A Guide to Hosting

International Students

Burnside High School

PO Box 29677

Christchurch 8540

New Zealand

Phone: 0064 3 358 8383

International Cellphone (24 hours): 021 891 025

Email: international@burnside.school.nz January 2020

HOSTING GUIDE

Inside This Guide

2 Burnside High School -

Background

3 Welcome from

Homestay Manager,

Requirements for

Hosting, Homestay Visits

4 Arrivals, Expectations of

Hosts, Insurance

5 Meals and Food,

Bathrooms, Laundry

6 Climate, Internet/Email

Cellphone

7 Tips for Hosts

8 Weekends and Going

Out, Evenings

9 Rules, First Day

Instructions, Change in

Circumstances, Travel,

Departures

10 Student Responsibilities,

When things don’t work

out, Guardians

11 Homestay Payments,

Communication

12 Host Family Guidelines,

Alcohol

Burnside High School - Background Burnside High School is the largest secondary school in the South Island with

over 2,600 students. We are proud of the multi-cultural aspect of our school

which has students from over 35 different countries. Since the early 1990s

Burnside High School has hosted international students from all over the

world, although currently most of our students come from Korea, China,

Japan, Thailand, Germany, Brazil, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Malaysia.

Many of our students come for six months or one year to improve their

English. We also have a number of students who will begin their schooling in

Year 9 and continue at school for the entire five years of their secondary

school education. Our students either live in a homestay or a “designated

caregiver” which can be a family member or close friend of the family. We

work hard to ensure we have a good relationship with both our host families

and designated caregivers and work together as a team to provide the best

education and environment we can for our students.

Any school or institution who has international students in New Zealand must

be a signatory to *The Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International

Students. This is a document that outlines everything we must do to ensure

our students are safe and well looked after during their time in New Zealand.

For example; we visit hosts during the year and interview all our students

once a term. It is also compulsory for all people over the age of 18 in a host

family to have a police vet. You will find out more about “The Code” as you

read this guide and the relevant section at the back of this booklet.

For the student, New Zealand is a different country. This frequently means a

different kind of house, different foods, customs, attitudes and ways of doing

things. All these are covered in more detail in this booklet. Some students

have problems adjusting to the comparative freedom of New Zealand

society. On the other hand we have some international students who enjoy

more freedom than we consider suitable for secondary school students and

may not be willing to respond to a lot of ‘rules’.

If conflict arises, do contact us straight away, so that any discussion with the

student can be considered. Communication and clear family guidelines will

prevent most misunderstandings and problems arising. Small problems are

best dealt with quickly and gently, and before trust (on both sides) is

threatened.

For a successful relationship between students and family it is important that

both parties have an understanding of each other’s needs. It may take

some time and some adjustments on both sides during the first few weeks

after your student arrives. Make sure you remember to include your children

in discussions about accommodating an International student. The student

must feel wanted and be able to join in activities with other members of your

family.

After the excitement of arriving in New Zealand some students (especially those from Asian countries) may

experience culture shock. Your student may have come from a culture with domestic help and some

students, particularly males, may never have done any household chores.

All new enrolled students will receive a Homestay Guide along with a comprehensive Orientation pack,

which includes advice on being hosted. Please look at this, and talk to your student about the ‘house rules’

in your home. There are further guidelines to assist you with house rules in this booklet.

HOSTING GUIDE

From the Homestay Manager Thank you for offering your home to our students. We welcome host families to Burnside High School. The

homestay experience is a valuable one for the students, and we trust that you will find hosting students of

other cultures rewarding and worthwhile. Hosting students should not be seen as a money-making venture.

The weekly Homestay fee will offset most, if not all, of the additional costs that you will face through having

another person in your family. However, the fee should not be the reason for which the student is hosted.

The student should be welcomed into the home as an additional family member, with all the privileges and

opportunities of other family members. It is imperative that students feel welcomed and wanted in the

family.

Living with a New Zealand family is a major attraction for international students. It is one of the best ways for

students to put into practice the language they are learning, and it allows them to experience a new and

different culture first hand. They have requested to live with a homestay for these reasons.

Prior to hosting your first student you will receive a visit. If the school is satisfied that hosting a student will be a

positive experience for you and for a prospective student, and if you indicate that you wish to host an

international student, you will be added to our database of available families. When a student applies who

we think may be a good match for your family, you will be contacted again. At this time you will receive

information about the student, and the student will receive information about your family, including if

possible, a letter written by you.

