The new Rotary year is off to a busy start for youth programs across District North Atlantic!
From international exchanges and the return of our 2025–26 exchange students to opportunities through Interact and Honouring Indigenous Peoples, there are plenty of ways for Rotary clubs to support, encourage and connect with the next generation of leaders. Our Youth Exchange students are beginning their journeys around the world, international students are settling into their new Canadian communities, and returning exchange students are reflecting on experiences that will continue to shape their lives. At the same time, new opportunities are opening for young people to learn, grow and become leaders in their communities.
Read on to see what’s happening, how clubs can get involved, and which opportunities are coming up this fall.
Youth Exchange: A Roaring Start to 2026–27
The 2026–27 Youth Exchange year is off to a roaring start! Over the summer, 13 students from District North Atlantic participated in short-term exchanges in Brazil, England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.We hope all sponsor clubs will take the opportunity to invite these students to a club meeting in the coming month to share their experiences from their exchange.
As the short-term program winds down, the long-term program is off and running. We have 11 students from our district on their way to full-year exchanges in Belgium, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain and Taiwan. Most of their inbound counterparts have arrived in Canada and are settling in with their first host families and getting ready to start school on September 8.
The first big event for our international students will be the Inbound Orientation Weekend, taking place September 18–20 at Camp Tidnish, Baie Verte, NB.
We also express our gratitude to the Rotary Club of Amherst for their hospitality.
Welcoming Back Our Rebound Exchange Students
From August 22–23, and for the fourth consecutive year, the long-term rebound exchange students from 2025–26 spent the whole weekend sharing stories, unpacking their experiences, and digging deep into how their exchange has impacted—and will continue to impact—their lives moving forward.
Through guided exercises, group discussions and some intense frisbee, the students were able to understand what their exchange has meant to them and how they can be supported by their peers and the District Committee. We look forward to welcoming these students to future Rotary weekends, where they can help guide inbound and outbound students and assist with running the weekends as Rotex.
Special thanks to Marcel and Vera Gervais for opening their home for such a meaningful weekend each year!
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Interact and Opportunities for Young Leaders
Rotary clubs also have an important role to play in connecting young people with opportunities in their communities and beyond.Clubs are encouraged to share youth opportunities with their Interact Clubs, local high schools, Indigenous groups, communities and Elders, helping ensure that young people who could benefit from these experiences have the opportunity to apply. One such opportunity coming up is the Youth-to-Youth Truth and Reconciliation Experience, presented by Honouring Indigenous Peoples.
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Youth-to-Youth Truth and Reconciliation Experience
Alberta | May 9–15, 2027
The Y2Y (Youth to Youth) 2027 HIP Program is a transformative experience that brings Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth together to learn, build relationships and deepen their understanding of Indigenous culture, history and heritage.Youth engage in meaningful cultural exchanges and participate in activities, workshops and interactive sessions that encourage them to embrace diversity, build relationships and develop a greater appreciation for Indigenous perspectives and contributions.
The experience serves as a catalyst for personal growth, intercultural learning and fostering lasting connections.
Who Is Eligible?
- The program is seeking youth leaders from across Atlantic Canada, including four Indigenous and four non-Indigenous youth, ages 15 to 17.
- More broadly, the national Y2Y program is open to Indigenous, self-identified Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth—male, female, LGBTQ2S and disabled—who are interested in being an agent for change and are currently enrolled in Grades 9 to 11.
- Applicants for the 2027 HIP Reconciliation Experience must be between the ages of 15 and 17 as of March 1, 2027, meaning they were born on or between March 1, 2010 and March 1, 2012.
- Only 50 youth will be chosen from across Canada.
What Does It Cost?
- The event is free for successful applicants who are selected.
- The program includes:
- Travel to and from the event
- Accommodations
- Food
- Museum admission
What Can Students Expect?
- Y2Y immerses Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth in Indigenous culture while fostering connections with a diverse group of young people from across Canada.
- Through activities, workshops and interactive sessions, participants will learn about Indigenous traditions and deepen their understanding of Indigenous history and heritage.
- A video from the 2025 HIP National Truth and Reconciliation Experience provides an excellent overview of the kinds of activities youth will participate in and what they can personally gain from the experience.
- The program is about more than one week. It is an opportunity for young people to build relationships, develop as leaders and bring what they learn back to their communities.
Why This Matters
We want the best candidates to represent us nationally and return and share what they learned with other youth, Rotarians and the community as a whole.
Youth alumni are already participating as youth leaders at subsequent Y2Y events. Mentoring Indigenous university students in their region was another program recently learned about.
A Canada-wide Walk for Earth has also been started in recent years. This program teaches the importance of environmental stewardship and has helped raise money to support future Y2Y events.
One Youth Alumni is majoring in Indigenous Studies at university to continue educating others as a career since attending this event.
We cannot change the past, but we can support future development of youth and make a difference in our community as it relates to Truth and Reconciliation.
What Is Honouring Indigenous Peoples
Honouring Indigenous Peoples (HIP) is an organization started ten years ago by Rotarians nationwide that brings together Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians, with an emphasis on relationship building, to support the next generation of leaders and changing knowledge, attitudes and behaviours.
Today, HIP is an independent national charity with a board comprised of 50% Indigenous and 50% non-Indigenous members. The board is gender balanced and geographically dispersed from coast-to-coast.
How Can Rotary Clubs Help?
Get the Word Out! Clubs can help ensure that this opportunity reaches the young people who could benefit most.
Please share the opportunity with:
- Interact Clubs
- Local high schools
- Indigenous groups and communities
- Elders
- Youth organizations
- Other community contacts
If you are close to Indigenous groups or youth organizations that can suggest youth leaders who should apply, please help us get the word out ASAP.
Support the Program
Clubs can also support the Y2Y program financially by making a donation through the District 7815 CanadaHelps page.
No donation is too small.
Join the Committee
Rotarians are also invited to join the committee or lead it.
Current committee members include:
- Jane Simmons (NL)
- Brendan McDonald (NS)
- Gary Holt (NS)
- Najam Chishti (PE)
- Matthew Connolly (Mentor/NS)
- Tom Herman (NS)
Important Dates
Application deadline: October 30, 2026
Participants selected and notified: November 27, 2026
Y2Y 2027 HIP Program: May 9–15, 2027
Students must apply online by October 30, 2026.
Apply and Learn More
Students who meet the eligibility requirements can apply online through the HIP Youth-to-Youth program.
For additional information or to get involved, contact:
Rotary clubs can make a difference by helping young people discover these opportunities, supporting them along the way, and giving them a platform to share what they learn with others.
From international exchange to youth leadership and reconciliation, District North Atlantic is investing in young people—and the future of our communities.
