEO or assigned Rotarian Counselor to discuss how the year will be conducted and what expectations the families should have of the YEO or Counselor. Use the Host Family Manual prepared by Rotary International as your guide. All host families, even the experienced ones, need to be visited in their homes at least once a year. The host family orientation must be held prior to the student’s arrival.

August:

• New students should plan to arrive between August 15-25^th to allow the student a week or two to acclimatize prior to school starting. Have a small welcoming group meet the student at the airport but don’t arrange any parties until their jet lag is over after a couple of days. This is a good time to get the student registered for school— schedule an appointment with the School Counselor before the student arrives.
• The Counselor should ensure that the student has gone over the first night questionnaire with their host family and that there are no problems with either of their expectations. You might consider having the Club YEO or Counselor should help the first host family arrange a small party for all the host families and also maybe the club youth exchange committee members to introduce themselves to your student and each other. The Club probably should pay for the refreshments.
• The Counselor should take your student to the bank to establish appropriate bank account(s) and teach them how to use it. Each student must come with an emergency fund of $500. The emergency fund must be set up in a separate account (usually a savings account) to be accessed by any two of the student, the counselor and the counselor’s significant other, YEO, or Club Treasurer.
• The YEO or Counselor must safeguard this money and also may want to safeguard the student’s visa, return airline ticket, and passport. Copies of the documents should be made for the student, club and Inbound Coordinator.
• The Counselor and/or First Host Family member should be with your student while they register for school. Pay attention to their language abilities and sign them up for classes that will be interesting but not overly taxing. They are not here to do homework all the time, but they are here to attend school, learn our culture, and do well at the classes they attempt. Most students will not get any credit for this year of school and rarely will they be allowed to graduate from your high school. They may have already graduated back home, so be careful that boredom doesn’t set in.
• Since you will want your student to attend your weekly meetings, try and arrange the class schedule so as to not irritate too many teachers with their absences. Schedule the difficult classes for times when they will not be away for Rotary meetings or if they have an activity, they will not miss the important classes.
• The District encourages every club to require their Inbound Student attend each weekly club meeting and fund raising or social event. Exposure to the club members and their spouses will lead to increased inclusion in their family outings. Simple dinners, movies, and trips with the club members are of great interest to most students. Less club involvement creates a greater burden on the host families to entertain your student. The entertaining of your student should be a shared responsibility.

September:

• Your student is already involved in school and should be urged to sign up for group activities. Examples include band, chorus, sports, dramas, and pep clubs. These activities will help speed the students’ acceptance into the school community. The student who goes home every day after school to watch TV or chat on-line for hours will be bored, frequently homesick, and will complain that the exchange was not what they had expected. It will be the host Mom and Dad who will be the first to notice problems and the Counselor needs to be able to suggest a plan to orient the situation back to normal.
• On the other hand, be sure to counsel your student to not focus all their energy and time into one activity to the exclusion of family, friends, and schoolwork. A varsity sport will often demand all of their time, be careful as they did not come on this exchange to only play soccer, football or some other sport. Mandatory District meetings and family activities should take priority over any sporting event. Talk to the coach ahead of time to head off conflicts.
• All Inbound students must attend the Fall Orientation Conference which will be held sometime in mid to late September once the Inbound Coordinator has been able to sort the Homeland Security/SEVIS documents for US Inbound students. The cost for this conference has been included in the District fee paid by each club to host a student.
• The hosting club is responsible for getting their Inbound student to and from the various District events. A district event calendar is available online at youthexchange5100.org,
• Check to ensure that your student is attending your weekly club meetings. You may need to arrange transportation to and from the school. Ask your members to volunteer, as it’s a good way for them to meet the new student

October:

• Continue to encourage your club members to get involved with your student. We suggest that the president allow the student to give a 3-minute update to the members at least monthly at the Rotary meeting.
• Arrange to take the student to a local pumpkin patch or corn maze. Help them to enjoy a Harvest Festival or pumpkin carving.
• Continue to monitor your student’s progress to acclimate to their new school and host family. Continue to go over the ways to avoid homesickness with both the student and the host family.

