Homestay Provider Information Handbook 2018 · The Whites Hill State ollege homestay coordinator, Ms Rebecca Sutton, has a wealth of knowledge re-garding the needs of our International

Education Queensland International

CRICOS Provider Number 00608A

© The State of Queensland (Department of Education) 2018

Whites Hill State College

Homestay Provider

Information Handbook

2018




Contents...

Welcome from Head of Department, Arts and International .................................. 3

Whites Hill State College Contact Details ................................................................ 4

International Department Contacts......................................................................... 5

Types of Programs ................................................................................................... 6

Visa, Accommodation & Welfare requirements ...................................................... 7

Homestay Overview, requirements and expectations ............................................. 8

Homestay Hints & Guidelines ................................................................. 9, 10, 11, 12

Household Chores & Expectations ........................................................................ 13

Curfew & Bed Times ........................................................................................ 14, 15

Travel & Supervision .............................................................................................. 16

Overseas Health Cover & Medical Care ................................................................. 17

Attendance Monitoring ......................................................................................... 18

Academic and Behaviour Monitoring .................................................................... 19

Student Support .................................................................................................... 20

Critical Incidents .................................................................................................... 21

Homestay Procedures ........................................................................................... 22

Airport Reception .................................................................................................. 23

Arrival Day............................................................................................................. 24

Local Orientation ............................................................................................. 25, 26

First Day of School ................................................................................................. 27

Homestay Payment Cycle & Homestay Holding Fee .............................................. 28

School Holidays ..................................................................................................... 29

Student Departure ................................................................................................ 30

Appendices ...................................................................................................... 31-50




The Whites Hill State College International program is a truly community enterprise reflective of the wel-

coming spirit found across the College.

Our showcase International programs, and High School Preparation program, play a significant role in

extending the College community across the planet as we make connections with our International fami-

lies. We have students studying here from Italy, Germany, India, Sri Lanka, China, Japan, Korea, Cambo-

dia and Vietnam, and they bring with them knowledge and diverse experiences that may enrich our own

lives. The homestay program is an integral part of this enrichment. We sincerely value the way you open

your homes, welcome, and care for our International students. We urge you to take advantage of the

opportunity to make lasting friendships as you share understandings of the world in which we live.

The Whites Hill State College homestay coordinator, Ms Rebecca Sutton, has a wealth of knowledge re-

garding the needs of our International students. Do not hesitate to contact her in all matters surrounding

the homestay process.

Yours sincerely

Mrs Gerri Courtney

Head of Arts and International

Welcome from….

Head of Department, Arts,

LOTE & International




Location:

138 Burn Street Camp Hill QLD 4152

Postal Address: PO Box 42 Carina QLD 4152

Telephone: School Office: 07 3900 8333 HSP Office: 07 3900 8318 07 3900 8319 International Emergency: 0481 038 312 or 0437 932 367 Student Absence: 0427 016 460 Website: www.whiteshillsc.eq.edu.au College Principal: Ms Melanie Harth College Deputy Principal: Ms Sandra Quinn Head of School Secondary: Mr Ben Ward Head of School Primary: Ms Megan Ries Guidance Officer: Mrs Kylie Robertson College Nurse: Ms Catherine Raff




Ms Jean Hamilton Position: Director of Studies, High School Preparation

Ms Rebecca Sutton Position: International Student Support/ Homestay Coordinator

International Program Personnel

Mrs Gerri Courtney Position: Head of Department

Ms Melanie Harth-Swain Position: Principal

Mrs Mariah Heritage Position: International Student Support /Study Tour Co-ordinator

Miss Tricia Byrne

Position: ESL Support




Types of Programs

High School Preparation (HSP)

