8 The Rules
8 The Rules
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Rotary International District 7080
Youth Exchange Manual
Chapter 8
General Information and Expectations for Exchange Students and Parents
A signed copy of this form:
- · For inbound students – must be in the hands of the Vice Chair responsible for your country prior to your departure for Canada.
- · For outbound students – must accompany the Rotary International Youth Exchange Program long form application.
1. All students must be covered by a sickness and accident policy satisfactory to the hosting district.
2. Passport, visa and transportation costs are to be paid by the student/student’s parents/guardians.
3. Travel both inside and outside the Host District is a privilege, not a right, and must always be with the approval of the host parents. Travel rules and the consents, (ie from host parents, host club, host district, natural parents, etc.), required are set by the Hosting Rotary District and will vary depending on the nature and purpose of the proposed travel.
4. The student must take with him/her a contingency fund of at least $500.00 Cdn. This is an emergency fund which must be replenished by the student or student’s parents/guardians as it is depleted. The contingency fund is to be deposited at a local host club bank to be administered by the student and a member of the local host club.
5. The student will be under the Hosting Rotary District’s authority while in that country. Parents/guardians must avoid authorizing any extra activities directly to the student. All authorization is to be done through the host club exchange officer, district contact or the District Chairperson. If the student has relatives in the host country or region, they will have no authority over him/her while the student is under the supervision of the program.
6. The student is to become an integral member of the host family, assuming duties and responsibilities normal to a student his/her age and the children of the host family.
7. The student should choose friends slowly and wisely. Trust hosts to aid in developing a respectable circle of friends.
8. The hosts are responsible for the student socially, spiritually and physically. The student should respect their wishes and requests. One society may be more formal or informal than another, and guidance and restrictions are advisable and to be expected.
9. The student is not permitted to drive a motorized vehicle of any kind. This includes automobiles, motorcycles, boats, tractors, mopeds, snowmobiles, airplanes, or any other motorized vehicle. The only exception to this rule is the riding lawn mower or tractor, but be careful if asked to cut the grass or plow the snow.
10. The use of drugs (‘street drugs’) is strictly prohibited. Any student with even the slightest involvement in street drugs (including marijuana) will be reported to the police and sent home as soon as the police investigation permits. Drugs prescribed by the student’s physician or drugs available over the counter as non-prescription drugs (eg. Tylenol) are permitted.
11. The student must obey the laws of the host country. If you violate any law, you can expect no assistance from Rotary.
12. The drinking of alcoholic beverages is expressly prohibited. If you have reached the legal drinking age in the host country, the only exceptions are functions with your host family and Rotary functions where alcoholic drinks are offered to you by host parent or Rotarian. You are not permitted to drink alcoholic beverages at gatherings of young people even if you are of the legal drinking age in the host country.
13. Smoking while on Exchange is prohibited.
14. Students should avoid romantic attachments. Casual dating is permitted provided that it does not interfere with the student’s obligations to the exchange program.
15. Student attendance at some Rotary sponsored events may be required. Such events take priority over all other events.
16. The student certifies that he or she has no dietary or physical restrictions other than as shown on the student’s application.
17. Any costs relative to a required early return home or any other unusual costs of the student shall be the responsibility of the student’s parents/guardians.
18. Normal return airline confirmations and travel plans must be made well in advance with full knowledge of the District 7080 Vice Chair responsible for that part of the world.
19. The student must have proper proof of immunization as required by the hosting district. District 7080 (Immunization of School Pupils Act, R.S.O. 1990) requires immunization against diphtheria, measles, mumps, poliomyelitis, rubella (German measles), tetanus, tuberculosis, smallpox and whooping cough.
20. Use of the host parent’s telephone is a privilege and should not be abused. Students must pay the host family for long distance and other chargeable telephone services (local calls are not free in some countries).
21. The student must return home at the end of the exchange via a route approved by the host district and the student’s parents/guardians.
22. RYE is a one year international exchange experience; students should not plan to return home for at least 11 months. Summer arrivals should be here until at least the end of the school year; January arrivals should expect to spend Christmas and New Years in Canada.
23. The applicant must be enrolled in High School, and must be at least age 15 on January 1st but not yet 18 years of age on September 1st of the year of departure.
24. Students and parents/guardians must arrange for a fully paid, return air fare good for one full year.
25. Hosting of the student is the responsibility of the Host District and Club.
26. Students will be provided with a monthly allowance, the amount of which is entirely n the discretion of the Host Club.
27. While on exchange students are not permitted to do paid work to supplement their allowance. Non-paid volunteer work is permitted and encouraged.
28. Students facing a foreign language challenge should attempt to learn the essentials of the language before departure.
29. Attendance of parents/guardians and/or student is required at some orientation and briefing sessions. Failure to do so may result in the exchange being terminated before it starts.
30. The student will not be given a choice as to preferred country. Countries will be assigned by the District Youth Exchange Committee.
31. Students will not be assigned to a country where they have relatives.
32. Refusal to accept a placement, unless for medical reasons, will normally result in the exchange being terminated.
33. An exchange cannot commence until Guarantee Forms are returned to the Sponsor District from the Host District.
34. Credits at home for subjects studied while on exchange cannot be guaranteed. Only your school can advise on the availability of credits while on exchange.
35. The student is to be an ambassador for family, school, community, country and the sponsoring Rotary Club.
36. The student, and the parents/guardians, should clearly understand the conditions and rules of the program. They must be followed. If any breach is sufficiently serious in the opinion of the District 7080 Chair, the student will be returned home.
Rotary District 7080 - Student Permission to Publish on the Internet
Consent: I do hereby give Rotary District 7080 the right to use my:
- Name
- Photograph
· BeaverTales and other reports.
· Biographical and interview material.
for reproduction on the Internet. This material will only be used for activities related to the web sites of the Rotary Clubs of Rotary District 7080.
We consent to the above and agree to abide by the rules of this program.
Student: _______________________ Dated:
Father: __ Mother: _______________