November :

• Discuss with your student about their presentation to the club and establish a date for the presentation. If the student’s command of the English language is strong then get the presentation done as soon as possible. If the student is having trouble with the language then you may want to wait until later on in the exchange for the presentation.
• Your student may need some help or guidance with the presentation Remember how you felt at their age having to get up in front of a group to give a speech. Please make sure that the format being used by the student is in line with the club’s presentation equipment (slides, PowerPoint etc.)
• Be sure to invite all the host parents to the student’s presentation so they can gain more knowledge about the background of their student. Be sure to introduce those families to the club to give them proper recognition for their involvement in the program.
• It is also a good idea to early on make a plan for moving of the student to new host families. Make sure everyone knows the plan and is in agreement with the plan and stick to it.

December:

• Be sure the student is invited to your club’s Holiday Party. The Club may want to purchase the student a present. The YEO or Counselor should explain to the student that the club members are not expecting a gift in return. However, the host families should each receive something from the student or their bio-parents at this holiday. The Counselor may need to help remind the student to make this happen.

January:

• Your Inbound student should be in their second host family by now. Go over the adjustments needed for all to feel comfortable with the move. Review that the new family discussed the questionnaire and resolve any problem areas.
• Notify the District Inbound Coordinator of the new address and contact information by updating YEAH. The District is required to update the Federal Government whenever the student changes address.
• Some inbound students will be asked by their country officer to participate in the January Outbound Orientation Country Fair. Your student will let you know if they need any assistance it getting to this event, usually held in Salem, OR.
• All Inbound students must attend the Eastern Oregon Discovery, which usually takes place in late January. Again, the cost of this weekend has been paid for in the District fee.
• Continue to have your student attend weekly meetings. Continue to encourage your student to get involved with extracurricular school activities. Monitor what they are doing and who they are considering as friends.
• Encourage your club members to spend some time with your student by inviting them on outings or trips. Know the travel rules and submit travel requests when overnight or out of district trips are planned.

April:

• The applications for your new Inbound begin to arrive. If you receive yours, return the guarantee forms and associated paperwork back to the Coordinator within 30 days. Delays may cause problems for your student to obtain their Visa. Finish lining up your host families immediately and begin to communicate with your new student.

May :

• Continue to monitor the monthly reports and encourage club involvement with your student. Now is the time when return tickets and itineraries must be organized for their flights home. Please forward a copy of the plan to the Inbound Coordinator as soon as it has been established. If your student graduates from your high school, provide the appropriate recognition for this accomplishment.
• All Inbounds and new Outbounds are required to attend the District Conference Orientation which is usually scheduled in May. Please make sure that the student has a ride to and from District Conference.

June/July:

• Current Inbounds will be departing very soon after the conference to return home to their bio-parents. Provide them an opportunity to say thank you and good-bye to the club. Schedule a going-away party and invite all the host families. Be sure to give those families the appropriate recognition and thanks.

Inbound Student Assignment

We do our best to rotate the country assignments between the clubs so you will receive students from a variety of countries. This diversity is considered to be one of the benefits of our program to your Club and community. Exposure to a number of different cultures and customs is one of the many values of each exchange.

If your host parent situation seems to indicate a requirement for a specific gender because of the other children in the family or the living arrangements, we will make every effort to meet that requirement. Otherwise, we typically will alternate genders each year.

Locating Host Families

Once your Club has committed to accepting an Inbound Student, the process to locate host families should begin. Do not wait until the last moment, as this part of the job can be difficult sometimes. As the Club YEO, finding and approving these families is your responsibility. It is encouraged and advised that each student be hosted by at least three (3) families over the 10+ months that they are with you. This means that each family would host for a 3-4 month period. Additional information for prospective host families can be obtained from the District Inbound Coordinator. The YEO or Counselor must conduct a personal interview with each potential host family and retain a written application form to ensure that only qualified, safe dwellings and families are approved. Our program will not continue to succeed if the YEO fails to find good loving Host Families for their student. Much effort may be required, but the big smiles on your students face will make it all worthwhile!

Also as per the Club’s signed compliance statement, all Host Family members who are 18 years or over need Criminal Background checks done prior to the student arriving. Any criminal background check that is done which reveals criminal charges will need to be reviewed with the Inbound Coordinator or District Chairman prior to the student being able to live in the home.

Criminal Background checks are required to be kept on file for at least 7 years as per the Club Compliance Statement signed. Updated criminal background checks are required every year for host family members and Youth exchange volunteers described on the Club compliance statement.