Prior to enrolling in mainstream classes at Whites Hill State College, most Graduate and Study Abroad stu-dents complete a minimum of one terms tuition in our High School Preparation (HSP) program. This pro-gram is an intensive English program that prepares the students for mainstream secondary school stud-ies. The curriculum in HSP has been specifically designed to develop the skills needed for international stu-dents to successfully join high school programs in Queensland. Students focus on the four macro skills: Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking. This is done through studying language for Mathematics, Sci-ence, Study of Society and Environment and Literature. They also have dedicated English lessons and a focus on study skills runs throughout the program. There are three HSP centres in Brisbane; they are located within the Indooroopilly State High School, Mitchelton State High School and Whites Hill State College campuses. All of Whites Hill State College stu-dents will attend High School Preparation at Whites Hill SC with some required to also attend Indooroop-illy State High School or Mitchelton State High School during Term 5 (summer holidays). Students will graduate from HSP when they have successfully reached the levels required through the Ed-ucation Queensland International framework test. Whites Hill State College are responsible for the homestay of students while they are in the HSP program if the destination schools are located some distance from the college and it is deemed more convenient to homestay the student locally. Once the student has completed their HSP program they will transfer to a homestay located in the area of their destination school.

The High School Graduate program is for students from Prep to Year 12 who want to come to Queens-land to complete their school education. Students study the Queensland curriculum, and those who graduate from Years 11 and 12 receive the Queensland Certificate of Education, awarded by the QSA. This is an internationally recognised qualifica-tion, which means EQI High Schools are an effective pathway for international students who are seeking

to continue on to tertiary education in Queensland..

Graduate Program

High School Study Abroad is for students from Year 8 to Year 12 who want to study in Queensland for a period of three, six, nine or 12 months. Study Abroad students are provided a rich opportunity to improve their English proficiency as they study in an EQI High School and immerse themselves in Australian culture. The Study Abroad students like to be shown local tourist attractions and enjoy spending their weekends sightseeing with their host families or friends. Upon completion of EQI Study Abroad, students receive a Queensland school report of their academic achievements. Many Study Abroad students return to Queensland to complete their education at an EQI High School or to study tertiary education in Queensland.

Study Abroad Program

https://www.eqi.com.au/programs/high-school-graduate-program.html

https://www.eqi.com.au/programs/high-school-graduate-program.html




Visa, Accommodation & Welfare requirements

The majority of international students enrolling in the full fee paying EQI International Program do so under a class 500 Australian student visa. To meet Australian welfare requirements, students under the age of 18 enrolling to study in Australia must either:

Reside with a parent/legal custodian, recognised as such through the Department of Immi-gration and Boarder Protection (DIBP) for the duration of their studies, or

Have their welfare undertaken through the Education Provider, in our situation EQI is the

provider. When EQI undertakes welfare for an international student, it is EQI who is responsible for the accom-modation, support and general welfare of the student for the duration of the student’s study program. To remain enrolled with the education provider, a student visa holder must maintain satisfactory attendance, satisfactory course progress and remain living with a parent/legal custodian or EQI regis-tered homestay provider for the duration of their study program. To ensure welfare responsibilities are met and maintained, EQI has developed policy and procedures by which the school, student and homestay provider must abide. Please refer to the appendix for a copy of the EQI Homestay Guidelines for homestay providers.

https://eqi.com.au/ISP%20PP%20PDFs/accommodation-and-welfare-policy.pdf




Homestay Overview, requirements and expectations

The underlying principle of providing homestay accommodation is to provide a safe, warm and friendly environment for students studying in a different country. Both family and student must work at the re-lationship for it to be successful. Homestay families are expected to welcome the student as a valued member of the household and stu-dents, in return, are expected to show consideration, courtesy and respect for the homestay family. The International Student Code of Conduct and Homestay Code of Conduct outline appropriate behav-iours for both parties, please see appendix for a copy of these codes. The basic criteria to be met by an EQI approved homestay provider are listed below. Please refer to the EQI “Homestay Guidelines for Homestay Families” in the appendix for a full list of requirements and ex-pectations.

