Student Programmes Ireland Ltd

Transcription

1 Student Programmes Ireland Ltd Host Family Guidelines 2010/2011 1

2 Who are Student Programmes Ireland Ltd? Student Programmes Ireland Ltd was set up in 2009 to cater for the increased demand of Foreign Students coming to Ireland to learn English. The directors of SPIL have many years of experience in the successful placement of students on different programmes in Ireland. Previously this company was known as Ballyhoura Country Holidays. We have been placing students on Secondary School Programmes for the past 18 years and in that time have built up a good relationship with schools all over Ireland. This booklet is produced to help you understand the Secondary School Homestay Programme. A coordinator will be assigned to you and will be available to answer any queries or problems you may have during the course of the programme. 2

3 Becoming a Host Family What is a Host Family? Students who come to improve their English stay with carefully selected local Host Families. The experience for both family and student can be enriching and memorable and often both remain life time friends. Students benefit from living with native Irish people in a supportive home environment, practicing English and learning about everyday life in Ireland. There are enormous social benefits for Irish Families to make new friends and learn new cultures and cuisines from all over the world. It is also of great economic benefit to families in these challenging times. Who Can Host? A couple with children A couple without children Singles and single parents Empty Nesters What is expected from the Host Family? A warm, welcoming and safe environment To provide 3 meals a day for the student To provide a packed lunch on days out and school days To do their laundry once a week To allow access to internet where possible Ensure that you parental control filtering software installed in your computer Be sensitive to the needs of the student To encourage student to speak English at all times How Does a Family become part of this programme? Family must complete a Host Family Application Form Complete a conditions and declaration form Have a spare room in their home Agree to abide the rules of the specific programme Give name of person who is not a relative who can give a reference Economic Value of this Programme Host Families are paid a weekly fee for hosting the students 3

4 Host Family Payment Terms Payments are made on a monthly basis on the 25 th of each month Payment will be made directly into your bank or credit union account. Payment schedule will be sent to you prior to first payment If the student is removed from your home for any reason you will be paid up to the day the student leaves your home. Hosting another foreign student at the same time is not prohibited. If student is removed from programme or has to leave the programme for any reason host family will be paid up to end of that calendar month in which student leaves. If for any reason that your student has to stay with another host family for a number of nights (e.g.you going on holidays or during mid term break or Easter Holidays) you are obliged to pay that host family for hosting your student. Pocket Money: The Ministry Of Education will provide each student with a monthly pocket money allowance of 100 this will be paid into the host family back account on a monthly basis and host family will then give pocket money to student on first day of each month. Student must sign a payment schedule when they receive this payment. This applies to Slovak students only. 4

5 Expenses relating to the Programme Bus Ticket: If your student requires a school bus ticket, an application form for same will be completed by your coordinator, the invoice for the ticket will be sent to you and you must post this invoice to SPIL immediately and they will make the payment on line to Bus Eireann for the ticket. If you have a child travelling on same bus pay 50% of the ticket now and send invoice to your coordinator for payment. The ticket will then be posted out directly to you. Should you not receive the bus ticket two weeks before the student arrives please advise your coordinator so that it can be checked out why the ticket did not arrive. School Uniform: You will be advised in due course as to what draper shop you must take your student to get their school uniform. The programme covers the cost of the following: 1 Jumper, 1 shirt, 1 Tie, 1 pants or skirt and girls socks where a skirt is part of the school uniform. School Shoes or outer garments such as jackets and coats are not covered by the programme. Sports wear students are advised before coming to bring their own track suits for sports as these are not covered by the programme either. School Books: Once the student arrives and meets with school principal and their subjects are chosen the list of books required will be given to the coordinator by the school and they will get the books in the local book shop for the students. Stationery supplies such as note books, pens and pencils, exam papers are not covered by the programme. School outings must be paid by the students themselves. 5

6 Travel Rule Students will go home for Christmas for two weeks. Students are allowed to travel within Ireland during mid term breaks and Easter Holidays provided that they complete a Travel Permission Form and send it to your coordinator at least 10 working days before Travel Date, they will in turn send it to SPIL who will send the information to the Ministry Of Education for approval by the natural parent of your host student.. Travel will not be permitted if it involves the following: Any trip that involves returning to home country Any trip that involves missing a day or part of a school day. Family Visits Sometimes student s parents want to visit them in the host country. Please make sure that such plans are made for Mid term Breaks or Easter.. Students tend to suffer homesickness after a visit from their relatives. Parental visits are not permitted in the first six months and thereafter only with prior approval by SPIL. Host families will not be placed in the position of having to arrange accommodations for the student s family. Boyfriends/Girlfriends of students are not allowed to visit at any time during this Educational Programme. SPIL reserves the right to prohibit travel at any time. Travel which interferes with school attendance will only be allowed in exceptional circumstances and with written permission from your natural parents and the school principal. The gathering of written permissions is always the responsibility of the students. 6

7 Programme Dates for year 2010/2011 The programme officially starts on August 30 th Friday August 27th Students will arrive on Students will go home for Christmas on Saturday December 18 th 2010 Students will return to Ireland 8 th January 2011 Student programme ends on 28 th May 2011 School Year 2010/2011 October 2010 mid-term break - All schools will close from 25th to 29th October 2010 inclusive Christmas All schools will close on 23rd December 2010 which will be the final day of the school term. All schools will re-open on 10th January 2011 February 2011 mid-term break - Post-Primary schools will close from 21st to 25th February 2011 inclusive. Primary schools will close from 21st to 22nd February 2011 inclusive or 24th to 25th inclusive. (Primary schools may use 3 discretionary days to extend this break to an alternative option of a 5 day break). Easter All schools will close on 15th April 2011 which will be the final day of the school term. All schools will re-open on 3rd May

