ROTARY YEP/SEP BELGIUM/LUXEMBOURG

D1620 – D1630 – D2170

Travel rules for INBOUND[1] YEP[2] students

GENERAL RULES  (they apply in any case)

1)       No trips are allowed during school time (including exams) without authorization of your YEO[3] AND your host family[4] AND your school.

2)       You have the formal obligation to let your host family know where you are in all circumstances: full address, fixed phone number, detailed program of your trip…

3)       You must respect agreed upon return date and time.  In case of any problems, contact your host family and decide together of a new schedule. Not respecting this rule will lead to limitations or cancellation of future travels.  The  responsible[5] districtwill also be notified of the problem.

4)       You should be reachable at any time (contact person, mobile phone…).

5)       The host Rotary club[6] and, in particular, the YEO is ALWAYS responsible of the YEP student.  As a consequence he has the final word on all decisions.

SPECIFIC RULES  (they apply in addition to general rules)

1)       Travel WITH a certified[7] guide :

a)       In Belgium/Luxembourg – with or without overnight stay

No specific authorization required except those required by the trip organizer.  If overnight stay, the address must be specified to the YEO of your host Rotary club.

b)       Abroad – without overnight stay[8]

Written[9] authorization of your natural parents[10] to be sent to your host YEO. However, trips to places less than 50 km away from your home do not require that authorization : (Tournai – Lille ; Liège – Aix or Maastricht,….)

c)       Abroad – with overnight stay[11]

Written authorization of your natural parents to be sent to your host YEO.  Even if this authorization is not absolutely required for travelling with the host family or the school, it is highly recommended to avoid problems. Address of the place you will stay at should be with the YEO and the responsible district .

2)       Travel WITHOUT a certified guide

a)       In Belgium/Luxembourg – one or several students

i)         Without overnight stay : oral authorization of your host family.

ii)       With overnight stay : oral authorization of your host family; the lodging address must be with the YEO. If several students : the list of all participants and of their host clubs (if they are YEP students) should be with the YEO for coordination and control by him and the host family to prevent any problem.

b)       Abroad  – one or two students

THIS TYPE OF TRIP IS NOT ALLOWED.

Exception : upon specific, written, request of natural parents and for duly motivated reasons (ex : visiting relatives).  The YEO and the host family must make sure that all safety measures have been taken for all trips (dropping and picking up of students at the airport/train station upon departure and arrival).  They must also make sure that the student is staying with a family that has been approved by their natural parents and/or the host Rotary club.  They must also verify that the student did arrive to the destination and did come back home upon return.

CONDITIONS FOR APPROVAL

i)         Written request and authorization of the natural parents to be provided to the YEO.

ii)       Written authorization of the host family to be provided to the YEO.

iii)      Agreement of the YEO who should be able to contact the student at all times.

iv)   Agreement of the Chairman of the sponsor district abroad.

v)      Information about the trip should be transmitted by the YEO to the district responsible.

c)       Abroad – three or more students

i)         Without overnight stay (ex : Paris, London, Amsterdam, Köln … in one day)

CONDITIONS FOR APPROVAL

(1)     Written specification of exact destination, travel goals, detailed timing and the list of all participants and of their host clubs.

(2)     Written authorization of natural parents.

(3)     Written authorization of host family.

(4)     Agreement of the YEO (may require agreement of several YEOs).

(5)  Agreement of the Chairman of the sponsor district abroad.

(6)     Information about the trip should be transmitted by the YEOs to the district responsible.

ii)       With overnight stay 

This type of trip will always require a detailed Travel Request document to be filled in and provided to the host club YEO at least 15 days prior to departure.  The decision will be taken by the district responsible. Coordination between districts will often be required.

CONDITIONS FOR APPROVAL

(1)     Written specification of exact route and all stops, detailed timing, full address of all lodging locations, planned activities and the list of all participants and of their host clubs.  Transportation means should be detailed (copy of tickets and passport required).  No hitch-hiking allowed.

(2)     Written authorization of natural parents with specification of dates and destinations.

(3)     Written authorization of host family.

(4)     Guarantee that at least one adult – to be certified by the district responsible – will always be locally reachable and will take responsibility for the safety of the trip.  Ideally, that adult should be a member of the host Rotary club.

(5)     Agreement of the YEO of the host club (may require agreement of several YEOs).

(6)   Agreement of the Chairman of the sponsor district abroad.

(7)     Final decision to be taken by the host district responsible.  The completely filled Travel Request should be in his hands at least 8 days prior to departure.

(8)     During the trip, the student should regularly contact (at least once every two days) her host family/YEO.

1. Important : Under the BELGIAN LAW, students under 18 years willing to travel abroad without their natural parents must have a written authorization from them. In addition, the authorization must be approved by the local authority. If the student is registered as a member of the host family (this is done upon delivery of the CIRE – Carte Identité pour Résident Etranger –), then the host family can sign for the authorization, instead of the natural parents.

2. A certified mail must clearly mention the parent's e-mail address and a telephone number where that e-mail address can be checked.

3. For any travel outside of Belgium you need to carry not only your CIRE but also your passport and even in some cases a visa according to your nationality and the visited country.