If you are unable to host the prospective student we have for you or if you feel the student doesn’t fit your

family, please contact me as soon as possible.

Occasionally, students cancel their application. If this occurs with a student who has applied to stay with

you, you will be advised immediately after we receive notification. Sometimes this can be at quite short

notice and unfortunately there is nothing the school can do in this situation.

Please ensure you read this guide carefully and contact me if you have any questions regarding hosting or

the school.

Mrs Diane George Mrs Tracy Taylor

Requirements for Hosting

1. A bedroom of their own.

2. Comfortable bed, a desk or table and chair,

wardrobe, chest of drawers, heater, hot

water bottle/wheat bag, safe electric

blanket, lamp and extra blankets.

3. All Meals – breakfasts, lunches, evening

meals and snacks from Monday-Sunday (see

further notes in booklet)

4. Their own house key. Make sure it fits the lock

if you are having a new key cut.

5. For the student to feel comfortable and feel

part of your family. This would include

outings and visiting you may do with your

family.

Regular Homestay Visits and Police Checks Under the Code of Practice it is a requirement of

the school to visit you at home. The International

Staff will contact you to arrange a time that is

convenient for both of you. Generally this will be

anytime during our office hours (8.00am - 3.45pm).

However, we are flexible and visits outside of these

hours can be arranged. When you apply to host,

every member of the household over the age of 18

will be required to complete a Police Vetting form

and produce 2 forms of ID (one with photo) which

will be photographed. These are then redone every

3 years.

Mrs Helen Fitzsimmons – Homestay Manager

HOSTING GUIDE

Health and Medical Insurance Most students have pre-arranged Medical and Travel

Insurance; otherwise our International Student

Administrator makes arrangements through the school

for the students to be insured. If your student becomes

involved in an accident please contact the school

immediately. Please seek medical advice if it seems

necessary. If your student is sick and staying home from

class or if he/she is going to be late for class, we

appreciate a call or text on 021 891025 as soon as

possible. Please assist your student to make Doctor or

Dentist appointments if they need to.

The school’s expectations of hosts:

Find out your student’s friends’ names and

phone numbers. Keep this somewhere you can

access if the student comes home late.

Please ensure your student does not carry

large sums of cash

Assist the student in opening a bank account

when they arrive here and advise them to use

a bank card. Should you require extra

assistance with this contact the Homestay

Manager at school

Help with buying regulation school shoes and

school stationery

Show the student how the bus service works

Show them how to get to and from school

Help them with buying a cellphone/SIM card if

necessary

On the first day of Orientation the International staff

will help students with purchasing of the school

uniform.

Remember, we are here to help – if you need any

assistance with any of the above you can contact us.

Student Arrivals

You will be advised when to meet your student at the

airport. The International staff will assist with meeting the

student, and will hold a large sign with your student’s

name on it. If meeting a plane, it is best to check the

flight arrival time first. Your student will be feeling very

tired and very nervous, in particular about their host

family and what the experience will be like. Being on

time will make an enormous difference to the student’s

feelings and experience. If you know in advance that

events will make you late, please contact the Homestay

Manager.

It is possible that your student may:

be a very shy, reticent person who is very

nervous and fearful of what to expect, or of

making a mistake

experience a language and cultural barrier

shed a few tears or an emotional release of

some kind

We suggest you:

take your student home with you as soon as

possible

show your student their room as soon as you

arrive home. Limit the rest of your home

familiarisation. Do it in stages.

encourage them to contact their family to

advise of their safe arrival.

help your student learn the names of family

members and agree on how to address host

parents.

it is a nice touch to leave a welcome card

from the whole family or a small gift or

flowers in their room when they arrive.

(Homemade gifts and garden flowers are

perfectly fine). We recommend this as a

particularly good idea if you are going to be

late to pick your student up. It is very nerve-

wracking to be waiting to be met and a gift

may ensure that the student feels

welcomed.

HOSTING GUIDE

Meals and Food

Check their likes and dislikes. Adjusting to New

Zealand food is not easy for some students, while

others adapt to our food very quickly. Students do

not understand the concept of ‘help yourself’ to

prepare sandwiches/rolls etc. for lunches. Please

explain and show your student where ingredients are

and how to assemble a sandwich.

