The Rotary Club of Katoomba Inc in Katoomba, New South Wales | Charitable organisation

The Rotary Club of Katoomba Inc

Locality: Katoomba, New South Wales

Address: 15-47 Katoomba Street 2780 Katoomba, NSW, Australia

Website: http://www.katoombarotary.com

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24.01.2022 Rotary History Bite #22/100: Sixty Years of Youth Today, most people have heard of the Rotary Youth Exchange, the world's biggest and best-known student cultura...l exchange program. But not everyone would know that it came about thanks to Australian Rotarians. Since it was conceived, Rotary Youth Exchange, or as it was once known, Rotary Student Exchange has become one of Rotary’s most respected and valuable programs. Today, Australian students can go on a 1 year exchange program to countries all around the world while many Aussie Rotarians gladly play host to international students visiting our shores. In 1927 the Rotary Clubs in Copenhagen, Denmark arranged exchanges. These were for a period of about two weeks and occurred during school holidays. Then in 1929 the Rotary Club of Nice, France, arranged similar exchanges. These were the forerunner of the different types of short-term exchanges for young people that now run successfully between many countries. There are camps with different themes, bike tours, home stays and the more recent New Generations Exchange. The current Rotary Student Exchange program had its genesis in an exchange between Australian Rotary Clubs and Clubs in Nebraska, USA back in 1959, the program's ongoing success over the following years leading to its official adoption worldwide in 1972. It started at an international assembly of Rotary Governors, held at Lake Placid in the USA in 1958. Harley Shaver, a past Governor from Nebraska asked many of those present to go home and consider a new idea of student exchange. This proposed exchange would enable students to spend a year in a different country, in a different culture whilst going to school. Joe Bradbury, an incoming Governor from District 280, Australia, accepted the challenge of an exchange between his district and the district in Nebraska, currently District 5450. At that time, District 280 was one of only 9 Australian districts. These districts had a total of only 326 clubs. That was the beginning. That was the easy part. He asked two enthusiastic Rotarians, Peter Barnett, of the Rotary Club of Myrtleford, and Clive Schliebs, of the Rotary Club of Wangaratta to both develop the program’s rules and promote participation. The very first exchange was eventually held between District 280 and the District in Nebraska, which included clubs in Colorado. In January 1959, John Rogers, a 15 year old student from Scottsbluff, Nebraska, USA, arrived in Myrtleford. At the same time two Australian students, Nick Rutherford and Norm Jordon left District 280 for Scottsbluff and Grand Lake, Colorado. It was those first three Rotary youth exchange students who started what has now become an opportunity of a lifetime for so many others. Today there are between 8,000 and 9,000 exchanges arranged each year, both the traditional long term and different types of a short-term duration. These exchanges allow students from roundabout 80 countries of the Rotary world the opportunity of a lifetime. These are an opportunity to develop international friendships, learn about different cultures and the need for a tolerance of each other’s cultural differences.

14.01.2022 Bon voyage Boline!

11.01.2022 Great that you made it before you are homeward bound!

11.01.2022 D9685 RYEP program has been deferred until 2022 as southern hemisphere students exchange Jan-Jan rather than mid year for northern hemisphere. In the meantime we will be working hard behind the scenes refining our procedures and systems to come out ready for a great 2022 exchange year. Students wishing to participate in RYEP are welcome to attend local club meetings and activities to prepare themselves for a great year.

10.01.2022 Congratulations Christine very well deserved!