Agree to host no more than two international students at any one time

All members of the homestay family over 18 years of age must possess a current Blue Card

The homestay is clean, tidy, close to school and located close to public service routes

The homestay provides a safe, secure, private bedroom with suitable storage space

Suitable facilities for study, including a desk, a chair, and adequate lighting

Access to bathroom and laundry facilities

Access to household items, such as towels, sheets, blankets and eating/cooking utensils

Availability of a separate house key or alarm passwords

Provide three healthy and sustaining meals a day plus snacks

Provide access to telephone, television and internet facilities

Maintain suitable supervision of the student in their care, as if the student were their own child

https://eqi.com.au/for-students/homestay We look forward to working with families to welcome international students into an Australian cultural and study experience.




Homestay Hints & Guidelines

The opportunity to live with an Australian family will be an experience that is valued by your international students and we hope that you too will enjoy the experience of sharing your family life with a young per-son whose cultural experiences and perspectives differ from your own. The following hints and guidelines cover areas that can cause issues to arise between the students and homestay and so we hope our hints do assist if any of these issues arise. Of course, the college coordina-tors are always on hand to assist you with any issues as well. Food Hints Food holds such strong personal and cultural ties that sometimes international students experience physi-ological symptoms from not having food that is familiar to them. You will need to find a happy balance in accommodating your own family’s food preferences and that of your new family member. Below are some hints to make the transition easier for both you and your stu-dent.

Ask the student to create a like and dislike meal list with you. Remind the student it is ok to dislike some foods. Take your student grocery shopping with you and talk about the different foods in an Aus-

tralian supermarket. Ask the student to share a favourite recipe with you or show how to prepare a traditional

dish. Share information about an Australian breakfast and find out what the student would like for

breakfast. If you work and your family prepares their own breakfast make sure you show the student how to do this and how to tidy up afterwards.

Find out what your student would like to eat for lunch. Show them some Australian options for lunch and make a list of preferred lunch items.

Understand that mealtime etiquette varies between cultures. In some cultures it is perfectly acceptable to burb, slurp or make noise whilst eating, and can be viewed as a sign of appreci-ation of a fine meal. Obviously this is not going to be acceptable within Australian culture, so it is important to sensitively and politely explain that culturally in Australia this manner of eating is not acceptable. It may take a few gentle reminders before your student ‘breaks the habit”.

Make dinner a time to come together and share the experiences of the day as a family. This is a time to practice speaking in English.

International students will take time to adjust to the eating habits of Australians, and during this adjust-ment period you will need tolerance and patience to adjust to their ways of eating. If you continue to have difficulties with food issues or have any concerns please notify us and we can arrange for your stu-dent to speak with our school nurse.




Homestay Hints & Guidelines continued…..

Telecommunications Students may need your assistance to arrange an Australian phone number and internet plan with a telecommunication provider. Internet Hints International students are required to provide for their own internet. All international students require internet access to perform tasks associated with their school studies and to communicate with family and friends overseas. Make sure you discuss internet usage with the student. Accept that a student in senior will need to

spend a significant amount of time on the computer. Discuss acceptable use of the technology. Online gaming & Sci-Fi fantasy games are very popular

with adolescents today and can become addictive. Discuss the viewing of appropriate material and Australian copyright laws. If your suspect your student is using the internet well into the morning hours please contact the

Homestay coordinator. Sleep Patterns Discussing internet usage is an opportunity to set expectations

regarding sleep times. Remember a senior student may need to up late completing as-

signments. Teenagers require more sleep than adults. We recommend a

sleep app to remind students to prepare for bed, go to sleep and a wake up alarm.

Good communication and sharing of the student study timeta-ble will prevent issues throughout the term.

Study Habits A study timetable is created with the student when they attend

learning support sessions at the college. Learning support is offered every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday during the lunch hour in

the AALC. Please ensure your international student shows you their study planner International student will need to do more study than an domestic student. This study will include

tasks that develop reading, writing, listening, speaking and vocabulary building in English. We rec-ommend all students have a QUIZZLET app on their electronic device. Students may create folders with new English vocabulary here. You can encourage students to add new words to this app.