8 Insurance/Medical Cover The host family should not pay for any medical care. Each student will have their own E111 card with them which coves medical expenses. This card will also cover emergency visits to dentist but not treatments. All students have been advised to go to their own dentist in their home country for a check up before coming to Ireland. As a public patient EU citizens are entitled to the following services free of charge: Visits to a general practitioner (GP) who is registered under this scheme; Treatment by a specialist consultant if it is deemed necessary by a GP; Emergency dental treatment; Prescription medicines; Necessary hospital treatment. For further details contact your nearest health board. 8

9 Lines of Communication There are very defined lines of communication for the student as you will see in their handbook, please familiarise yourself with these lines. The lines of communication for the host family are as follows: If you are having a problem with your host student you must immediately contact your local coordinator and clearly advise them of the situation. If you are having a problem with your coordinator please contact SPIL immediately. Student Programmes Ireland Ltd Host Family Coordinator 9

10 Do s and Don t of a Homestay Programme Do: Welcome student to your home Make student feel part of your family Advise coordinator of abnormal behaviour Expect student to do some chores the same as own family Familiarize yourself with programme rules Invite student to partake in family events and outings Share family experiences with student Advise coordinator of any illness particularly when it means missing days from school Consult with coordinator if unsure of any rule Advise coordinator if it comes to your attention that another student is not happy Don t Make student feel as if they are a guest in your home Allow them to break any rules Allow them to manipulate family members Feel sorry for them Lend student any money Allow them to stay overnight in another house without consulting with coordinator Allow student to miss a day from school Host a student (long term) from another agent while hosting for SPIL Feel you cannot tell coordinator some things Ask them to do chores that your would not ask your own children to do 10

11 Host Family Guidelines & Rules 1. The host family must be tolerant of the student s foreign customs and habits. The host family should always remember to be understanding and have patience with the student. 2. During the stay, the host family is required to show the student how to get to places of interest such as schools, community centres and attractions and how to use public transportation. 3. The host family must ensure that the student has a quite environment in which to study and compete homework, as well as quite time to rest and sleep. 4. Under no circumstances is the host family to accept or request any favours such as house cleaning, shopping, moving or lifting heavy items, gardening, baby sitting etc 5. It is the responsibility of the host family to have adequate insurance in place to cover the student and any friend or visitor of the student to the host family home in the event of an accident or claim against the host family. The host family must have sufficient home and liability insurance in place and be in a position to produce evidence of this insurance to the programme coordinator upon request. Student Programmes Ireland Ltd does not assume any responsibilities for any injuries suffered by the student or visitor while in the host family s care. By accepting the student on these terms and conditions the host family indemnifies SPIL from and against all claims, causes, suits or actions as may arise now or at any stage in the future in relation to the student. 6. If any physical or verbal abuse occurs, the student will be removed from the home immediately and the incident will be reported to the police for appropriate action. This applies equally to both the host family and the student. The host family hereby agrees that it will complete whatever paperwork may be required in this circumstance and co- 11

12 operate fully with the appropriate authorities in investigation of any such matter. 7. If the host family has any concerns that they cannot discuss directly with the student, the host family should contact the coordinator immediately. 8. Minor students must not be left at home with adult supervision at any time. A minor is any individual who is 17 years old or younger. 9. If the student will not join the host family on family outings or holidays then s/he must not be left alone. Alternate host family arrangements must be made, paid for by the host family and approved by a SPIL representative. 10. Host Families must explain to the student how to evacuate the house in the case of an emergency. The home must have functioning fire alarms. 11. While the student can be invited to attend religious services, the host family should not apply any pressure on the student to attend any religious ceremony. Host families should remember that the student cannot be left alone if s/he is a minor in these circumstances. 12. If there are any change in the host family circumstances such as would cause SPIL to reconside5r the placements of a student with that family, either prior to placement of the student with the family or at any time during the student s stay with the family, then and in that circumstance it is the obligation of the host family to disclose the circumstance to the coordinator. If the host family is in doubt as to what may constitute such a circumstance that host family is to disclose the issue to the coordinator and the coordinator shall advise the host family accordingly. 12

13 Disclaimer & Indemnity Host families are responsible for ensuring that they have adequate and sufficient insurance in place at all times. Host Families are advised that they should at a minimum have Public Liability and Occupiers Liability Insurance in place, in addition to whatever other cover their insurance company recommends assuming full disclosure by the host family to the insurance company concerning the student and concerning the commercial nature of the contract between the host family and SPIL. SPIL takes no responsibility whatsoever for a student s behaviour once the host family has accepted the student into the family home. In the event that the host family suspects that a crime has been committed, it is a matter for the host family to contact the Gardai and to advise your coordinator immediately. The host family indemnifies SPIL from the and against all claims causes, suits or actions as may arise now or at any stage in the future in relations to all matters pertaining to the student. The host family acknowledges that SPIL has no responsibility to it for any loss/theft/damage to property or person/behaviour or actions of any student placed by SPIL with a host family and that the host family takes the student at its own risk. I, Acknowledgement & Confirmation Of, As the host family of a student from SPIL hereby acknowledge and confirm that I have read and understood the Host Family Guidelines and rules as contained in the entirety of this document and hereby agree to and am bound thereby. Dated this day of Signed: For and on behalf of the host family Signed: Coordinator 13