Students often enjoy substantial breakfasts, and

without them find themselves hungry at morning

break. They may wish to have cereal, fruit and toast.

If your student finds this kind of food upsets their

stomach, eggs are a good alternative.

If you are hosting Asian students try and have rice

and noodles regularly. Often a bottle of chilli sauce

and soya sauce on the table is a flavour students are

familiar with and this would be appreciated. Cook

extra rice and leave in the fridge as an optional

snack or breakfast food for them. They are usually

quite happy to eat it cold. Cups of noodles/2 minute

noodle packets are ideal snacks for in-between

meals and they often prefer these to a sweet snack.

Students from European countries usually eat their

main meal in the middle of the day and it may take

some time for them to adjust. Plenty of fresh fruit

should be made available. It is up to you whether

you allow your student to cook in your kitchen. Most

of our regular supermarkets now have a wonderful

selection of Asian and Continental foods and flavour

sachets, and it is often helpful to invite your student

to accompany you when shopping which would

give them the opportunity to show you what they

like.

Our meal times often seem very early to students but

explain when meal times are and that you wish them

to eat with the family. It is very important to have

your meals at the dinner table as it helps students feel

part of the family and improves their conversation.

Ensure your student has enough to eat – out of

politeness they may be afraid to eat too much.

Snacks between meals should be available. Just like

New Zealand teenagers, they will look for food when

they get home from school, and probably in the

evening, even after a substantial evening meal. The

habit of eating some foods, eg soup, noisily is a sign

of appreciation in some cultures, and students

probably do not know that our custom is different – it

is also a hard habit to break – please be patient with

such things.

If your student goes out as your guest to a restaurant

they should not be required to pay for their meal,

even if everyone else is paying for their share. If you

are out for a meal and the student does not join you,

please ensure they are left a meal at home.

Laundry

Make suitable arrangements with your student

regarding laundry – students may wish to do

their own, or they may be happy to let you do it.

Many of the Asian girls are very particular about

their personal items of washing and you may

need to give specific instructions about where

they may do their own washing and more

importantly, where to put it to dry.

Please watch they do not hang wet washing

over heaters in their rooms or inside their

wardrobes – this can cause dreadful mould

problems. Provide them with a bag to put their

dirty washing in. Arrange and provide regular

bed linen and towel changes. Students have

been known to bring their own towels and linen.

Do not worry if this happens.

Note: The girls winter kilt is “dry-clean only”

Bathrooms

These must be clean and hygienic. Some Asian

students are unfamiliar with our western style

bathrooms. It is necessary to explain to your

student how to use the shower, toilet and bath. It is

advisable to set a reasonable time limit on the

students’ use of the bathroom and length of time

in the shower; 8-10 minutes is reasonable. Also,

explain when showers must be finished by in the

evening. Please provide soap for students to use in

the shower.

Please make sure they know where to dispose of

sanitary items. Explain to them not to put sanitary

towels down the toilet. It is a good idea to place

some plastic bags or have a plastic container

somewhere readily available to your student.

Shampoo and other personal items are the

student’s responsibility to buy. This is explained in

the student’s Homestay guide booklet.

HOSTING GUIDE

Adjusting to the Christchurch Climate

Many of our students come from tropical countries,

and they may never have experienced cold before.

They may not be able to imagine cold weather.

Even students from temperate climates may find it

difficult to adjust to the climate here, and the way in

which we heat our homes. For example, many

countries use very heavy bedding and students do

not feel warm under light duvets of even the best

quality. Students may need more blankets and

more heating than what you expect. Houses in

colder climates are generally centrally heated

throughout the day and night. Students from such

countries will find our houses cold in the winter, and

will need to be involved in a discussion about the

appropriate way to use a heater. We have included

this in the student’s guide, but as each family has a

different heating system it is important they

understand the rules for your house.

You can expect that students may be sensitive to

the cold just because they are in a whole new

environment. Please try and see this as part of the

adjustment to a new country and a way of doing

things.

Students may also need help and advice about

clothing to suit the local climate. You can explain

that the weather is very changeable and that a

jacket is always a good idea.

The school regulation jacket is the only jacket that

can be worn to school with the school uniform.

Students who wear other jackets to school will

generally be given a detention.

