Dubbo students encouraged to apply for Minokamo sister city exchange program

After three years of COVID-induced hiatus, the Dubbo Regional Council has opened applications for its sister city student exchange program for the first time since 2019.

Jessica Moore, Cultural Development Coordinator at the Dubbo council, said the program gives students the opportunity to stay with a local Japanese family, attend a local high school and participate in local cultural activities and sightseeing tours.

"We were so excited when we could finally restart it again," she said.

"For many of the students it is life changing. Being from a small regional centre, being able to have those relationships with what's going on in the rest of the world is so valuable.

"A lot of [the students who have done the program] have gone on to university degrees and jobs where they're engaging in an international way because they've had such a positive experience."

Ten students between the ages of 15 and 18 who attend high schools in the Dubbo local government area and two local chaperones will be selected to travel to Minokamo, Dubbo's sister city in Japan.

"We are excited to resume the exchange program after a three-year hiatus, which will see the students and chaperones travel to Minokamo later this year in September," council's Sister City Officer Daisy Wang said.

"The students can step outside their comfort zone and participate in local cultural activities and sightseeing tours... Attending school abroad will also open their eyes to a different way of learning and provide an opportunity to make new friends."

Ms Moore said the program isn't just beneficial for the students, but is also an important part of Dubbo's sister city relationship with Minokamo which was established in 1989.

"It's a very important program, it's one of the absolute jewels in the council's crown in terms of its international relationships," she said.

"Dubbo's been very active in its sister city relationship and one of the main avenues for that has been the student exchange program which has been, since its inception, really heavily used by students."

The application process for the exchange program is "very competitive", Ms Moore said, with students who are successful in the first round going in for an interview.

Council will be looking for students who are passionate about their community and representing it, ready to "embrace and absorb" the experience as much as possible and "fascinated with the rest of the world".

"It's fun and it's exciting, but you are also representing your community," said Ms Moore.

"It's a very big honour to be selected to go on this exchange program so we look for students who have a lot of confidence and are respectful and able to represent our community in a positive way.

"Looking at life from a different perspective and a different lived experience is massively important for us in the 21st century and this is a really tangible way that kids can learn those skill sets."

The exchange program is reciprocal, so participating Dubbo students and chaperones will also host a visitor from Minokamo in July or August when the exchange groups visit Dubbo.

A subsidy of $1000 is provided by Council for all successful students and chaperone applicants to the program to offset airfares and travel costs.

"There are few accommodation costs as student's homestay with local families in Minokamo," said Ms Wang

"Living with their host family gives students a support base and a close-up experience of different traditions and customs."

Applications for the sister city exchange program are now open and close Friday, May 19.

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