Rotary International strives to create and maintain a safe environment for all youth who participate in Rotary activities. To the best of their ability, Rotarians, Rotarians’ partners, and other volunteers must safeguard the children and young people with whom they come in contact and protect them from physical, sexual, and psychological abuse.
(The Rotary International Statement of Conduct for Working with Youth)
Rotary International has a zero-tolerance policy against abuse and harassment. We have a number of measures in place internationally and locally to safeguard all youth participating in youth programs including Rotary Youth Exchange, including mandatory reporting requirements when incidents occur. These are outlined in Rotary International’s Code of Policies.
Please refer to the Rotary International Youth Protection Guide for details.
In Rotary Youth Exchange our youth protection measures and abuse/harassment reporting requirements include:
- the appointment of a District Youth Protection Officer to advise clubs and the district on matters related to abuse and harassment prevention, and to assist districts to manage the risks and crises that impact the safety of youth. This person must have professional experience in counselling, social work, law, law enforcement or child development, and may be a Rotarian on a non-Rotarian. In D9640 the Youth Protection Officer can be contacted on youthprotection@rotary9640.org
- All volunteers and host families associated with the Rotary Youth Exchange program must first be approved as an RYE volunteer. This process includes:
- Application submission.
- 3 x reference checks.
- Criminal Background check.
- Home visit (host families)
- Mandatory Youth Protection Training
- District Travel Policy and Travel Approval requirements relating to overnight stays and all student travel.
- All allegations of abuse or harassment must be reported to RI within 72 hours of learning of the incident. Failure to report incidents to RI within 72 hours may result in suspension of the district’s Youth Exchange certification. Where there is sufficient evidence that an individual, club, or district knowingly failed to report as required, the general secretary may determine whether and/or the extent to which involved parties may continue to be eligible to participate in Rotary’s youth programs, or whether additional sanctions may be necessary, including but not limited to requiring the club to terminate an individual’s membership.