If your student is walking to school, it is a good idea

to help them buy an umbrella as students can get

very wet on their way to school and home without

one.

Cellphones:

We expect all our students to have a New Zealand

cellphone number. Students may come with a

phone and need to arrange a new SIM card for New

Zealand, or they may need to buy a phone when

they arrive. This is for safety reasons so host families

and the International department can contact them

at any time.

Please discuss with your student when they should

finish SKYPING/phone calls to their family/friends in the

evenings, as this can be disruptive to you when you

are trying to sleep.

Internet/E-mail

Please monitor the times your students are on the

internet and if they carry on very late at night, please

contact the Homestay Manager.

In January 2020 the hosting fee increased to $294.00

per week. The fee will include the student

contribution towards unlimited internet. It will be our

expectation that all hosts would have unlimited

internet by January 2020.

We do not recommend that students use your

computers. Most students have to bring their own

laptop computer with them to New Zealand as they

need them for class.

HOSTING GUIDE

Tips for Hosts

It will take a little time for students to settle into their new environment, so patience, kindness,

understanding and of course, cultural sensitivity are necessary attributes for anyone wishing to be

involved in hosting international students.

Be prepared to make some adjustments for your student’s needs. Food and warmth are the two most

important factors in helping students adjust. If the student is happy with the food, and warm enough,

many other problems are avoided.

Please do not loan your student any money, even though it may not be a large amount. If your student

has no cash or there appears to be a problem for them accessing funds, please contact the Homestay

Manager as soon as possible. This rule works the other way too, do not ask your student for money.

Establishing a routine and encouraging plenty of rest can help students to recover from jet lag and

culture shock more quickly. Talk to your student, take an interest in their school life, even if they can’t

understand you very well. Keep trying!

Some communication methods are very different, particularly with students from some Asian countries,

eg. YES acknowledges that they have heard you – it does not necessarily mean that they agree with you.

A SMILE can also mean covering embarrassment - a polite way to hide emotion. Saying SORRY does not

always mean that. It could be that they just want this uncomfortable situation to end. Saying nothing or

not understanding may be the same as above, or guilt.

If you are watching TV, try to involve the student in some way, explaining what you are watching, asking if

they understand, asking their opinions for example. Please feel free to help students with their homework.

The process of talking to you about their homework will help their listening and speaking skills.

Some of our students request homestays with young children. However, please be careful that your

student does not feel as if he/she is a babysitter.

Remember they are teenagers, so some wear and tear on household items is to be expected. If you

have expensive furniture items for your student’s use, please cover surfaces to avoid damage. Make

your expectations very clear in other areas of your home.

With longer term students, identify their major interests, as you may need to assist them to buy a bike, or

join a sports or cultural club etc. We would not recommend you lend your bike to your student.

It is a nice touch to note when your student’s

birthday is. If you mark it in some way, the student

will appreciate it, and feel part of the family.

Nothing elaborate is needed, perhaps a birthday

cake.

Ask about your student’s culture. It will be good

practice for the student, but will also help you to

understand them and their needs. Use a world atlas

and find out exactly where they live in their country.

Remember that while you may have had many students in your home, this will almost certainly be

the student’s first experience in a NZ homestay. Show as much interest as possible. Students are

sensitive about host families appearing ‘tired’ of hosting.

HOSTING GUIDE

Home Times during School Term The rules are – Monday to Thursday and Sunday

students should be home with their host family by

6.00pm and not go out for the rest of the evening.

There may be some occasions where this is not

applicable, for example, sports training, music lessons

etc.

Dinner is always a good time for the student to get to

know your family and practice their English skills!

At dinner you can talk about:

The student’s day at school

Your day at work

Any homework or assessments they may have

News from the student’s home country

The weather and the television news that night

The food/cooking

Help them with new words / vocabulary – it is

sometimes fun to learn some new words each

night.

Encourage your student to feel like a part of the family

by getting them to help with chores – this doesn’t have

to be a big thing, perhaps just clearing the table or

loading the dishwasher. Some students will be used to

helping at home and some may not. You may also

need to teach them how to say “Please and Thank

you”. Often hosts are upset when the students don’t

say this and it’s generally a cultural misunderstanding

as the students don’t realise the importance we place

on this in New Zealand. We do explain this to the

students at Orientation – but they may need

reminding.

