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Congratulations! You Are Exchanging w/

Stratford!

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What to Expect During This Meeting

I Getting Started II The Program III Short-Term “To Do’s” – Prior to Winter Break

• Meet participants • Youth Exchanges

Canada Info/Resources

• Responsibilities of Group Leaders

• Participation Requirements

• Funding & Expenses• Objectives

• Preparing to travel• Travelling and hosting• Confirm travel &

hosting dates• Permission: Collect

signed participant consent forms & contract forms (with pen) – due tonight. Thanks!

• Set lunch meeting for group to team build / build group contract / share info

• Check school insurance policy and send copy of Insurance Certificate to our Regional Coordinator

• Collect deposit - $150

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JANUARY Parent or Legal Guardian Hosting Contract &

Family References If needed, find alternate hosts

Youth Involvement – participate in regular meetings to continue to prepare for this experience and communicate this with YMCA

Group Leaders - Fine tune itineraries, with student / parent input, complete required paperwork for YMCA & District, communicate with Stratford folks and of course, all of you

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I Getting StartedMeet participants Youth Exchanges CanadaResponsibilities of Group LeadersParticipation RequirementsFunding & ExpensesObjectives

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Meet the Participants Admission Ticket

“What do you want to learn from the exchange and why are you interested in participating?”

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Youth Exchanges Canada (Mark your calendar )

YMCA Youth Exchanges Canada is providing up to 30 KLO grade 8 music students, two music directors and a parent chaperone, the opportunity to travel to Stratford Ontario to participate in an exchange, May 3rd through 9th, 2015. 

A group of equal size composed of grades 7 & 8 will travel from Stratford to visit us the week prior to our visit, April 26th through May 2nd, 2015

DISTRIBUTE YMCA RESOURCE FOR YOUTH LEADERS

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Roles & Responsibilities (See Handout)

Role of the group leader Role of the group members Role of the parents/guardians Role of the YMCA Role of the facilitator in discussions

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Participation Requirements

Understand our role/s & responsibilities Develop & follow guidelines which foster a safe place where

everyone feels comfortable and participates Get to know your twin (a strong twin relationship is key to the

success of the exchange) Explore cultural differences (E.g., during student meetings) Attend meetings, stay in tune with timelines Ask questions when unsure Participate in the journey / Share ideas which makes for a greater

experience for all!

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Funding & Expenses This program is largely funded by the Government of

Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage, Exchanges Canada.

A budget has been set to cover costs of specific activities while in Ontario.  We anticipate it to be in the $500 - $600 range.

Fine tuning itinerary / plans for Ontario & Kelowna Deposit $150 – by Wednesday, December 8th

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Objectives

Contribute to improved knowledge & understanding of Canada among Canadian youth (e.g., history, geography, economy, institutions, cultures, communities, languages and other facets of our country

Help young Canadians connect to one another and create links, help strengthen fabric of Canadian society

Enhance appreciation of both diversity and shared aspects of the Canadian experience

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Objectives Cont’d…

Contribute to development of leadership skills of young Canadians

Foster a stronger sense of community by providing opportunities for youth to become actively engaged in their own and other communities in Canada

And of course, our goals as musicians!

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II The Program

Preparing to travel Travelling and hosting

Confirm travel & hosting dates Collect signed participant consent forms & contract forms

(with pen) Youth Involvement After Traveling

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Preparing to Travel We prepare to host our twin and to travel to our twin

community, Stratford Collect information Contact exchange group Raise funds Raise public awareness

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Traveling and Hosting We experience diversity of Canada by visiting our twin

community, Stratford We learn to see our own community through our “twin’s eyes”

when hosting You may live in a home that may be very different from your

own You may open your home to a new person and interact with

peers who may be from another culture

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Youth Involvement

You are an untapped resource You can help plan, take on responsibilities and organize

activities Your involvement will lead to a greater commitment to the

exchange and a greater ownership of your/our experience together

More people sharing the work makes sense for us as group leaders, too

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Draft Itinerary for Ontario Sunday, May 3 – travel / meet billets Mon, May 4th – band workshops? Tues, May 5th – school performance, St. Jacob’s Farmers’ Market, Stratford Wed., May 6th – school performance, Chocolate Trail, Props & Costumes

