About Us
We are Rotary International with over 1.2 million members in over 33,000 clubs around the world. Rotary’s global network brings together business, professional, and community leaders who provide humanitarian service to build goodwill and peace around the world. Dedicated Rotarians coordinate almost 8,000 student exchanges per year and do not discriminate based on race, gender, sexual orientation or identity, religion, or socioeconomic status. For more information about Rotary International, visit rotary.org.
Rotary Youth Exchange is managed and coordinated by trained Rotarian volunteers who truly believe one of the keys to world peace is through understanding people in different cultures around the world. We are committed to the safety and protection of every student who desires to become a member of the global community and ambassador for their country.
Under Rotary International, we are independently organized in a multi-district association. District 5340, which encompasses San Diego and Imperial Counties, is a member of SCANEX – the Southern California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, and Utah Exchange (scanex.org).
Nine individual Rotary Districts (5000, 5240, 5280, 5300, 5320, 5330, 5340, 5420, & 5495) comprise SCANEX and pool its resources to provide cost effective and efficient services for management of its youth exchanges. Each District has a Youth Exchange Chair, and we share Country Coordinators and Officers. Our home-office is based in Hollywood, CA. Our member Rotary Youth Exchange volunteers coordinate exchanges with partners in countries across all global regions.
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Statement of Conduct
Rotary International strives to create and maintain a safe environment for all youth who participate in Rotary activities. To the best of their ability, Rotarians, Rotarians’ spouses and partners, and other volunteers must safeguard the children and young people they encounter and protect them from physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. All Rotarians and Host Family members (over the age of 18 years) involved in Rotary Youth Exchange undergo annual background checks and training.
Rotary International reinforces the Statement of Conduct with additional policies that set the safety of youth as our first priority.