Bathroom Hints Bathroom use and habits vary from country to country. You may need to take the time to explain how an Australian bathroom is used, particularly for those students from Asian countries where there is a greater cultural difference with the use of bathroom facilities. Please be aware that situations will arise that will require sensitivity and delicacy to approach.

When your student arrives at your home make time for them to settle in before you give them an orientation of the home. Choose a time when your student is well rested and alert and when you have time to answer questions and patiently explain things to them.

Explain to your student (you may require the use of Google translator) that Australia has experienced many years of drought and as a result we try to limit our shower time to five minutes;

Show your student the bath mat and explain how to put it on the floor to absorb water

when they get out of the shower and where to hang it after a shower. Show your student how to wipe down the basin after use. Explain to your student that waste toilet paper is flushed down the toilet but sanitary nap-

kins are first wrapped and disposed of in the bin (not flushed). This is important as in some countries used toilet paper is placed in the bin and not flushed down the toilet.

Show your student where they can wash and dry their hands after using the toilet. As hand

washing habits vary from country to country it can be convenient to place a bottle of sani-tary hand gel in the toilet and it may encourage your student to follow through with our ex-pected hand washing practices.

Please approach all areas of personal hygiene discreetly and sensitively. Contact the international staff if you have any problems.






Show your student how and where to hang their laundry to dry. Please note that many

Asian girls are very modest about their undergarments and many wash these by hand either in the bathroom sink or when they shower. They will also not display these items on the line to dry, but rather prefer to hang them in their room or on a clothes airer hidden from view;

Ironing clothes will, probably, also be a new experience for your student. Please take the time to show your student how to safely use the iron. If you have very young children of your own, you must also explain to the student not to leave the iron on and unattended for safety reasons;

With regards to laundering bed sheets and linen we recommend that you do this for your student. Let your student know when you want to wash the sheets and ask them to “strip” (you will have to explain this term) their bed for you. You may need to also show them how to remake their bed.

Laundry Hints There are two options with regards to laundry; you can wash your student’s clothes in with your own fam-ily laundry or you can show your student how to care for their own. When deciding, please consider your students age and length of stay. If your student is young, or is only staying for a short period of time, you may be happy to wash (and iron) their clothing. For more mature and longer term students it is acceptable for you to show the student how to care for their own clothing. This is a life skill they will eventually need for independent living. Decide from the beginning what you are going to do as this will avoid any conflict later on. If you are going to show your student how to care for their own laundry please consider:

Do not assume that your student will know how to use a washing machine.

Explain to your student what constitutes a ‘load’ of washing i.e. more than one or two items, how to separate the darks and lights and how much detergent to use and what wash cy-cle is best to use. Homestay families will provide cleaning and ironing products.

Sometimes the white school shirt or jumper sleeves will need to be soaked or sprayed with a stain remover. Show your stu-dent how to do this.




Homestay Chores & Expectations

Every Australian family has different expectations and standards when it comes to housekeeping and the allocation of household chores. At Whites Hill State College we expect our international students to be active and involved members of the family unit. It is expected that the student, as a family member, also be involved in the sharing of basic cleaning responsibilities. However, before you send your student out to mow the lawn or clean out the gutters please refer to our expectations and hints below. Yes—we would expect the following from the student:

Helping to tidy shared areas of the home i.e. picking up after themselves, rearranging sofa cushions/coverings after use, wiping down bathroom vanity/shower recess after use, clean-ing up any personal mess after using the toilet

Helping to prepare or tidy up before and after meals i.e. assisting to set the table, assisting to wash dishes or stack/unstack the dishwasher

Cleaning up after preparing own meals or snacks Help take out the household garbage Keep their own room clean and tidy i.e. not leaving wet towels or dirty clothes on the floor,

keeping food stuff out of their bedroom and emptying private waste bin regularly No—we would not expect the following from the student:

Mopping and/or vacuuming household floors—with the ex-ception of their own bedroom

Using bleach products to clean shower recess, a wipe down with a cloth is acceptable

Mowing, using the whipper snipper or other potentially hazardous garden implements

Cleaning out the pool or pool filters, administering chlorine or bleach to a pool

Babysitting or providing person-al care for homestay children, unless this is a private arrangement and remuneration will be given to the student

Providing care/maintenance for household pets—unless the student enjoys the animal and is happy to do so

Please be mindful that your student, particularly Asian students, will be unused to having to assist in household chores. Therefore please take time to show and teach your student what is expected of them. Do not assume they will know how to make a bed, or how to clean the bathroom after use. Be patient and expect of them what you would expect from your own child of the same age and gender.




