Becoming a host family for an exchange student can be done through various organizations, with different requirements. Families should consider financial obligations, supervisory responsibilities, and willingness to host. Reputable organizations should be chosen, and interviews should be conducted to ask for details about hosting. Host families may need to provide support for the student’s needs, such as spending money. Hosting can be a great experience when done with preparation, research, and care.
A family, couple or individual who would like to become a host family can do so with a number of organisations. These can be structured through local schools, and there are many that operate outside of schools as well. Each organization may have slightly different requirements for those wanting to become a host family, and it is advisable to ensure that these programs have a proven reputation.
Before deciding to become a host family, it is important to consider what will be involved. For example, how long will an exchange student stay, what types of financial obligations are involved, and what types of supervisory responsibilities will be required?
It may be helpful to develop a general checklist on willingness to host, which may include the following:
All family members agree that hosting is a good idea.
The family can provide private or semi-private accommodation for the exchange student.
The host family will be able to cover the expenses related to the care and feeding of another child.
Family members will be willing to help the student deal with homesickness and, at times, the big transition to a new culture.
The exchange student will have adequate supervision and parental help if needed.
When people feel they meet these requirements, there are many ways to become a host family. Families or individuals should therefore choose reputable organizations and turn to them. Most organizations expect written questions and then conduct a formal in-person interview. Some may inspect the premises where students will be living and others run background checks.
Generally, longer stays may require more inquiries. Some families host for only a few weeks and requirements to host can be minimal. This can be a great way to determine if the family would like to host another student for a longer period of time.
During interviews, it’s important to ask for details about hosting. For example, families are sometimes reimbursed for treatment costs and sometimes not. Most overseas students have medical insurance, but host families may need to do some work on behalf of a student who needs extensive care during their visit, including understanding insurance coverage. As with all children, exchange students are equally prone to injury or need hospitalization.
It can also be helpful to know what kind of support students receive from the exchange programme. Some may have access to services or meetings. Other students will need to participate in special projects or events that may require transportation.
Individual students can also vary in what they can bring. A well-funded host family may have children with much more pocket money than the exchange student, or a wealthy student is better off than the host family’s siblings. Those wishing to become a host family should bear in mind that some students may have more needs than others and should be able to help resolve this, for example by providing spending money.
When people plan to become a host family with preparation, research and consideration, hosting an overseas student can be a fantastic experience. Many students form family bonds with their host families and stay in touch for years to come. This is more likely to happen when a family sees hospitality as an opportunity to parent with care and to enthusiastically help a child explore a new culture.
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