AFS New Zealand Looking for Host Families

Media Release

AFS New Zealand Looking for Host Families to Open Homes and Hearts to Overseas Students

Wellington January 12th 2015 - Student exchange organisation AFS is urgently seeking volunteer host families to welcome students from all corners of the world.

AFS is currently seeking 30 families from anywhere in New Zealand. Students are due to arrive in NZ in February.

The students are aged between 15-18 and families can welcome them into their house from anywhere from three months to 10 months.

Programme Manager for AFS Diana Rennie said many of the overseas students may have to delay or cancel their exchange if host families are not found for them.

“These students were supposed to arrive in the first week of February,” she said.

“Since we are still looking for families to open their homes and welcome them, they might have their arrival delayed or have to withdraw from the program.”

During their stay students attend local high schools and become part of the family of their hosts.

“Students become members of the family; they’re expected to behave like other members, right down to doing dishes or mowing the lawns!” Diana said.

“Host families are very dynamic. We have families with mum, dad and the kids or a family might be a solo parent, or two dads or two mums, or people whose own children have flown the nest. It’s a great experience to have someone from another culture come and live with in your home. These relationships become intergenerational, with host parents attending weddings in later years and becoming ‘grandparents’ to their host children’s, children!”

Although most families host students for no payment, families can be paid $75 a week, if it’s the difference for a family hosting or not hosting.

For more information on how to host, call Diana Rennie on 0800 600 300 or look at the student profiles at www.afs.org.nz/Host/Student_profiles/

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