Homestay Rules

Homestay Rules

Homestays parents will talk to the student about expectations in their home.

The following are general guidelines for Whites Hill State College students.

Follow homestay family rules eg.

No food in the bedroom

Lights out at 10pm

Put dirty clothes in the laundry

Respect property

Keep your room clean

Do not touch what does not belong to you

Treat other people’s belongings and other people as you would like to be treated in your home

Be home on time

Sunday to Thursday:

Junior High School (Years 7 to 10). No later than 6:00 pm*

Senior High School (Year 11 to 12). No later than 7:00 pm*

Friday / Saturday and school holidays:

Junior High School (Years 7 to 10). No later than 9:30 pm*

Senior High School (Year 11 to 12). No later than 10:30 pm*

Discussion may occur regarding reasonable adjustments to times due to sporting, cultural, work or social commitments. Please advise the Homestay coordinator of these adjustments.

Go to bed on time

Have enough sleep ready for study the next day.

Ensure the homestay, College, Homestay coordinator have your mobile phone contact details.

Update your contact details if they change

Tell your homestay where you are at all times and have your mobile phone with you, charged and with credit

Where are you going?

What are you doing?

Who are you going with?

When will you be home?




Travel & Supervision

The EQI travel policy is designed to protect the personal safety and wellbeing of international students enrolled to study in Queensland. These guidelines are in place to manage any potential risk associated with travel undertaken by international students enrolled in our programs. Students are not permitted to travel or stay overnight without travel forms being completed. These must be completed two weeks in advance so that the relevant forms may be processed. The EQI travel policy also protects the homestay provider by placing the onus for travel approval onto EQI, the school and the student. The “travel form” a student must complete prior to undertaking any travel activity. These are listed be-low. The school principal will assess the travel for appropriate supervision, assess the potential risk to the student and either approve or deny the travel. The school will contact the homestay provider to advise them if permission has been granted or declined International students are NOT permitted to remain unsupervised overnight even if they are over the age of 18. if you are planning a family holiday and your student cannot travel with you, please contact a member of the international team so that temporary EQI approved accommodation can be organised for your student until your return.




Overseas Health Cover & Medical Care

Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is mandatory for holders of student visas. This cover must be maintained throughout the duration of the students course of study in Australia. OSHC for EQI international students is held through Allianz Global Assistance or students may select an-other private fund. International students pay for the medical service received at the time of consulta-tion. The student can then apply to Allianz through their membership to obtain a refund for part or all of this expense, depending on the treatment/service provided. Please refer to the Allianz website for more detailed information.

https://www.oshcallianzassistance.com.au




Attendance Monitoring

An international student enrolled with EQI on a 571 or a 500 student visa must maintain satisfactory attendance, satisfactory behaviour (both in and out of homestay) and satisfactory academic progress to meet the requirements of this study visa. International students must have no less than 80% attendance per term and will require a medical certifi-cate for absences longer than a day. Attendance under 80% may result in the cancellation of their stu-dent visa. Students are reminded that Whites Hill State College has an attendance target of 95% and that they are expected to comply with these targets. Please support your student by texting in all absences to our school absence line 0427 016 460, and assist your student with the scheduling of a doctor’s appointment if required. Our international team will monitor your student’s attendance regularly and will formally issue the student with warning notifica-tion as well as seek intervention through guidance support, senior administration and EQI staff for student absences should they reach 10%, 15% & 20% respectively. Our school staff will maintain communication regarding your stu-dent’s attendance with you throughout their enrolment duration and we will require your support in facilitating student punctuali-ty. Should your student arrive late to school they must present to the administration where this lateness will be electronically noted.




