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We offer comprehensive support to ensure a smooth hosting experience. From assisting with integration into local customs to guiding in navigating public transport, TILK INTERNATIONAL is dedicated to supporting hosts and their guests every step of the way.
Whether you are hosting a student or an au pair, TILK INTERNATIONAL offers flexible arrangements tailored to suit your lifestyle. Benefit from providing board and lodging with the added advantage of a stipend for hosting au pairs, making it a rewarding experience for all involved.
The Cultural Exchange Welcome Kit is designed to help international students and au pairs feel at home in a new country. It includes a selection of local snacks and treats, a guidebook to local customs, and a transport map to help them navigate their new surroundings. The kit also features a reusable water bottle and a set of eco-friendly utensils, perfect for daily use. To aid communication, it comes with a language translation pocket guide. This kit is the ideal starting point for anyone embarking on their cultural exchange journey.
The Host Family Starter Pack is an essential collection of items for families welcoming international guests. It includes a comprehensive guide on hosting, filled with tips and advice on creating a warm and welcoming environment. The pack also contains a set of multi-country power adapters and a welcome gift card for a local experience, like a museum visit or a traditional meal. To ensure comfort, it includes a set of hypoallergenic bedding and toiletries. This starter pack is designed to make the hosting experience seamless and enjoyable for both the family and their guest.
The Local Cuisine Cooking Set is perfect for host families and their international guests to explore local flavours together. It includes a selection of traditional spices and recipe cards for popular local dishes. The set comes with a high-quality non-stick pan and wooden utensils, ideal for any kitchen. To encourage cultural exchange, it also features a booklet sharing the history and stories behind each dish. This cooking set is an excellent opportunity for bonding over food and learning about each other s cultures through shared culinary experiences.
Our international student hosting service provides a nurturing environment for students from across the globe. Host families offer a welcoming home, where students can experience local culture firsthand. We ensure that students receive daily meals, including breakfast, packed lunch, and dinner, to support their wellbeing. Our hosts assist students in understanding and navigating local customs, making their transition smoother. Additionally, our service includes guidance on using local transportation effectively, ensuring students can explore their surroundings with ease. Engaging in cultural exchange is at the heart of this service, promoting mutual understanding and lifelong friendships.
Our au pair hosting program is designed to create enriching experiences for both the host families and the au pairs. We provide free board and lodging for au pairs, allowing them to immerse themselves in a new culture. Host families benefit from flexible childcare and household assistance, while au pairs receive a stipend for their contributions. This program facilitates cultural exchange, with au pairs sharing their unique traditions and languages. Host families play a pivotal role in supporting au pairs as they adapt to their new environment. Our service fosters meaningful connections and broadens cultural horizons for everyone involved.
Our volunteer hosting services aim to support individuals eager to make a positive impact while exploring new cultures. Host families welcome volunteers into their homes, providing meals and a comfortable place to stay. This service encourages cultural exchange, as volunteers learn from their hosts and share their own experiences. Hosts assist volunteers in understanding local customs and traditions, enhancing their overall experience. We ensure that volunteers are well-oriented with local transportation options, making their daily commutes hassle-free. This service is perfect for those looking to contribute to communities while gaining a deeper understanding of diverse cultures.
As a host family, you provide a welcoming home environment for an international or exchange student. This typically includes:
In summary, a host family plays a crucial role in making the students overseas learning experience safe, productive, and enjoyable.
As a host family for a foreign exchange student, you must provide a bed, breakfast, packed lunch (for younger students only), and evening meals Monday through Friday, and all meals on the weekends.
We’re delighted you want to host a foreign exchange student with TILK INTERNATIONAL United Kingdom. Host parents must submit an application, references, and are subject to a home visit by one of our experienced staff.
For international students, travel home may not be the best choice practically or financially for these shorter holiday times. Now is as good a time as any to find a host family or residential alternative.
Parents should be aware that there is currently no legislation around guardianship to protect international children during school breaks. For this reason, parents should be wary of cheap, host family-only offers.
However, with a growing awareness of this grey area in child protection and safeguarding, your school or education agency will usually advise you to take up the services of an accredited company.
What are your requirements for a host family? Does your child have any allergies or medical needs? Would they prefer a more active family or are they happy to have time to study?
These are just some of the questions a good guardian will ask you when they are planning your children half term and exeat stay. Asking these questions will help to ensure the best possible experience during their holiday and time away from school.
The answers can help your guardian build a much clearer picture of your children preferences. This, in turn, will help them to match your child with the most suitable host family option.
If you choose TILK INTERNATIONAL, you will be presented with a full colour profile of your host family. You will also be encouraged to meet with the hosts, if you are travelling to the UK, so that you can get to know them, see their home, and ask any questions you have about the upcoming stay.
Your guardianship company will carry out thorough checks to ensure the safety and well-being of students. Here are just some of the steps we take when screening and sourcing our host families:
Host families who pass our house inspection maintain high standards within their home. The house will be kept clean and warm and usually centrally heated. Students sometimes have to share a bathroom with other members of the family but occasionally will be lucky enough to choose a host family with their own ensuite bathroom.
Staying with a host family provides international students with a true cultural experience. Eating meals together as a family encourages chat, and both the family and the student can learn about each others cultures.
Families will aim to make students feel part of the family and invite them to family events and outings such as barbecues, country walks, cinema trips, and to see sports matches.
All TILK INTERNATIONAL host families are subject to stringent checks and screening that comply with their own set of high standards. Our staff are trained in Safer Recruitment, which guides companies working with children on the recruitment of staff and volunteers.
Host families complete an extensive application form, interview, and house inspection. We then take out references and conduct DBS or enhanced criminal record checks. House inspections are rigorous and include checking fire alarms and paperwork for boiler and appliance servicing. We expect a high standard of accommodation for our students.
With over 15 years of experience, we are particularly proud of our ability to match students with host families successfully. We listen to parents when they enroll and throughout their guardianship stay with them, and we also listen to students.
By gaining information on their likes and dislikes, allergies or food preferences, and looking at their age and the profile of the host family, we consistently get it right.
On the rare occasions when a student does not like our choice, we have a no-questions-asked policy of moving the student for their next stay. Our priority is to keep students safe and happy.
TILK INTERNATIONAL, 376A POOLE ROAD, BRANKSOME, POOLE, DORSET, BH12 1AW , UNITED KINGDOM
info@tilkinternational.co.uk
00447915 267889