After dinner, sometimes the students go to their rooms

and spend time on the internet, contacting their

families and doing homework. Although they do need

some time to be in their rooms, we encourage you to

get them out and doing things with your family as

much as possible – even if it is just watching TV or a

movie or playing games. This is really helpful for their

English and makes them feel part of your family.

Weekends - Going out One of the most important roles you have as a host

family is the safety of your student while they are in

New Zealand. For this reason we have strict guidelines

about what information you need from your students

when they are out in the evenings or staying over at a

friend’s house.

If your student is going out please ensure:

They understand they must ASK for your

permission first.

They must give you the phone numbers and

address of where they will be (if it is a friend’s

house) or the place they will be e.g. movies at

Northlands.

You must discuss with them how they will get

there and back home.

You need to give them a specific time to be

home, especially if there are other teenagers in

the house who have the same house rules.

They must take their cellphone and remind

them it must be switched on and charged.

It is a good idea for the student to have some

cash in their wallet so they can get an

Uber/taxi home if they need to.

Make sure the student is home at the arranged

time.

Encourage your student to – BE SAFE and be

RESPECTFUL of you and your house rules.

If they have planned to go to a friend’s house

for a sleep over you must contact that parent

or host to confirm the arrangement.

In the interests of safety we ask that you

discourage students from going out and

coming home alone at night. Encourage them

to travel with friends and share an Uber/taxi if

need be.

Discourage students from catching the bus

home from the city after dark. It is not safe!

These students are young and should be

treated as such. We are responsible for their

safety.

Encourage students to ring you immediately if

they are lost or need help.

Important - Alcohol in New Zealand The legal age for drinking alcohol in New Zealand is

18. International Students are not allowed to drink

alcohol or take drugs whilst they are in New Zealand

studying at Burnside High School. In some countries

teenagers are allowed to drink beer or wine at home

with their families when they are over the age of 16,

but in New Zealand this is not allowed. It is against the

law for adults to give alcohol to under 18 year old

International students.

Students Travelling in Cars Please be vigilant about international students travelling

in cars with other young people. Drivers must have a full

licence and we do not encourage students being

driven by other teenagers. Car trips outside of

Christchurch with a student driver is not allowed.

International students at Burnside High School are not

allowed to own or drive cars. Exceptions to this rule can

only be made by the International Student Director and

after permission is obtained from the student’s family.

HOSTING GUIDE

Counsellors If your students would like to discuss any matter

or problem in their own language, please

contact us. The International staff will be able

to refer the problem to an appropriate person

or Counsellor and arrange an interpreter if that

is necessary.

First Day Instructions On the first day at school, it is most important you

show them how to get to school and home again.

This may mean travelling in the bus with them,

walking with them or driving them. Where

appropriate arrange to buy a concession bus

ticket. Please make sure your student is confident

getting to school and home. Please do not assume

your student understands if they nod their head. A

hand drawn map is a good idea, even for those

taking the bus. Remember it is frightening for your

student to be in a place where they cannot

communicate their needs. The International Dept

Emergency card is issued to students on the first

day and their Student ID/CANDO card is issued 2-3

weeks later. Putting the time in with your student

initially will mean that problems will be minimised in

the future.

The school uniform is bought at the Uniform shop on

the first day of Orientation. Please make your

student aware credit cards are not accepted in

the Uniform shop but Debit card and Cash are.

Departures It is important to assist your student with flight

departure details. Many students do tend to

accumulate a lot of possessions during their time in

New Zealand. Please encourage them to start sorting

through their belongings at the start of Term 4 to avoid

a quick departure with gear being left in your home to

dispose of. The transport company, DHL will supply

cartons and pick up the goods, saving you a lot of

time. Their costs are very competitive and certainly

cheaper than excess luggage rates at the airport.

If your student has to board a domestic flight to

another New Zealand airport please try and ensure

that their luggage is able to be checked through to

International at the appropriate airport. If your student

has an international flight direct from Christchurch,

please be sure to have enough time for checking in

and farewells. At all times, should you be unable to

take your student to the airport, please let the

Homestay Manager know in plenty of time.

Change in circumstances If there is a change in your family – children leave

home, other family members or boarders arrive, family

pets arrive etc it is important that you let us know as we

need to discuss it with the student and their agent /

family. It can be very embarrassing if things change

and we are not aware of it. We are always more than

happy to hear from you!

