Best Practice Working Group
The Cultural Exchange Working Group was established in August 2020 with the aim of facilitating dialogue and enhancing collaboration between WYSE. This group is committed to delivering best practice recommendations in order that businesses within the sector are in the best possible shape to withstand and effectively respond to potential challenges.
From 2020 to 2022, the topic around crisis management was discussed and shared. More recently, the topic around improving participant return rates has been discussed and is broadly agreed with WYSE members and representatives of the Cultural Exchange Sector.
Improving Return Rates
As we have seen in several countries over the last 6 months, visa issuance rates appear to be closely tied to return rates. Overstays, or even legal changes of status, can lead to increased rejections in key sending countries. This adversely affects both sponsors and partners and limits the impact and effectiveness of our exchange programs.
This group continues to meet several times a year and their latest focus is to create a best practice guideline aimed at improving participant return rates, covering the topics:
- Best practices for overseas partners (conducting welcome home sessions, building relationships with local embassy staff, including orientation sessions, etc.)
- Best practices for sponsors (include messages to participants before and during the programme, request return rate data from overseas partners, etc.)
Members of the working group
Robyn Walker
Chair of the Working Group
CENET
USA
Marina Seet
Asia
Iza Gyuricza
Smaller Earth
Europe
Mariapia Inurritegui
Universal Student Echange
Latin America
Rafael Espinoza
Universal Student Exchange
Latin America
Alexis Blackburn-Rose
InterExchange
USA
Laura Sukgen
Troy International
Europe/Asia
Darya Modestova
Global Friends
Asia
Watch the previous webinar from the working group
Watch the previous webinar where members of the working group discuss whether youth travel organisations are prepared for crisis management: Stronger together: Best practice for crisis management