Melfort Rotary representative, Mike Mahon, in Washington, before attending the 2023 North American Youth Exchange Network conference (Melfort Rotary/Facebook)

By Ben Tompkins

North American Youth Exchange Network

Melfort Rotary attends international conference

Mar 7, 2023 | 5:22 PM

The Melfort Rotary Club sent one of their own to Washington, D.C. this past month, to attend a number of educational sessions, which deal with best practices and ways to improve their program.

Michael Mahon, a member of the Melfort Rotary Club, as well as the co-chair of the District (Saskatchewan, Manitoba and parts of northwest Ontario), spent three days at the 2023 North American Youth Exchange Network (NAYEN).

“This was my fifth in-person conference, along with the last couple of years being virtual,” he said. “This year’s conference felt extra special after two years of not being able to meet in person. The sightseeing opportunities in Washington were amazing as well, as I made sure to arrive a bit early to take advantage.”

The international conference consists of Rotary districts in Canada, U.S.A and Mexico who participate in Youth Exchange, as hosts and representatives from countries in Europe, Asia and South America attend.

The meetings also allow for different places to get to know the people in charge of the districts they exchange with.

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“Should there ever be a problem, then you know who you are dealing with and know it will be dealt with,” Mahon said. “In our district, a selling point is that we only exchange with districts where we know those in charge.”

The exchange program is where a student goes to live in another country for a year, learning the language, culture and more, while living with multiple different host families.

The students range in age from 16 to just graduated from high school. While in their host country, they do attend school, even if graduated at home.

Melfort has been active in sending out and hosting students since around 1976, on an annual basis, except during COVID.

“Melfort has always been active in the program, thus it is very gratifying to attend both on behalf of our club and the District, and to get to know those who have sent students here or taken our students in,” Mahon added.

A short-term exchange, usually about a month on a family-to-family basis, is also available, which is where a student goes for a month and then hosts the student from the other family for a month.

According to Mahon, a Rotary International president a few years ago stated that if every youth could go on exchange, we would have no wars.

“Students who participate get to learn and accept the differences and similarities of those throughout the world, and form lifelong friendships with people from throughout the world,” Mahon said. “Rotary welcomes the chance to assist the youth of the world, and making the youth aware of this and other programs is a way to help Rotary help our youth.”

The conference moves on an annual basis, as next year is in Vancouver, and the year after is in Mexico.

Interested students can contact local rotary clubs or go online by searching Rotary Youth Exchange or Youth Exchange to find out more.

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news@northeastnow.com

On Twitter @BenTompkins_8