In many cases, it seems that finding host families is the most difficult part of a YEO’s responsibilities. The following suggestions may be of assistance to you in soliciting these families:

• Remember that host families are not required to be that of a Rotarian. Some clubs utilize all non-Rotarian families out of necessity.
• Use previous host families to assist you in recruiting other host Don’t rely on the same families to continue to host students. Try to spread it around among many of your Club members and the community. Discuss hosting opportunities at Rotary social events as well as at your weekly meetings. The spouses are often the ones that will be instrumental in getting their family to host a student, or may know an interested neighbor.
• Consider the hosting possibilities of Rotarians from other Clubs who live in your They may want to share the experience but feel that they cannot host because they live outside the boundaries of the high school serving their home club.
• We suggest placing the student with an experienced host family at first if one is available. The first section of the exchange is usually the most difficult because the student will be going through phases of homesickness and culture shock.
• Place an article in the school newspaper before the end of school to get any student interested in other cultures to talk to their parents about hosting.
• The student must stay enrolled in the same school all year. This generally means that all host families need to live within the boundaries of that school district. Families just outside those lines who can commit to problem free transportation can be considered.
• Consider submitting a notice to your local churches and Park District soliciting any interested families to contact you.
• A notice sent to your local newspaper publicizing the Program and the need for host families can be beneficial. Combining this notice with information about your current Inbound Student can be an attention grabber.
• Families of past Outbound Students can be a great source of assistance.

One of the most important ingredients is time. Exchange students (as do all teenagers) require a lot of time. Initially, time is spent getting acquainted with the student, sounding out what they like, laying down boundaries and working out rules for living together, etc. Time must be spent for all aspects of schooling–from adjusting course level to driving the student to sports practices or other meetings, to helping with homework to attending performances, etc. Time must be spent on cooking, cleaning and washing for another person and on teaching them how to help. Time must be spent on making sure the student is driven to Rotary functions and to the student’s social activities with new friends; sometimes long distances.

Most importantly, time must be spent with the student in talking—talking about new feelings, questions, confusions, insecurities, traditions, and life in general. Your exchange student is dealing not only with a foreign country, food, school, and customs, but also with normal teenage feelings and issues, most likely in the following order of priority: the opposite sex & friends, clothes, food, family and school.

Inbound Student Processing

Prior to the arrival of an Inbound Student and after the student’s arrival, the Rotary Club YEO bears the responsibility to organize how the Club will handle the requirements inherent in hosting a student.

• Processing an Inbound Application
  • Upon receiving the new application from the Inbound Coordinator, typically in the months February to April, the YEO must complete and process the guarantee form as quickly as possible. A delay will cause your student to be delayed getting a Visa to enter the USA.
• Guarantee Form/ Visa Application
  • Guarantee Forms can be automatically generated though the YEAH system. You may need a Country Officer to assist you, or you can use the online fillable PDF on the website. Obtain the signatures from the Club President and Secretary, as well as from the high school administrator with the school stamp. Ensure that all signatures are originals and are in blue ink. No copies are allowed. Your student will use this form to obtain his/her visa and make the necessary travel arrangements.
  • The first host family should be the real first family, not a nominee. If a change is found to be necessary later, the Inbound Coordinator has a form to make the change. If the Rotary counselor is the first family, a second Rotarian should be named to be the counselor during that hosting period. The monthly allowance must be at least $100 per month and all school expenses are the responsibility of the host Club.
  • Our goal is to take no longer than 45 days to complete the turnaround of these documents within the District. This means that the club should try to spend no longer than 30 days completing the forms. Preparing ahead makes this an easy task.
  • Your student may have to make a personal appearance at the US embassy in their country for the approval of their entry visa. The best policy is to return the paperwork as quickly as possible so your student has adequate time to go through the visa approval process.
  • After all forms have been completed and returned to the Inbound Coordinator, both the YEO and the first host family should begin correspondence with the new student. The YEO or Counselor could tell about your community and the area of the District where you live, provide information about the weather, school and other items of interest about your community and Rotary Club.
  • Host Families could describe their family and provide the names and ages of children and also provide details about pets, occupations, or provide photos of the family and home. Host families could also describe activities that the family members are interested in and what opportunities may exist for your student in the areas of interest expressed in their application.
  • The YEO would also present the application to your Club- Announce the name, age, country and other pertinent information about the student at one of your weekly meetings. Keep encouraging the members to be involved in the student’s life and the search for host families.

