Host Family Communications Training
Updated August 2022
District to Student and HF
- District web page youthexchange5100.org – a complete copy of the host family binder is posted.
- All District correspondence by email – student must check often and respond. If HF or student email address changes, notify country officer.
HF to District 5100 Rotary
- Questions or routine issues contact club counselor or club YE chair.
- If club can’t resolve, or serious issues, contact student’s country officer, or if not available, Chairman (Bill Paulsen) or Inbound Coordinator (Joyce Forsyth).
- HF should never contact natural parents about issues or problems.
Student to Home and Natural Parents.
- As soon as arrives, student notify parents of safe arrival – no delay
- Then 90 – day communication rule – no phone, zoom, video, texting or other direct communication to parents, friends at home. Explain in detail reasons for this, importance and consequences.
- Never any direct communications with boyfriends/girlfriends at home.
- Student should write letter/email home about once a week.
- Minimize social networking and other non-school related computer use by student with people at home – host family should monitor such use – suggest limiting or prohibiting computer use in bedroom.
- After 90 days, direct communications to natural parents should be infrequent and host family should observe the behavior of the student after these events.
- If student is having problems, they should discuss it with HF, counselor, club YE chair or country officer – never with natural parents (if natural parents need to be informed then country officer will do so).
- Student should be making monthly reports to their sponsoring club.
Between Student and HF and Locally.
-  Student needs to go over first night questions with all host families – and perhaps again after a couple of weeks of mutual experience.
- HF should routinely discuss with student any issues they have with student concerning their behavior or habits even if not serious (perhaps give Jeff’s cereal box example). Lots of small issues can add up and become significant.
- HF should encourage student to talk about any issues or problems they are having with the HF, school or friends. Some cultures make students reluctant to do that.
- Student should speak English. If HF knows the student’s native language, should avoid routinely using it until student is totally proficient in English.
- HF is not required to provide cell phone to student – but may want to include exchange student in family’s network. Student should share in cost of phone use. Some clubs provide cell phone to student.
- Once student has made local friends with classmates or other exchange students, it is fine for them to use social media and other methods to stay in contact with them.
- Student and counselor should meet at least once a month (often occurs at a Rotary club meeting) and the counselor is to make a monthly written report of their meeting
- Student is to make a presentation to their host club – often near the end of their exchange.
Communications in Emergency or Catastrophic Situations
-  If emergency here, immediately notify country officer, and if they are not available, other district YE committee members – roster online at web site and in the host family binder.
- If learning of emergency in the home country, notify country officer and do not let student initiate travel or other actions without coordinating with country officer or district committee.
Other Communications
-  HF should be in contact with school for reports, etc. – make sure school knows the current HF.
- HF should make contact with the biological family before or soon after student arrival (encourage one or more telephone calls, skypes, emails.)