If I am going away overnight – what should I do?

It is the school policy that international students

are not to be left unsupervised overnight.

Contact me at the International Office on 358-

8383 Ext 806

We will discuss the options for care of your

student while you are away.

If you are going away for a short time and are

able to get a friend or family member to stay at

your house with the student – that is acceptable

but please contact the Homestay Manager so

we can complete the correct documentation.

Student Travel Students are not allowed to travel overnight

unsupervised. For ANY travel, students must complete a

“Green Holiday Information Form” which is signed by

their natural parents and hosts. Please contact us if your

student is making travel plans of any sort.

If you would like to travel and take your student with

you – that is also fine, but once again, please contact

the Homestay Manager so we are aware of where the

student will be. We will also need to inform their parents

of the planned travel.

What do we do if the student is late home? Try to contact the student via their cellphone.

Check they are safe and the reason why they are

late and reinforce that they must come home

immediately.

If you cannot contact your student or the friends

they are with and they are over an hour late,

please ring the after hours number for international:

021 891 025. We will help you to locate the student.

What if the student breaks our house rules? It is important to realise that teenagers will push

boundaries and sometimes rules will be broken.

Please treat your student as you would your own

teenager:

Talk to them about the problem

Reinforce the rule and your expectations

Check the student understands

If necessary, give a punishment such as an

earlier curfew or grounding

Contact the school if you need help or

advice, we will support you fully

HOSTING GUIDE

Responsibilities of Students Make it clear that your student is responsible for:

Tidiness of his/her room. Remember they

are young teenagers and are probably as

keen and as able as all our teenagers. Be

realistic about expectations

Security – locking up and closing windows

is everyone’s responsibility

Punctuality for meals

Safe use of all appliances

Communication: telling you where they

are going.

Respecting the school rules that smoking

and drinking alcohol are not allowed.

Visits from friends. Make your policy clear

on student’s right to bring others to your

home and whether to ask first. Some have

a tendency to just turn up with friends

which can be alarming for the other host

family who are missing their student.

In the Student’s Homestay Guide on the last page

you can write down your family guidelines and

expectations with the student. It helps to talk about

these and be open about your expectations, curfews

and rules.

What happens when things don’t work out? Despite the best efforts of everybody, sometimes a

hosting arrangement doesn’t work out. This could be

for any number of reasons and generally we will try

to resolve any issues before they become too large.

For this reason it is best if you contact us if you are

having issues with your student as soon as possible

before the relationship breaks down.

Very rarely mediation doesn’t work and we need to

move a student. A host family that works for one

student doesn’t always work out for another. If we

do need to move your student for any reason, Helen

will contact you to discuss what has happened and

we will give you a week’s notice where possible.

Sometimes both the host and the student are happy

for the move to be immediate.

Guardians Sometimes students will have a guardian. This is not a

requirement of Burnside High School but many

families like to appoint a guardian to help their child

while they are in New Zealand. Guardians usually

speak the student’s language and are paid by the

family.

If your student has a guardian you can expect them

to help with some of the things you might usually do –

like buying uniforms, picking up from the airport and

opening bank accounts. Guardians will also expect

to visit you and the student. However, they should not

interfere with the rules and expectations you have for

your student in the home. Most of the guardians are

very good and will respect this, but if there is a

problem please contact us to help you.

Guardians may wish to take the student out – this is

fine, but they should always contact you regarding

the arrangements.

HOSTING GUIDE

Homestay Payments The Homestay payment is for full board, which includes:

breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks from Monday to Sunday

school lunches

meals and snacks during school holidays

laundry

and all requirements as listed under requirements from host families. The cost of the homestay

accommodation is $294.00 per week. Payment is made by direct credit to your bank account on a weekly

basis. This fee incorporates the internet. It will be our expectation that all hosts would have unlimited internet

by January 2020.

If the student goes away in the Term 1, 2 or 3 holidays, they must have handed in a green holiday form to the

International Department. The homestay payment will continue as usual.

If the student is going home over the November-January break and they want to store their belongings at

the homestay, a payment of one extra week ($294) will be paid into your account as an extra fee to cover

storage costs. Your payments will resume when your student(s) return to your home.

Occasionally a student insists on a change of homestay family, in which case we are required to take action

and shift the student. Where possible we will try and give reasonable notice to both parties.

