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Host

Families

"We had the most amazing experience

with Parveen"

Be part of

the family

Host Family

Become a host family

If you and your household have an outgoing personality and enjoy the company of young people,

you will thrive within the National Homestay network of host families.

 

It’s hard work for the short duration overseas students stay with you, but offers the rewards of learning from differing cultures,

communicating to your visitors the values and culture which forms the backbone of what constitutes ‘englishness’,

the satisfaction of ensuring visitors have an enjoyable and fulfilling experience while in the United Kingdom,

and the opportunity to earn additional income from that spare bedroom

 

 

 

As a host family you will be expected to:

 

 

  • Accommodate up to four students or Group Leaders for stays between two and five days.  Longer stays are by separate arrangement​

  • Offer a clean bedroom or bedrooms for visitors and bathroom facilities (bathroom facilities can be separate or on a shared basis with you and your family)

  • Offer a smoke-free environment; it is a strict requirement of National Homestay that host families are non-smoking environments regardless of age

  • Offer normal in-home facilities such as TV, internet, and laundry facilities

  • Provide continental style breakfast (cereal/toast/drink), packed lunch (sandwich or two small rolls, piece of fruit, crisps or chocolate bar and drink) and a hot evening meal (pasta, fish fingers, pizza, baked potato) plus dessert (yoghurt, jelly, cake) for the duration of the visit

  • Collect your visitors on the day of arrival from a designated collection point, and deliver them back there on the day of departure

  • Deliver your visitors to the designated collection point on each morning of their visit and collect them in the evening.  Morning drop-off is normally around 0750 hours and evening collection around 1900 hours

  • Most students are not allowed to use public transport so we ask all host families to accompany their visitors on travel to the designated collection point which is normally within 10 minutes travel time by car

 

National Homestay offers a 24/7 support service for their host families so we are always available

to assist with any unforeseen circumstances or medical emergencies which may arise during your visitors stay.

Our Services

National Homestay has a clear set of documented guidelines and policies which ensure all host families are fully aware of what is expected of them in hosting both students and their Group Leaders while in the United Kingdom. 

 

National Homestay host families come from a variety of diverse backgrounds. 

Many have been with the National Homestay network for many years.  All are characterised by the highest levels of hygiene and cleanliness in the home.  Paramount to becoming a National Homestay host family is a safe and openhearted atmosphere within the household.  They enjoy and are encouraged to interact with their guests, hopefully adding to their visitors’ experience beyond that organised by the Group Leaders.

 

 

Typical host families:

 

 

  • Have been within the National Homestay network for many years

  • Are located within 10-minutes’ drive of the group meeting/departure point

  • Can accommodate up to four visitors, who normally share a bedroom depending on the configuration of the accommodation

  • Provide a weekly change of bed linen for long-stay visitors

  • Come from diverse cultural backgrounds.  Many are multi-lingual although English is always the standard language used in the household

  • Host families may be retirees, or have pre-school children, or have children at primary or secondary school or university

  • Offer visitors continental breakfast, a packed lunch and a cooked evening meal.  They are used to dealing with special dietary needs, assuming these have been notified in advance of the date of travel to the United Kingdom

  • All host families and households are non-smoking

  • All host families have TV’s, internet facilities, cars and offer laundry facilities

  • Can offer information and advice to their visitors to local attractions, retail outlets, transport links, local restaurants, pubs and fast-food outlets, sports and leisure facilities, etc

Host families are not allowed to administer any medication to students. 

It is important that National Homestay is made aware of any special medical conditions before the

date of travel to the United Kingdom.

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