Certification for Rotary Youth Exchange February 3, 2007

1. Background
1. RI has issued certification requirements worldwide
2. US State Department has done the same
3. Both remarkably alike
4. Both will improve our program
2. The Players
1. SCRYE
1. Organizing processes and forms
2. District
1. Handling most of the administrative tasks
3. Clubs
1. Continue to execute the program, with minimized extra administrative work
3. New Certification Requirements
1. Club compliance process
2. For all host families and volunteers
1. Interviews
2. Criminal background checks (CBC)
3. Orientations
3. Monthly contacts -- Students and Host Families
4. Addressing abuse or sexual harassment
5. Contact information for students
6. Post exchange evaluations
7. Counselors for all students
8. Orientation for short term inbounds
9. Retention of Records
4. Club Compliance Process
   1. Clubs must go on record as complying with district certification process
   2. Simple 1-page form created for club signatures (Appendix A)
5. Interviews
   1. In home interviews must be conducted for all host families, including sons or daughters 18+ in home
   2. All volunteers must be interviewed
1. District and club YE committee members
2. Others in club anticipated to have multiple contacts (3 or more) during year (guideline)
1. Forms included in (Appendix B)
1. Includes signature approval for CBC

CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS (CBC)

1. Vendor Selected for CBC
1. Volunteer Center of North Texas (VeriFYI)
2. Located in Dallas
3. Has provided CBC for D5810 for 2 years
4. Reasonable cost
1. $7.30 per check
2. $100 setup cost for all of SCRYE
5. Online capability ensures privacy, provides retention of records, and easy to use
6. Easy to get records for cbc’s obtained to date
2. CBC Process
1. Appoint 2 people to become trained in process (CBC officers)
2. Process
1. Clubs submit names and birth dates to CBC Officer (suggest by email, using Excel file)
2. CBC Officer submits and investigates results
3. All records maintained online by Vendor
3. Process and suggested form in (Appendix C)
4. Test case conducted in District 5890
1. CBC Officer evaluation –- “piece of cake”
3. CBC Items Tested
1. At National Level
1. Sex Offender Records – all 50 states
2. Criminal Records – 43 states
3. Convictions – 43 states
4. Warrants – for offenders missing in action
4. CBC Items Not Investigated
1. Items mentioned in waiver, because of Fair Credit Reporting Act, but absolutely not checked
1. Credit/Financial History
2. Military Background
2. Other items not checked
1. Educational Background
2. Medical History
3. Professional License
4. References
5. Orientations
1. Must be provided to all host families  (Appendix I) and volunteers and all students
2. Must address abuse / sexual harassment
3. Suggest mailing orientation packet to short term inbound students, with material required for certification
6. Addressing Problems
   1. Management of Problem Students
      1. Process vital for students with behavioral problems
      2. Excellent sample from D5840 – (Appendix G)
   2. Abuse and Sexual Harassment
      1. Rotarians trained in this area are valuable resource
      2. Select qualified Rotarian as Youth Protection Officer
      3. Consider one or 2 others to serve on committee
      4. Candidate problem reporting process – (Appendix H)
         
   Other Items Addressed
1. Items to provide for all students (long term, and short term -- inbound and outbound)
1. Contact information (Appendix D)
2. Counselors (Appendix F)
2. Post exchange evaluations (Appendix E)
1. Outbound students, short term and long term
2. Students’ parents
3. Students’ host families
7. Record Retention
1. Suggest retaining records at district level
2. Items to retain
1. Club compliance forms (Appendix A)
2. Interviews (Appendix B)
3. Excel worksheet per club, showing dates for
• Interview
• CBC
• Orientation
• Sample worksheet – (Appendix C)
• Contact information for students (Appendix D)
• Post exchange evaluations (Appendix E)
• Counselor information (Appendix F)
• Monthly contact form (Appendix J)
8. Closing Thoughts
1. Certification will improve our program
2. Processes and forms are in place
3. District leadership essential
4. Seek volunteers to help
5. SCRYE eager to help