It is a good idea to check the amount that is going into your bank account especially when you first have a

student placed with you. If there are any issues with payment please let us know as soon as possible.

HOSTING GUIDE

Communication

The School MOODLE site should be your first point of contact:

http://learn.burnside.school.nz/

The school facebook site:

https://www.facebook.com/burnsidehighschool

News from the International Department will be via email/hail.

Please ring us (358-8383 Ext 806) if you have any questions or

concerns or you can call into the International office at school

between 8.00am and 3.30pm.

Host family Guidelines

Some of these questions appear in the Student’s Guide which they might have already read but it is a good idea to complete

this page with your student in their Guide Book which they receive in a green pack on the first Orientation Day.

Must be home Weeknights: Monday to Thursday and Sunday at 6.00pm and in for the night, unless student(s) have

joined a sports club or music group etc.

Curfew times during the Weekend:

Friday: Saturday:

Household responsibilities expected of your student:

Family guidelines and expectations:

HOSTING GUIDE

*Pastoral Care of International Students

Code of Practice 2016

When living with a Residential Caregiver:

A declaration from residential caregivers that their home meets all relevant legislative requirements can be used as evidence that living conditions are deemed safe. A home visit will also offer evidence of living conditions in relation to: • location • standard of bathroom and other facilities • level of safety and security • standard of cleanliness • temperature and heating • good quality bedroom furniture • appropriate linen and bedding • desk and chair • provisions for emergencies, e.g. first aid supplies, smoke alarms - whether the physical and emotional environment is safe for the student • number and age of students and other residents living in the house. Safety Checks:

It is very important to ensure the safety of international students when selecting accommodation. Students may be staying in accommodation for an extended period, for a short period or in temporary accommodation, alone or with other students. Schools are required to complete an ‘appropriate safety check for a residential caregiver’. It is expected that a police vet or criminal history check is completed for all adults residing in a homestay who are 18 years of age and over. As well as a police vet or criminal check, the following checks can be included to ensure an appropriate safety check is undertaken: • Confirmation of identity, e.g. sighting passport or driver’s license • Home visit • Character references • Interviews with host family members. All information obtained during the safety checking process is confidential. Schools are required to have processes in place to protect the privacy of participants, including any information obtained through the criminal history check or police vetting process. Home visits:

Home visits are an important strategy to collect information about the quality of residential care. Schools should visit student accommodation at planned intervals and on a regular basis during the student’s stay. The number of visits to a residential caregiver should be sufficient to ensure the quality care provided is of an acceptable standard. The residential carers should be advised in advance that the visit will be taking place. Some residential caregivers may need more visits than others, for example it may be appropriate to visit early in a students’ stay and then again some weeks later to review the placement. It can be useful to visit the accommodation while the student is present to gauge the interactions between the student and the residential caregivers. These visits need to be documented and records kept. Effective communication

Schools are required to have procedures for ongoing checking of the residential caregiver and the accommodation to ensure the safety and well-being of the student. It is important to keep written records of monitoring and issues in order to maintain effective communication with families. The school should attempt to mediate and resolve any issues as they arise and keep families informed of progress. Expectations in relation to accommodation can be clearly set out in written contracts, accommodation agreements and codes of conduct for students.

Continued over page

HOSTING GUIDE

Student interviews

Student interviews are an important strategy to gather information about the well-being and care of international students. All students should be interviewed on a planned, regular basis to ascertain they are safe, their accommodation is appropriate and their academic, social and emotional needs are being met. The number of student interviews should be sufficient to ensure international staff are informed and up-to-date with information about international student well-being and care. All interviews should be documented and records kept. During student interviews, it is helpful to ask open-ended questions that allow students to describe how they feel generally about their living conditions. Questions might include, asking about activities they undertake with their residential carer, food, family routines, people in the home, bedroom and facilities, any issues arising out of their living situation. Schools should have a documented process in place to follow up from student interviews if necessary. Problems discovered during an interview should be referred to the appropriate person. Serious concerns should be followed up immediately.

PO Box 29677

Christchurch 8540

New Zealand

Phone: 0064 3 358 8383

International Emergency Cellphone (24 hours): 021 891 025

Email: international@burnside.school.nz

Helen Fitzsimmons: 358 8383 Ext 806