The NYSF program was run over 2 weeks in January. Initial feedback is that all 6 students from Bendigo including 4 sponsored by our club, had a fantastic and enriching experience.
2. Update on the Rotary Youth Exchange Program.
The Rotary Youth Exchange Program (YEX) is set to kick-off this year after being cancelled the last couple of years due to Covid. See following letter from Samantha Turner who is District 9800 YEX Chairperson. Samantha asks each Club to consider being involved in the program and asks for our response. For discussion at next Wednesday’s meeting.
*******************************************************************
To All District 9800 Club Presidents, Presidents-Elect & Youth Service Chairs.
Ladies and Gents,
It is with great pleasure and excitement that I write to inform you that the Rotary Youth Exchange Program (YEX) in District 9800 will be recommencing in 2023 after it was suspended due to covid lockdowns in 2020. YEX is one of the most prestigious 12-month exchange programs offered anywhere in the world, and its objective since inception in the 1950’s has been to foster goodwill, friendships, peace and understanding between countries of the world.
This is as relevant today as it has ever been. YEX provides a cultural and educational exchange, where a person from one country lives in the home of a family from another. It is an opportunity to learn and understand firsthand each other’s values, beliefs and ways of thinking and to build friendships that last a lifetime.
This is a great opportunity for all involved. For the students, it is an opportunity to develop the next stage of their lives, where they leave the comfort of their family to discover and experience another culture, another family, another language, a new school and new friends. In the process, they learn a great deal about themselves and what family means to them; how to be adaptable and resilient; being responsible for their actions; being diplomatic and many more things that can help them develop into the person they want to be.
For host Clubs, it is an opportunity to help mould the future of a student by sharing their Rotary values and to demonstrate how we contribute to peace and cultural diversity around the world.
It is also an ideal program to introduce new members to your Club, through both, its sponsorship of outbound students from District 9800 and connection with their parents and the opportunity to source host families from outside your Club, needed to host inbound students. Every Club has ties with the Family of Rotary and this is an ideal opportunity to bring them into the fold.
Newer members of your Club, particularly those with an interest in youth development, can also be called upon to contribute to your Club activities and become an engaged and valuable member, whether it be to host a student, source host families, or even arrange activities for students during their 12 month stay at your Club.
In addition, the program assists your Club to form or cement partnerships with nearby secondary schools from where potential outbound students can be identified, as well as being the school to accept the enrolment of inbound students. You might consider how many other youth programs conducted by your Club would benefit from a closer tie to your local secondary schools.
First to resume will be inbound students from other countries. The arrival of inbound students is anticipated around July 2023 and the number of students will depend on the number of Clubs that are prepared to host a student. Outbound exchanges to other countries will recommence in January 2024. These dates mean that the District 9800 Youth Exchange Committee is seeking Club commitments before the end of April 2023. As this involves making a decision before the 2023/24 Rotary year, we are reaching out to current Presidents, Presidents-Elect and Youth Service Committee Chairs.
What I respectfully ask every Club to do is to advise me whether or not they would like sponsor an outbound student, or host an inbound student for the 2023/24 Rotary year. All members of the Youth Exchange Committee are available to answer any queries you may have and are also willing to arrange a guest speaker for your Club to provide more information and answer questions.
The District 9800 Youth Exchange Committee provides a huge amount of support to participating Clubs and students before, during and after the exchange. We would greatly appreciate your response before 24 December 2023, even if your Club is considers it is currently unable to participate, but may be interested in future.
If you would like more information before making a decision, or want someone to present to your Club, please contact Garry Gunnell (from Bendigo Rotary) on 0448 405709, or by email -
gunnell1@bigpond.com.
Yours in Rotary,
Samantha Turner
Chairperson
District 9800 Youth Exchange
