Presentation given by Sofia Sotomayor from District 4100, United States.

1. HOW TO INSPIRE
AND MENTOR
COUNSELORS
Sofia Sotomayor M.
D4100 Mexico

2. WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE
ROTARIAN COUNSELOR?
To serve as a liaison between the
students, Rotary Club, Host families
and the community at large, the role
of the Rotarian Counselor is crucial
for the success of the Youth
Exchange Program.

3. The Counselor serves as the
student’s primary contact,
easing his or her transition into
the country and the community
through regular personal contact
throughout the year.

4. COUNSELOR
RESPONSIBILITIES

5. • Establishing contact with the student before
departure or arrival, explaining the
expectations of the club and the district and
maintaining and documenting regular
contact (at least once a month)
• Counseling the student in matters such as
choosing classes, making friends, and
participating in activities.
• Helping the student adapt to the culture and
language.

6. • Working with the community and the
student’s school to ensure that the student
is involved in positive activities and
community life.
• Informing the student about abuse and
harassment prevention and creating a
supportive atmosphere in which the student
feels comfortable discussing any concerns.
• Serving as an advocate for the student in
any matter.

7. HOW DO YOU
THINK WE
ARE DOING?

8. RESULTS OF 2013 POLL
• 1000 Students surveyed
• 66% had negative comments
• 25% had considered an early return
• 20% had issues with their host families
• 50% complained about their counselors
• 25% see their counselors once a month
• 40% see them less than once a month

9. • Host counselor rarely contacted me.
• Monthly allowances were late.
• YEO and Counselor were too busy.
• My counselor was not prepared.
• My counselor didn’t help me.
• I didn’t have a counselor.
• I only spoke with my counselor once.
• I only met with my counselor three times.
• I met my counselor 6 months after arrival.
• My relationship with my counselor was not
good.
• I didn’t feel welcome!

10. KEY TO INSPIRE AND MENTOR
SUCCESFUL COUNSELORS
SET A GOAL!

11. TO MAXIMIZE THE
LEVEL OF
SUCCESS OF THE
STUDENT’S
EXCHANGE YEAR

12. HOW ARE WE
GOING TO
ACCOMPLISH
THIS?

13. MOTIVATION
AND
MENTORING!

14. WHAT IS MOTIVATION?
• The continued effort toward a goal even
though obstacles may exist.
• Motivation is not only the desire to
achieve the goal, but also the love of
learning, the love of challenge, and the
ability to thrive on obstacles.
• These are the greatest gifts we can give
our students.

15. TYPES OF MOTIVATION
• INTRINSIC: Motivation that comes from inside an
individual, comes from the pleasure one gets from
the task itself or from the sense of satisfaction in
completing or even working on a task.
• EXTRINSIC: Motivation comes from outside the
individual. Motivation factors are external, such as
payment or recognition. These rewards provide
satisfaction that the task itself of being a Counselor
will not provide.

16. KNOW YOUR STUDENTS
INDIVIDUALLY AND
COLLECTIVELY.
• Some COUNSELORS fail to realize the
reasons behind their inability to
communicate with their students. Most
of the time, it is because they do not
know their students as individuals and
as a group.

17. TYPES OF STUDENTS
(Individually)
• Overactive, They can be highly motivated to do certain
things. They actually have their own plans. They can do
good if they plan to cooperate with you or bad if they
want you down.
• Neutral, they tend to go with the wind. They can be
cooperative or not, depending on the situation.
• Passive, they tend to be aloof or shy. These students
are the least cooperative in the group. They shy away
but it does not necessarily mean that they cannot excel.

18. TYPES OF STUDENTS
(COLLECTIBLY)
• As a group, students have
hierarchies.
• Those that lead.
• Those that follow.

19. HANDS ON, WHAT
ARE THE BASIC
STEPS TO
BECOME A
SUCCESFUL
COUNSELOR?

20. ON YOUR FIRST MEETING
• Discuss your backgrounds, experiences and
interests. The Counselor should explain how he got
to the position.
• Set clear targets and plan the steps that will lead to
reaching those goals. Draw up a timetable of what
needs to be done and review this periodically.
• Set up a calendar for regular meetings, but be open
for “short notice” meetings.
• Announce that progress, goals and achievements
will be reviewed.

21. DEVELOP AND SUSTAIN TRUST
• To be an effective Counselor, one must establish
a line of communication and build a solid
foundation of trust. One of the easiest ways to
build trust is to be consistent and keep promises,
even if the student does not. Let him know that
you are there for him and what he tells you stays
in confidence between the two of you. If it is
necessary that another adult be involved, you
discuss it with him before you speak to another
adult.

22. BE A FRIEND
• A Counselor is not the student's substitute parent, and
shouldn’t present himself as an authority figure; even
though the Rotarian Counselor and his student are in an
structured relationship with boundaries and expectations.
• Leading by example, a counselor should inspire his
student to make good decisions. Criticizing his actions puts
distance between the Counselor and the student, stifling
the flow of communication.
• Focus on establishing a bond, a warm friendship.
Successful Counselors are those who can be a true friend
while maintaining the role of a responsible adult.

23. BE POSITIVE
• A few encouraging words can lift the self-
esteem of a young person. When helping a
student with a difficult situation, find a positive
aspect to build on before tackling challenging
issues.
• Building his self-confidence is as important as
assisting with a yellow card or a minor
violation.
• Asking the student to explain his solution to the
problem is an example of how to build self-
confidence.

24. ESTABLISH A SENSE OF
BELONGING
• People have a fundamental need to feel connected or
related to other people. In an academic environment,
research shows that students who feel they 'belong'
have a higher degree of intrinsic motivation and
academic confidence.
• According to students, their sense of belonging is
fostered by a Counselor that demonstrates warmth
and openness, encourages student participation, is
enthusiastic, friendly and helpful, and is organized
and prepared.

25. WAYS TO MOTIVATE YOUR
STUDENTS:
• Make a positive impression, prove to them that you are
a person who is worth listening to.
• Be vocal, but make sure you submit your opinion at the
appropriate time.
• Go the Extra Mile, do more than the average Counselor
is expected to do.
• Have a good sense of humor, it can help you to
engage your student.
• Be respectful, your student comes from another culture,
with different traditions, shared values, history, that does
not make him better or less, just different.

26. More ways…
• Show that you are competent, be humble about it but
don’t hide it.
• Be genuine, the easiest way to lose your student’s
trust is for them to find out you are fake.
• Be energetic, enthusiasm is contagious.
• Put extra effort in your appearance, dress
accordingly to the occasion.
• Give helpful feedback, this will boost your student self
esteem.

27. “THE BRIGHTEST
STARS ARE THOSE
WHO SHINE FOR
THE BENEFIT OF
OTHERS”

28. THANK YOU!
Sofia Sotomayor
D4100 Mexico

29. Groups 1-8 E Millenium Room 2/3 (Level 4)
Groups 9-12 E Millenium Room 1/3 (Level 4)
Groups 13-16 E Legends (Level 5)
Groups 17-20 E Champions (Level 5)
MEETING LOCATIONS FOR SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS