Group Study Exchange (GSE) may have ended, but you can still participate in cultural exchanges. Enhance and extend your existing international relationships and Foundation projects or start new ones as you engage your members. Not sure how? Hear from districts that annually sponsor successful international exchanges, paid for with District Designated Funds, and learn a few best practices and pitfalls to avoid in crafting your own.

1. GSE REINVENTED:
Craft Your District’s Own
Global Exchange
June 25, 2018

2. Marty Peak Helman,
District 7780 Foundation Chair,
Boothbay Harbor, Maine
Carolyn Johnson,
Zone 32 Coordinator,
Yarmouth, Maine
Richard Flanders
District 5170 Scholarship Chair
Pleasanton North, California

3. Defining the Problem …
… Building the Solution

4. Everyone Loved GSE!
Wonderful stories
have come out of
Group Study
Exchanges.

5. Districts reported an
increasing number of issues
with finding appropriate
candidates.
Problems included:
--Finding viable candidates
who could take four weeks
for travel
--Fielding a credible
professional exchange
BUT … GSE was designed for a different era

6. Only a small percentage of
exchanges resulted in:
-- Grants or other ongoing
projects or relationships
between the two Districts
-- New Rotarians
So, in 2013 GSE sunsetted
AND – Few sustainable results reported from GSE

7. District Grant funding can continue the “good”
Opportunity for
international experience
without leaving home
Opportunity for Rotarians
to discover new Rotary
Clubs, projects and
concepts

8. The District 7780 Solution

9. District Meeting
Foundation Seminar to
develop individual
investment
What are your priorities,
goals?

10. •Music theme - international language
•Build on Rotarians’ connections
•Build strong relationships
•Be flexible
Build on connections:
I didn’t choose Uganda…
…Uganda chose me!

11. A partner club
to host and guide
A partner organization
to broaden your horizons

12. Our team

13. Global Grant for Peace & Conflict Resolution
The Results:

14. Global Grant for Disease Prevention: Uganda Cancer Center
The Results:

15. Global Grant for Disease Prevention: Oncology VTT
The Results:

16. Private Foundation Grant: Technical School
The Results:

17. Several smaller service projects: District Grants, Club Support
The Results:

18. District
International
Outreach
Programs
2015: Culture
Bulgaria, D2482
2016: Mental Health
Argentina, D4945
2017: Health, water
Cuba (not completed)
2018: Kakamega
Orphanage
Kenya, D9210

19. The District 5170 Solution

20. CHALLENGES OF ROTARY PROJECT EXPERIENCE
AND OPPORTUNITY
Not all of us can go overseas to do Rotary
Projects
 Costs of Travel
 Time
 Language Barrier
 No Desire to Travel Abroad

21. SOLUTION FOR DISTRICT 5170
PARTNERS IN ROTARY SERVICE
 We Bring Oversea Projects to Us
 5-6 Friends (Partners) Annually
 Share Their Experience
 How Rotary Changed Their Lives
 How Rotary Changed Their
Communities

22. PARTNERS

23. SHOW RESULTS OF CLUBS’ FOUNDATION GIVING
“Voice” of People Benefitted
 Describe Global Grant Projects
 Faces of Friends in a Land Far Away
 Say Thank You for Contribution
 People in My Country are Better
Off

24. ROTARY FOUNDATION ANNUAL GIVING CAMPAIGN
Want Rotarians to Help Friends Overseas
 Show Faces of Friends in Land Far
Away
 Faces of Friends Touched by
Projects
 Encourage Donation to Rotary
Foundation

25. WHAT DISTRICT PROVIDES
 Round Trip Economy Class Airfare
 Home Stay With Rotarians
 Meals and Other Necessities
 Letter of Invitation To Secure US Visa

26. WHAT DISTRICT DOES NOT PROVIDE
 Personal Expenses
 Expenses Beyond Program Dates
 Cost of Securing US Visa
 Air Travel for Spouse, Partner or Family

27. PARTNERS’ COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN
 Philippines, India, Thailand, Sri Lanka
 Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, South Africa
 Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, Brazil
 United Kingdom, Australia

28. RESULTS
 Partners for Projects in Their Countries
 Friends Overseas
 $1 million/year Total Foundation Giving
 Feel Good About Helping Friends
Overseas

29. PROJECTS ARISING FROM PROGRAM

30. PROJECTS ARISING FROM PROGRAM

31. Other District Solutions

32. Friendship Exchanges
“Carl Miller” exploratory trips
Vocational Training Teams
Other District Solutions

33. Details, Details

34. What is the purpose of the trip?
Where can I find a partner?
What will be the selection criteria
for participants?
Cost considerations.
TRF (and District) travel policies.
TRF Travel Ban list and other
geographic considerations.
Think through the following:

35. Give Rotarians/friends of
Rotary international
exposure.
Do hands-on service.
Bring back viable grant
opportunities.
Affirm sustainability of Rotary
programs and scholarships.
What is the purpose of the trip?

36. Host partner on an ongoing
Global Grant
Past recipients of Rotary-funded
travel
Fellow member of a Rotary
Action Group or Fellowship
International Assembly seatmate
IC 18 House of Friendship
Where Can I Find Partners?

37. Should Rotarians be:
Experienced?
Well-traveled?
New to Rotary?
Should couples be included?
Must travelers speak the local
language?
How diverse should the group be?
May a Rotarian travel more than once?
Should non-Rotarians be eligible?
What are selection criteria for participants?

38. How much DDF should be
set aside?
Should District Grant pay
100% of travel (minus
personal expenses)?
Should we have a
scholarship fund to help
support younger
Rotarians?
Cost considerations

39. All projects must:
1. Adhere to the TRF policies
described in “Terms and
Conditions for Rotary
Foundation District Grants and
Global Grants.”
2. Adhere to the basic “rules” of
Rotary as defined by the Four-
Way Test.
In addition, in District 7780 we
established a Travel Policy
specifically for Rotary-funded
travel, either into or out of our
District.
TRF’s Travel Policy

40. District Chair: D-7780 Rotarian, active and in good
standing. Does not travel with team. Takes responsibility
for organizing and overseeing all activities of the
exchange that take place within the District.
Team Leader: D-7780 Rotarian, active and in good
standing. Travels with the team and is understood to be
the leader of the team and responsible for the team.
Protection Officer: If minors or other protected
persons are involved in the travel/project, a Protection
Officer -- separate from either Chair or Team Leader --
will be assigned and available to all protected persons
at all times during the course of their stay in our District.
District 7780 Travel Guidelines

41. Rotary’s “Travel Ban List” is updated periodically on rotary.org
Most recent list dates from January 2016. Currently, Rotary
will not fund travel for volunteers, staff or program participants to:
Rotary’s Travel Ban List
Libya
Mali
Pakistan
People’s Rep. of North Korea
Somalia
Sudan and South Sudan
Syria
Yemen
Afghanistan
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Central African Republic
Dem. Rep. of Congo
Gaza
Iraq
Iran
Note: This list in no way impedes projects in, exchanges with, or Rotary Clubs
in these countries. It just means that Rotary will not fund travel to these
countries without express permission from the General Secretary.

42. Non-Rotary countries
Countries under US State
Department sanctions
Other Geographic Considerations

43. Questions and Comments
Marty Helman, martyrotary@gmail.com
Carolyn Johnson, cfj2@icloud.com
Richard Flanders, sundevil1987@gmail.com

44. This presentation and others
from throughout the convention
are available through the
convention mobile app and on
SlideShare at
www.SlideShare.net/Rotary_International.

45. Rate this session in the Rotary
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