Information for YCE chairpersons
As a Youth Camps and Exchange (YCE) program chairperson, your goal is to ensure a successful exchange for your participants — which requires a strong understanding of all that goes into a successful YCE program. This page is designed to help you better understand your role and provide information and resources to help you overcome any challenges you may face.
To ensure that you properly add your YCE camp information and/or personal information to the YCE International Directory, check out the YCE International Directory Submission Instructions and fill out the forms below.
Prepare for success
Responsibilities
There are a handful of responsibilities that you will have as YCE chairperson. First and foremost, you should first understand the YCE policy and keep that information top of mind. From there, your responsibilities will include:
- Ensuring youth protection is maintained and procedures are followed according to local laws and customs.
- Ensuring Lions or officially designated non-Lions conduct the program according to the YCE policy.
- Developing a district or multiple-district plan to establish, publicize, evaluate and collect metrics on camps and/or exchanges.
- Working with your district governor, council chairperson or coordinating Lions to submit your local program information to Lions International.
- Establishing a thorough screening and selection process for exchange youth and host families.
- Organizing a program orientation for exchange youth and host families.
- Confirming that all youth traveling abroad have the necessary travel documents and are adequately insured.
Best practices
Once you understand what your role entails, knowing the best practices can help you streamline your efforts and ensure a positive experience for all involved. Here are just a few best practices you can follow:
- Establish and oversee a committee to coordinate the various aspects of the local YCE programs.
- Establish separate committees to oversee incoming versus outgoing youth.
- Develop and facilitate training for YCE volunteers at the district or multiple district level.
- Encourage past exchange youth and Leos to help in planning or implementing future YCE activities.
- Encourage families of past exchange youth to serve as host families for future incoming youth.
Contact us
Have a question or need additional information? Reach out to us at clubofficers@lionsclubs.org or call (630) 468-7084.