Academic & Behaviour Monitoring

International students must maintain satisfactory academic achievement across all areas of their study. Our Head of Department, International will closely monitor student academic achievement and will often liaise with student, teachers and guidance officers to assist students in achieving their full potential. If a student does not maintain satisfactory course progress they will receive an academic warning letter. If they receive three of these they are at risk of having their enrolment cancelled. All students, especially those who struggle to achieve satisfactory results are provided with guidance officer, teacher and specialist support. Please monitor your students study habits in homestay and report any concerns to our international team. Whites Hill State College models the CARES philosophy for student behaviour, and students are rewarded on a regular basis for modelling this behaviour in their daily college life. Any international student (enrolled through EQI) who misbehaves or contravenes the Terms and Condi-tions of their enrolment will be issued with an official behaviour warning letter. If they receive three of these they are at risk of having their enrolment cancelled. If you are concerned about your students behaviour please contact our international staff (via emergency mobile phone if an incident occurs out of hours).




Student Support

There are many ways through which our international students can seek help and support if they are ex-periencing any difficulties during their program. These are detailed below: Guidance Officer Mrs Kylie Robertson Phone: (07) 3900 8309 Located in B1 on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday School Chaplain Mr Gary Cazzulino Phone: (07) 3900 8333 Located in C1 on Monday and Tuesday School Nurse Ms Catherine Raff Phone: (07) 3900 8333 Located in C3 on Tuesday and every third Wednesday ESL Teacher Student Support Ms Tricia Byrne Phone: (07) 3900 8318 Located in HSP/ Lunch AALC M,T,T&F In addition to the above, we have Year Level Coordinators who are concerned with the welfare of all the year level students and, of course any of the international staff listed on page 5 of this handbook.




Critical Incidents

The EQI International Student Critical Incident Policy and Procedure defines a critical incident as: A traumatic event or threat of such (within or outside Australia) which does, or is likely to cause, extreme fear, physical and /or emotional dis-tress or injury to staff and/or students and may be regarded as outside the normal range of experience of the people affected. A critical incident may take place at school or outside of school. There-fore the EQI Critical Incident Policy and Procedures are not limited to handling only those incidents that might occur at school. Example of Critical Incidents

Any fatality, near fatality or incident likely to affect serious-ly a number of staff and/or students

Suicide or attempted suicide Diagnosis of a serious medical condition A student’s mental health has become a concern (depression, self-harm) Overdosing of prescribed medication or illicit drugs Serious bullying or harassment (e.g. extortion) A female student has fallen pregnant or a male student has been involved in a female falling

pregnant Possession of illegal drugs A student has demonstrated addictive behaviour (drugs, alcohol, gambling) Criminal activity Traffic accidents involving students Severe emotional trauma relating to family or friends Sexual assault Any incident involving an international student reported by the Queensland Police Service

to a school or EQI Assault or threats of violence Significant theft or loss of personal property (e.g. value over $1000) Trauma as a result of a natural disaster or event in the student’s home country

Homestay Procedure for Critical Incidents If your student is injured or experiences a critical incident, first provide the student with the required first aid and phone for the relevant emergency service on 000. Once the student is out of immediate danger please contact our international emergency phone on 0481 038 312 or 0437 932 367 . Always notify a member of the international team at the time of an incident, even if the injury or incident appears minor. It is important to have all incidences involving international students well documented in case a more serious condition develops in the future. Communication with Media and Queensland Authorities In the unlikely event that your international student is involved in an incident in which Australian/Queensland authorities or media personnel are involved please direct all enquiries to Education Queens-land International or the College Principal. For the privacy and protection of our international students please do not discuss or reveal personal information about your international student to anyone.