• Your Student Arrives

 Here are some suggestions relating to what steps the YEO should follow as your new student arrives:

• • When you know the itinerary of the flight arrangements, spread that information to all of the host families and Club members.
  • Meet the flight at the airport. We would suggest that the assigned Counselor and first host family attend. Because the student typically has been flying for many hours it would be advisable not to plan a big welcome party on the day of the arrival. Let your student get over jet- lag and settle in with the first host family before having such a get together.
  • Ensure that your student immediately notifies their bio-parents that they have arrived safely and that all is well. Think like a parent.
  • Have a small party to meet your new student and invite Club members and their families, other high school students, and the other host families. Target the first weekend they are in town. The club should pay for the refreshments, but keep it simple.
  • The Counselor should try and establish your relationship with your student as soon as possible. The following items should be dealt with:

• • • Provide all Host Family/Counselor information (names, addresses, and contact numbers) to the District Inbound Coordinator.
    • Check the passport and visa for expiration dates to assure that they will not expire before July 15th. Make photocopies of important documents for your student to carry, to send to the Inbound Coordinator, and for your file. Safeguard the originals where you can access when necessary.
    • Examine the student’s airline return ticket to assure that it contains the provision for an open or changeable return. Emergencies or early returns are a problem with a definite return dated ticket. If there is a specified return date, make note of the date so appropriate arrangements can be made. Place the ticket with the other documents for Students are apt to lose any or all documents during their multiple moves from family to family.
    • Each student is required to have a $500 cash emergency This money should also be safeguarded, typically in a savings account. This money may be used for any emergency such as medical, dental or (at your discretion) – special events (Prom) but must be replaced immediately by the bio-parents so that it is available for the next emergency.
    • Discuss sports eligibility and the availability of club sports for your
    • Discuss the outcome of the Host Family First Night Review the RYE rules and expectations with your student.
    • Discuss how they will receive their allowance, how much it will be and confirm receipt each month. It is often easiest if an automatice payment is set up with their new bank account so the process is automatic.
    • Assist your student set up an appropriate account at a local bank and instruct them on how to use the account and the danger of being overdrawn. This account may then be a tool for monies to be transferred to the student by their bio-parents as well as a place to deposit their monthly allowance Check to see if one of your Club members has a banking connection that may provide this account with no service charges. Include yourself as an authorized signer on the account so you can help in time of need. An ATM card may be advisable for the teen on the go. If the bio-parents provided a credit card for their use, help them understand its use in our stores.
    • Assist your student to register at the high school. The student should take appropriate classes giving great consideration to their language abilities. Arrange classes to not be too difficult, where they will meet the most people, have the greatest opportunity to experience our culture, and have fun. Remember to arrange the schedule to let your student attend your weekly Club meetings without upsetting any teachers. This exchange is culturally based rather than one with an academic emphasis. A heavy course load need not be designed so they can graduate from your school. The students move to at least three families over the year to gain maximum cultural exposure. Most students get little or no credit for their courses taken here. Classes designed for heavy homework should be avoided so the student has more time to interact with their new family and friends. However, stress that full attendance and effort in school is absolutely required, or your student will be sent home. It is also very important to ask the school that they discuss any class changes with you and not allow the student to make class changes without your

YEO and Counselor Responsibilities During The Year

Here are suggestions regarding what the club YEO should do during the 10+ months the student is hosted by the Club:

