Youth Projects

Rotary Hutt Valley sponsors senior high school students in an exchange program thats gives them a year experiencing another contry, another culture and sometimes even another language.  

Rotary's International Youth Exchange Programme is:

• a year's study at school abroad with the purpose of promoting international understanding and goodwill
• the opportunity for students to meet, mix with and participate in activities with people of their own age
• the opportunity to live with several families and experience the culture and language of that country first hand

This programme is designed to foster international understanding between Australia and New Zealand.

The committee administers the programme of match exchanges whereby secondary school students from our District, between the ages of 13½ and 16 years, on 1 January each year, exchange with Australian students. Our New Zealand student travels to Australia mid-April, lives with the family of his/her matched Australian student and attends the same school, returning 12 weeks later in mid-June. This is then reciprocated back in New Zealand until mid-September for a further 12 weeks.

Clubs are responsible for accessing student applications from High Schools, initial interviews, forwarding applications to the District Committee and providing a Rotarian mentor/counsellor for each selected student.

• Demonstrate Rotary's respect and concern for youth
• Provide an effective training experience for selected youth and potential leaders
• Encourage leadership of youth by youth
• Recognize publicly young people who are rendering service to their communities