Homestay Procedures

When placing an international student in a homestay, it is our intention to match an international student to a homestay family by identifying common interests and meeting the requests of both the student and the homestay family. When we have allocated a student to your family you will receive an email with your students profile attached and details of their arrival. The information you receive on their profile will vary due to what the student has provided on their application form. Registered Education Agents hold contractual obligations with EQI, the school enrolling the student and the student’s natural parents. Agents assist with the implementation and communication of EQI policy and procedure across the language barrier. Agents are usually located off shore in the students home country, although many Education agents have local offices in Australia. Arrival Information & Welfare period Once a student has been granted an Australian student visa, has paid homestay/course tuition fees and confirmed enrolment through EQI, they are then able to book their flights to Australia. We will notify you by email of your student’s flight arrival information. International students who reside in homestay have welfare obliga-tions held through EQI. The EQI welfare period for an international student commences one week prior to the course commencement date through to one week after the course completion date. This means that an international student on a 571 student visa under EQI welfare cannot arrive more than seven days before the first day of the enrolled school term and cannot stay for more than seven days after the last day of their course en-rolment.




Airport Reception

The destination school will arrange complimentary airport reception and transfer to your home through Belair Limos (a licenced transport company registered with EQI), so there is no need to collect your stu-dent from the airport. A driver from Belair Limos will wait at the Brisbane International Arrivals Lounge (or Gold Coast Airport Arrivals Lounge) holding an EQI sign with your students name on it. When the student has been identi-fied and has collected their luggage, Belair will transport the student to your home. As a courtesy Belair will phone you 15 minutes before they arrive. Please be ready to receive your student as it is likely that they will be very excited and anxious to meet you. Generally you can expect your student to arrive between 1 to 2 hours after flight touch down. If there are any prob-lems (e.g. student has missed flight or connection), you will be notified through our international staff. The contact number for Belair Limos is 3245 1780.

Lihua CHAN




Arrival Day

It is more than likely your student will be jet lagged or very tired upon arrival so please plan this first day according to your students energy level. Students will first want to let their parents back home know of their safe arrival and will often do this by mobile phone soon after arrival. Some students may then want to get straight to the shops to buy neces-sities or open bank accounts whilst others will just want a shower and sleep. Ask you student what they would like to do. If the students English is limited use Google translator. On the first day try not to overload your student with too much information and just give them a basic orientation i.e. their room, bathroom and kitchen. Offer them some food and drink when they arrive and ensure they are comfortable.




Local Orientation

Soon after arrival you will need to take the time to provide your student with an orientation of the local area. Below are the areas that most likely they will want to know about. Local Facilities Please provide your student with an orientation of the local facilities in your area such as grocery stores, post office, newsagency, banking institutions, libraries and medical centres. Fortunately most of these services are located at Carindale Shopping Centre. Public Transport & Go Card Please show your student the local bus route, where to catch public transport from, how to hail a bus and what stop they need to get off at. Please also cover basic safety rules for crossing roads. The local libraries usually have free bus route timetables and Translink’s website ‘Journey Planner’ will help find the shortest public transport school route for your student. Please take your student on a trial run prior to the first day of school. To use the public transport in Brisbane your student will need to purchase a student/concession Go Card and this can be done through most newsagents. Unfortunately to purchase a Go Card at the students rate, they will need to show proof of identification by showing their student ID issued through the school. As students generally do not receive their school ID until the second week into their enrolment they may have to pay a little extra and purchase a ticket from the driver on board until their ID card is received. Mobile Phone Setup The majority of international students bring their own mobile phone with them. Sometimes these phones will be unlocked (not confined for use solely within their home country network) and have inter-national roaming capability for use within Australia. However most international students will have to adapt their phone for use in Australia by purchasing an Australian SIM card and joining a pre-paid mobile phone plan with one of our telecommunication providers. Please note that international students under the age of 18 are unable to enter into contractual agree-ments and are therefore limited to pre-paid plans only. Please do not, under any circumstances, enter into a mobile phone contract on behalf of your student. Australian Bank Account Your student may wish to open an Australia bank account for ease of banking and ready access to funds. Generally students will choose banks with connections to their overseas counterparts. Please assist your student by accompanying them to the bank in case they have any difficulties in communication with the banking staff. Key to Homestay, Security and Safety requirements Please provide your student with a key to your home and explain to your student the importance of keeping the key safe and with them at all times. Please also show your student how to use the locks/passwords for all doors as well as how to lock the doors/windows when they are vacating the premises. During orientation educate your student on stranger danger, personal safety and the importance of not opening the door to unknown visitors.