• Carry out appropriate Youth Volunteer, Counselor and Host Family Training as required by program Certification compliance.
• Check up regularly with the Counselor to make sure all is well. When the student arrives at the meetings, introduce the student to as many people as possible. Listen to what your student says and help them work through any problems.
• The Counselor and YEO are directly responsible for the welfare of the student assigned to your Club. The District Committee members are available and willing to provide any assistance required. All of us are, and should be, concerned that the exchange is a good experience for all concerned (the student, the host families, the Club, and the community).
  • Develop a lifeline of names and telephone numbers for your student that includes the District Coordinator and all three of the host families. Notify the District Coordinator each time your student changes families so we may comply with government regulations.
  • Be familiar with the information contained in Chapter 5 so those points can be discussed with the host parents.
  • Contact the current host family at least once a month to review the progress of the student and determine if they are having any problems or concerns with the student. Resolve any conflicts or determine that a change of families is needed if problems are so large that they cannot be corrected. Always back what the host family wants over what the student may demand as long as the family is reasonable and fair. The student needs to blend into the family and culture as quickly as Be sure that the First Night Questionnaire was completely discussed with each family by the student. Encourage the families to not treat the student like a guest.
    • If your student has language difficulties make arrangements for help or a tutor. Don’t let the student keep struggling or avoiding contact with our world because they can’t speak English well enough.
    • Arrange for transportation to all weekly meetings and to both the optional and mandatory District RYE events. This transportation need not be provided by the YEO, just responsibly arranged by the YEO. It is acceptable to ask the host parents to help with some of these trips, but it should not be required of them. Help your student maintain a personal appointment calendar and fill in the mandatory dates so your student may become proactive and not always reacting at the last moment.
• The YEO must be aware of the District Travel Guidelines and enforce the need to have the travel request forms to be filed by the student before any overnight travel is attempted. The host parents, YEO, and District Inbound Coordinator must approve all travel arrangements. The safety of the student and our ability to reach them in an emergency is our reason for these restrictions.
  • Arrange with your Club treasurer to issue monthly allowance checks to your student-auto deposit to the checking account would be preferred. The amount of this check must be at least $100. Additional funds should be provided for school lunches, book, lab fees, and other required school related fees. Temporarily withholding allowance can help correct minor behavioral situations, but the topic should be discussed with the District Coordinator so we can all be on the same page. It is ok for your Club to be generous, but be careful that it is appropriate and that the other students in the District will be receiving like assistance. The bio-parents should fund trips, clothing purchases, and gifts.
• One point that is frequently overlooked is corresponding with your student’s sponsoring Rotary Club and family back home. They are naturally quite anxious to know how their student is getting along and they’re interested in your club and its Make it a point to send a report to the sponsoring club and ask them questions about theirs. Read any correspondence at your Club meetings to help the members of your club realize the true internationality of the organization to which they belong.
• Arrange for the student to present at least two (2) programs for your Club during their year with you. They should have arrived with some pictures depicting their family, home, school, and community. If they have not brought them, coordinate with their bio-parents to have them sent to the student Assist your student to organize and practice this presentation and locate the necessary visual equipment and screen for their presentation at your club. The student should not be asked to do this talk within the first month or until they have an adequate command of the English language. The final presentation you should require would be a good-bye and thank you‖ at the conclusion of their stay with your club.
• Refer any problems or concerns you have during the stay of your student to the District Inbound Coordinator or Chair. Don’t wait to consult the District until the problem becomes so bad that you are requesting to send the student home for disciplinary reasons. If your student breaks the RYE rules severely, the District will send them home without the Club making the request. It is important that the rules are uniformly enforced throughout the District because students exchange information when they get together at the meetings and via emails and Facebook. Tough love, consistency, and being proactive are frequently the key words to A successful YEO and Counselor should not be the students’ buddy, but rather strive to be a confidant, fair counselor, and facilitator.

YEO and Counselor Responsibilities At Departure

 The year is coming to an end, but the YEO responsibilities continue to have an important part in the success of the Program for your student. Here are some suggestions to end the year on a high note:

• Assist your student in making return travel
• If your student intends to have their parents arrive for a visit right at the end of the year, discuss the situation with the District Inbound Coordinator and the student’s Country Officer.
• Confer with the airline to determine their baggage weight limits. Frequently it is necessary to ship any excess baggage by boat or Airexpress, as the cost is great when you exceed the airline limits. Typically, the student is allowed 2 bags with a combined total of 70-100 pounds. Suggest sending winter coats, accumulated gifts and memories in the spring to help avoid this problem in July.

If the student doesn’t want to take their entire belongings home with them, encourage donations to charities or, as some clubs do, add coats, mittens, and hats to the collection available for use by the next student you will be hosting.

• Plan on going to the airport with your student for a last good-bye. Remember that you have played an important part in their experience and they will really value your level of care. Determine how much lead-time is required by the airline for security and make sure that your student is there on time.
• When travel arrangements and the departure date have been determined, complete the Departure Form and send it to the Inbound Coordinator. Assist your student to close out their bank Advise your student to take the remainder of their funds for any emergency expenses during their travel home. Counsel them to not spend all of their money prior to departure so an emergency can be covered. Be sure that any medical deductibles have been collected and that the student does not owe money to any host parent for telephone calls, etc. It is really important that the year end upbeat.
• Arrange for the host families to attend a club meeting before the student leaves so that they can feel appreciated by the Club and the student. A little token gift (flowers) is appropriate. The student should be given the opportunity to say thank you to your Club for the hospitality and assistance during their exchange year.
• Check with those host parents to see if they have an interest in being a host parent again in the future, or if they know another interested party for you to contact.
• Visit with your student privately and ask for suggestions on how the Program may be improved, what the student liked and disliked. The student is more likely to be honest and open just before their Please listen carefully for the benefit of the Program.