Ellesmere Rotary opportunities for older children

Rotary Youth Exchange

Rotary Youth Exchange is one of the earliest Rotary Peace initiatives, having its origins in the aftermath of World War I when Rotarians acted to bring their young people together in the hope that through friendship and understanding another war might be prevented. Since the mid 20th Century it has grown to be regarded by Rotary around the world as being one of the most important that it offers.  

Rotary Youth Exchange involves students exchanging with others from countries and offers our older secondary school students life – enhancing experiences through one of three programmes. These are: 

STEP Family to Family – Short Term Youth Exchange Programme – a 3+3 week paired exchange where two 15 – 17 year olds experience total cultural immersion, living together in each other’s home during the summer holiday. 3 weeks hosting in the family home here and 3 weeks in the family home of the chosen partner almost anywhere else in the world.

International Camps – students within the age range 15-17, 18 – 30 join with others of a similar age (one per country) for an international group experience in a ‘themed’ camp – in the summer for typically two weeks. 

LTEP – Long Term Youth Exchange Programme – the Youth Exchange flagship. Worldwide around 10000 students per year travel to another country on exchange, mostly on this programme. This school year long programme is the one that mostly readily comes to mind when people mention ‘Youth Exchange’. 

Rigorous selection protocols apply but for successful applicants, whether they go on a two week camp or a short term home stay the programme offers young people a positive, life changing, opportunity to make new and lasting overseas friendships that will give them new perspectives on the way that others live.

See more at the Rotary youth exchange web site or contact us to come and explain more.