First Day of School

Your student will feel anxious about starting school in an unfamiliar environment. Encourage your stu-dent to make contact with this student and make arrangements to meet up at the school. To lessen their anxiety please personally drop them off in the morning and collect them after school on their first day. On their first day can you please ensure they bring with them the following:

Passport Visa Homestay address & contact details Money or card to purchase a school uniform and textbooks Overseas Health Cover Card (OSHC) Pen and paper Lunch and water bottle

Please ensure they arrive at the administration office by 8.30am.




Homestay Payment Cycle & Homestay Holding Fee

Whites Hill State College will manage your homestay payments on behalf of the student. However if your student is in the High School Preparation program, the homestay payments will be managed by the stu-dents destination school. All homestay payments are made one week in arrears and one week in advance. You will receive your payment in the middle of this cycle. An automated email will be sent to the email address provided, ad-vising you of this payment.

The majority of international students will return home for the December/January school holidays. Students who are returning the following year to continue their study must pay to the homestay pro-vider a “homestay holding fee” of $250 ($50 a week x 5 weeks) the period in which the school does not manage payments. This allows the storage of personal affects and to ensure the students homestay placement is reserved for their return. The school will issue an invoice to the student who will then pay the office. This payment will then be passed onto the Homestay Family. If your student is staying with you over the Christ-mas/New Year holidays disregard the holding fee and let the international team know as soon as pos-

sible. We will need to create an invoice to help you recoup your full fortnightly payments from your inter-national student as the school does not manage these payments (nor has the student prepaid for this pe-riod). If your international student is a Study Abroad student staying in Australian over the December/January holidays or a Graduate student studying HSP during Term 5 (Christmas & New Year) you will receive school managed homestay payments for this period in advance when the final years payments are pro-cessed.




School Holidays

The majority of our international students will re-main in Australia, therefore homestay, during the Term 1, 2 and 3 holidays. However some students will choose to return to their home country during these breaks, especially during the Term 2, June/July period. Some students may choose to participate in EQI organised “holiday adventure tours” which run throughout the year. EQI tours range in cost but are generally between $1,000 and $2,000, are ful-ly insured and supervised and provide an excellent opportunity for young people to experience parts of Australia that they are otherwise unable to travel to. If you wish to spend your holidays away from home, please consider your international student and if you are unable to take your student with

you please advise a member of the international team at least 3 weeks in advance so we are able to or-ganise temporary accommodation. During this period of time your homestay allowance will be paid to the temporary accommodation family.




Student Departure

As the student approaches the end of their program they will be experiencing feelings of mixed emotion as they prepare to say goodbye to newly formed friendships, a new family unit and to what was hopeful-ly a happy and positive experience. Please make time to celebrate the visit and plan a farewell celebra-tion. As your student is preparing to pack please take the time to talk about excess baggage and ensure the student is aware of the airlines maximum limit, usually around 20kg. Please assist your student with or-ganising alternative shipment for items that will not fit into their luggage. Please continue to support your student right to the end by personally transporting them to the airport for their return home and see them off at the gate. This will effectively be their last experience in Aus-tralia so it is very important that it is also a friendly and positive one. You may find that towards the end of their stay your student may withdraw a little as they prepare themselves emotionally for their return home. This is normal, however, please contact our international staff should you have any concerns.




Appendices

For all EQI policies regarding homestay , international students and complains and appeals process

please refer to eqi.com.au.

The Whites Hill State College international department will take you through these documents at orien-

tation.

Documents

Homestay Provider Information Handbook 2018 · The Whites Hill State ollege homestay coordinator, Ms Rebecca Sutton, has a wealth of knowledge re-garding the needs of our International