host families are so important to us
We really could not have a guardianship company if we didn't have a network of excellent host families for overseas students. Although holiday accommodation is only part of what we do overall, for many parents and students, their allocated host family is definitely the most important thing for us to get right.
International students deserve a break from their school routines and we want them to really enjoy their exeat weekends and half terms. With so many preferences around location, host family lifestyle and rooming options, we need a good range of families in every area.
We are always looking for hosts around the UK who would like to offer a room and a home from home to one of our international students. We have students from many different nationalities and of all age groups so we are always looking for different types of host family.
Some of our families have children at home, others are families who love animals and have pets and we also have some that don't. Other families have older children who may have left home and who would like to offer their spare room to an international student. Please do get in touch to see if we need families in your area.
who can become a host family?
If you have a good-sized spare room or rooms in your house and you and your family are open to hosting an overseas student from another country, then you might be a good candidate to become a host for Bright World.
A good candidate to become a host family would be a person or a family who is interested in welcoming an international student into their home for short holidays. With the right facilities and being interested in offering a home from home to a boarding school student you are already a good candidate.
There is no fixed formula for how to be a good host family but we do know that our host families really do a great job and our students really enjoy staying with them. Becoming a host family for Bright World is a great role to take on and is very rewarding.
why host an international student?
There are countless benefits of hosting international students for Bright World. Having had so much feedback from our host families over the years, we are aware that as well as offering a valuable extra income for the family, the experience is very fulfilling.
Learning about new cultures
Students and host family members alike learn a lot about different cultures. For a student, living in a British host family can be a totally new experience. Life back in their home country is usually quite different with different customs and habits and houses just look different. Staying an a British home is a very enjoyable different experience for them.
Members of the host family also learn about different cultures. For the children of the host family it is very good for education and their personal development.
Friends for life
We know that students and their host families often stay in contact for life. We have heard of host families attending university graduation ceremonies, visiting the student's family in their own country and staying in touch for many years. Being a host family can really mean making life-long friends.
Make a big difference
Host families achieve a real sense of fulfilment from having supported and helped someone else on their education journey in the UK. Providing a home to stay in with a warm welcome during the holidays really makes a huge difference to the experience of an international student.
what is expected from a host family?
First and foremost, the most important thing is to provide a warm and caring home for your student or students. They should feel comfortable being in your home and feel they are welcome.
The room should be comfortable with space for them to study ideally and with a bedside lamp so they can comfortably read at night. You should make sure your student feels comfortable and warm enough. The house should be kept clean for them and you should be prepared to do a reasonable amount of laundry for them.
Food is very important and our happiest students are always those who enjoy the opportunity to have fresh and home cooked food. Do take the time to ask your student what they like to eat and try and fit that into your weekly menus.
If they are old enough to go out on their own, it is nice to offer them a key to the house so they can come and go freely.
A very important part of hosting foreign students is collecting and dropping them off at school. Having a familiar face to meet you at the school gates when other students's parents are arriving really gives students a sense of belonging and comfort.
how to be a good host family
A good host family will really welcome their student into their home and will take the time to help them to settle in, making sure they know where everything is and if there are any house rules you would like them to follow. Let them know what time you usually eat, go to bed and if they are old enough to go out then remind them of the Bright World rules. Setting boundaries early on can really make things go a lot more smoothly.
Make sure you include your student in the family activities and invite them to join you if they wish. If they prefer to remain in their room then also respect their privacy and wish to to that. They are often quite tired and have a lot of study to do so they do not always want to join in everything.
Try and get to know your student to understand them and show you really care about them and things should go very well.
how much do you get paid for hosting a foreign student?
Being a host family is a rewarding experience but your expenses are also covered generously for taking on the role. You will be paid a generous daily rate as well as mileage for picking up and dropping off your student or students. If you have more spare rooms and you are willing, you can host up to three students at a time so the payments can become more financially rewarding.
making memories for years to come
Hosting an international student is such a rewarding experience. Our host families always tell us what a great experience it is for their whole family. Conversations around the dinner table reach far and wide and cover many topics including cultural differences, food, family life and what school is like here.
The experience can be very entertaining and educational for everyone in the household. For international students, having the experience of family life in the UK is also very interesting, educational and above all comforting when they are far from home. There really is nothing like home cooking and a homely bedroom to call their own for their holiday time. It is the next best thing to being back at home with their own family.
We are always told by our students and host families that great memories are created every time they stay there and they stay in touch with each other for years and years. A few of our host families have also even attended graduations in the UK years after they have left Bright World Guardianships to join university.
the screening process
To become a host family, you must first register your interest by completing our Enquiry Form. From then on we follow the Safer Recruitment Process as follows:
Step 1
Once we have established that you live in an area where we have host family vacancies, you will receive an email from us asking you to complete our application form. We then automatically take up 2 references per adult in the family.
Step 2
We will then ask you to start the DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) process for every member of the family who is over 16.
Step 3
Our Local Coordinator will get in touch to arrange a time for a house inspection. We will then inspect your house, checking the rooms and facilities, fire alarms and gas safety certificates (if you have gas), and conduct ID checks so we can complete the DBS process.
Step 4
Once you are registered, receive DBS and reference clearance and we have inspected your home, you will be all set up and ready to start hosting international students. Your journey as a host family for Bright World will begin and we look forward to working with you.
Once the initial screening has been done and you are fully enrolled as a family, we will automatically update your DBS and revisit your house each year.
once I am fully signed up as a host family, what happens next?
As soon as all your paperwork is complete, your inspection done and your DBS is in, you become a fully 'active' host family for Bright World. Our Accommodation Team will bear you in mind for any hosting requirements straight away.
You will then receive your Blink login details. This is the Bright World portal for host families and you can see who you are hosting, and let us know your availability or when you are going on holiday on these pages.
You will either receive a phone call or an email asking if you are willing to host one of our students. We do appreciate a same-day reply if possible so we can secure arrangements for children and their parents as soon as we can.
Once you agree to host, we will then give you the pick up and drop off details so you are ready to go and collect your student at the correct time on the correct day. They will also have received a copy of your profile so will eagerly be waiting for you at the school gate.
Then your hosting journey begins with Bright World. We hope you will enjoy it.
join our network of host families
If you have a spare room and are thinking of offering a home from home to a student for the holiday times then please get in touch today. We will send you an Host Family Handbook initially so you can see what it all involves and, then if you wish to proceed, we can start the application process. As you would expect, we do need to screen our host families carefully to safeguard our students but we will guide you throughout the process and make it as straightforward and enjoyable as possible.
Once you are registered, receive DBS and reference clearance and we have inspected your home, you will be all set up and ready to start hosting foreign students. Your journey as a host family for Bright World will begin and we look forward to working with you.