Warehouses, Theater – Sound of Music Thurs, May 7th – Niagara Falls, Maid of Mist Tour, Skylon Tower

(Dinner/Magic Show), CN Tower (TO), Medieval Times Dinner Friday, May 8th – Canada’s Wonderland, Music Festival, return to pm billet

activity Stratford Saturday, May 9 – Travel Home

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Plans for Kelowna – Need Your Input, Too! Sunday, April 26th – Welcome event, YLW; Meet billets

Monday, April 27th Tuesday, April 28th Wednesday, April 29th Thursday, April 30th – Okanagan FN Welcome / Westside (our

students miss 2nd day of HACE Friday, May 1st Saturday, May 2nd

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After traveling We will consolidate the exchange by participating in

follow-up activities and evaluation exercises

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What We Gain from the Exchange We learn to accept cultural differences, understand and

appreciate Canadian diversity, and analyze the good and the bad points of the exchange experience

We develop pride in our group’s accomplishments and see how our group and culture fit within the Canadian context

We develop interpersonal, communication, organizational and leadership skills

Working on the exchange plans also helps us build self-confidence and self-esteem

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III Short-Term Checklist - Tonight’s “To Do’s” lst info night - Complete School District & YMCA requirement

Collect signed participant consent and contract forms before leaving (in pen)

Ask for host families and distribute Parent or Legal Guardian Hosting Contract & Family References information (complete process in January)

Distribute Youth Guides Schedule next meeting of student group – Thursday,

December 18th

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Any Questions Before Paper Work?

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Consent FormsSignatures and dates signed in pen

Legal Names (as per ID) – must match participant list (Key for Airport Travel, too!)Address complete with postal codeName of Parent or GuardianEmergency Contacts (Other than parent – 2

preferred)Privacy Statements / Declaration filled out and

signed

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Family References (YMCA Requirements)

Not a relative and names match interview sheets Verify enough families are hosting to meet twin’s needs Interviews

At least two for each All questions answered

Signature and Date on all forms – Interviewer and reference are not the same person

Available - Host Family information form completed with references for families without participating youth

We need to verify enough families are hosting to meet twin’s needs in January

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Note: Hosting, there are references and interviews. District requires criminal record check.

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First Student Meeting – December 18th

Team Building Share info of what we discovered about Stratford Share info of what we want to showcase in our

region

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Next Steps?

Prior to Winter Break Have all consent/contract forms today Check school insurance policy & Send copy of Insurance Certificate to our Regional

Coordinator Pay deposit online to Pam Samaddar – by Dec. 8th

Students gather information about our own community and twin community

Meet with student participants Thurs., December 18th (Day after concert)

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Early January

Fine tune itinerary plans / expenses (Ideas? Email Pam Samaddar or Chris Perry)

Stratford Info at pamsamaddar@weebly.com Complete host screening Confirm meeting & rehearsal schedules through to

April Submit application to confirm approval with school

board, group numbers, and travel and hosting dates (90 days notice required / Level 5 field trip)

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Begin Plan for our Hosts

Involve community leaders – MP Ron Cannan, Mayor Basran & Council, School Trustees

Kelowna Tourism Lake Country, West Kelowna, Kelowna – Chamber of

Commerces / Board of Trade Westbank First Nations – Claudia Hardy contact

How can we highlight the best of the Okanagan within a reasonable budget?

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Students?

Think about how we can collect info on our twin community? On our own community?

How will we record the information? Keep track of resources?

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Lastly, Input Needed

Stratford Link on Music Department Website or Mrs. Samaddar’s Website?

Schedule Regular Meetings – best night / time – Anticipate Feb, March, April

Ideas for hosting