District 7690 Youth Protection Policy (posted 2021-07-05)
(District 7690 Youth Protection Policy)

Rotary Youth Protection Guide (posted 2017-08-13)
(RI Publication 775en-(816))

“Rotary International has a long and successful history of providing service to youth. Each year, more than 250,000 young people participate in Rotary International youth programs such as Interact, Rotary Youth Exchange, and RYLA. In addition, many club and district mentoring programs, immunization efforts, job training programs, literacy projects, and other initiatives are designed specifically to help young people.

“In recent years, allegations of sexual abuse and harassment have increased in all programs involving young participants. Any organization that works with youth is vulnerable, as child sex offenders seek out teaching, coaching, and other positions that offer them easier access to children and teenagers. Many adults committed to working with youth are so focused on helping young people that they find it difficult to believe others will abuse the trust placed in them.

“Unfortunately, no organization is invulnerable to abuse, and it can and does occur in even the most seemingly positive settings. In fact, the opportunity to work with youth may attract potential abusers to otherwise highly reputable organizations.

“Rotary International takes youth protection very seriously. As the subject of sexual abuse has been more widely discussed, Rotarians involved in youth programs have addressed this issue by developing abuse prevention procedures at the district and regional levels. Rotarians contribute to creating safe environments that stop abuse before it happens and respond appropriately in the unfortunate situations when it occurs.

“This publication builds on these efforts, seeking to provide a set of youth protection materials that can be modified to comply with local laws and situations. In developing these materials, Rotary International worked with abuse prevention specialists to determine how best to prevent sexual abuse and harassment of young people entrusted to the care of clubs and districts and incorporate best practices currently in place in Rotary districts. Rotarians can use these tools to protect young people and ensure that Rotary International youth programs continue to provide successful leadership training and international exchange experiences for young people.