Over the course of the summer, InterExchange staff have continued our ongoing support of Summer Work Travel participants’ wellbeing with our annual Summer Safety Initiative. The cornerstone of this initiative has been a bike light distribution program designed to improve visibility and safety for participants who use bicycles as their primary mode of transportation.
This effort is part of our ongoing commitment to ensuring positive and secure experiences for international visitors. “Our goal is to provide practical support that makes a real difference in the day-to-day lives of our program participants,” says Casey Slamin, Senior Vice President of Programs. “By focusing on safety measures like providing bike lights, we’re helping to create a safer environment for international students as they explore and engage with their host communities.”
The Summer Safety Initiative includes such efforts as distributing bike lights to hundreds of exchange participants at community welcome events across the country; and donating bike lights to the Lights for Bikes Campaign in Ocean City, MD, to be distributed to exchange program participants throughout the summer. Additional lights have been given away as InterExchange staff perform site visits with host employers in 23 states over the course of the season. We have also worked in coordination with community support groups, Chambers of Commerce, and local host employers to implement these programs effectively.
Amy Thompson, Executive Director of the Greater Ocean City Chamber of Commerce, comments that the local community support group “was so grateful to have InterExchange donate bike lights to Summer Work Travel participants at our Welcome Events this summer. In partnership with Ocean City Police Department, Maryland Department of Transportation, and our local Bike and Pedestrian Safety Committee, we are committed to ensuring these exchange visitors are well-informed and equipped to remain safe while here in Ocean City. Because the ‘rules of the road’ vary country to country, education is paramount.”
The distribution of bike lights is just one component of the initiative, which aims to eliminate safety incidents among summer exchange visitors through practical resources and education on topics ranging from swim safety and mental well-being to natural disaster preparedness.
“Summer Work Travel participants enrich the Lake George area community through diverse contributions,” says Gina Mintzer, Executive Director, Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce & CVB. “They engage in cross-cultural interactions with host employers, colleagues, residents, and visitors, filling seasonal job vacancies that ensure local businesses operate efficiently during peak seasons…. Educating these participants about safety not only safeguards their well-being but also fosters positive, productive, and harmonious interactions within the community.”
Interested in learning more about about the benefits hosting international students at your seasonal business? Learn how you can be a part of this enriching cultural exchange opportunity with the InterExchange Work & Travel USA program.
