HOMESTAY GUIDELINES FOR STUDENTS

All members of the family in Australia share the responsibility of making sure the household runs smoothly. A homestay student is expected to live as a part of the family and therefore maybe asked to help with chores around the house.

On arrival, there will be some basic household rules that will be discussed with the students by the host parents. Such as:

• Please keep your bedroom tidy and clean at all times.
• Please keep your possessions tidy and do not leave them around the house.
• If using the kitchen please leave it clean and tidy afterwards.
• Please remember you are sharing the bathroom and do not spend too long in the bathroom. Leave the bathroom clean and tidy after each use.
• Showers should be short – 10 minutes at maximum.
• Students must provide their own personal toiletries such as deodorant, shampoo/conditioner, hair-spray and body wash.
• Please discuss with your host the best time for you to take your daily shower.
• Help with tidying the table after meals and assist with wiping the dishes.
• This is a home and NOT a hotel – all members are expected to contribute.
• Do NOT eat or store food in your bedroom as it attracts insects & cockroaches.

• Host families are required to provide you with breakfast and dinner every day and lunches on weekends. If you are a High School student, lunch will be provided for you during the week as well. Breakfast and Lunch are self-serve.
• It is not usual to have a cooked breakfast every day in Australia. A typical breakfast may include juice, cereal, fruit & toast.
• Please show courtesy and if you are going to be late home for meals or not home for a meal, advise the host family beforehand. It is polite to give them as much notice as possible.
• Students should purchase their own snacks of choice. Ask your host if you can go to the supermarket with them to buy your snacks. Snacks must be stored appropriately in the homestay. Please ask your host where you can store the snacks.
• Students are not permitted to cook in the homestay.

Some families will wash the student’s clothes and linen, while others will prefer the student to take care of their own laundry. It is best for the student and host to discuss the washing arrangements from the beginning, so that everyone understands the procedure.

Please ask the homestay family how to use the washing machine, when it is best to do your washing, what soap powder to use. If you are unsure of anything, please check with the host family before washing! Your host will advise when you can use the laundry.

Students who wish to hand wash their personal items must discuss with host first. Hand washing should not be done in the bathroom.  Ask for a small bucket to use & never hang wet clothes in the bedroom.

Do NOT use the dryer unless the host gives you permission.

Please talk with your host family if you have any concerns and/or issues. This generally can help to solve many issues before they become a problem.

If you have any questions – ask the family – they are there to help you settle into the home and school as well as into the Australian lifestyle.

Please provide your Australian contact details to Auzzie Families and your host family within 5 working days of your arrival so that they can contact you at any time.

Please discuss the telephone arrangements with the family. Most students will have their own mobile phone. However, if using the host’s landline either purchase an international phone card from the local shop to use when ringing home – do not ring mobile phones from the host family home – it is expensive! Or inform your family back home of the landline number (if the host permits).Please note the time difference and advise your family. Please do not make or receive phone calls after 9pm Sydney time as it is not acceptable and inconsiderate, to most families to receive late night calls.

We recommend students arrange their own prepaid mobile internet access or alternatively internet access may be offered by the host family for $10.00 per week. This fee is generally paid to Auzzie Families along with your homestay fee.The fee does not give you unlimited access. Downloading music, movies or online games is not permitted in homestay. Internet access is not permitted between 11 pm and 6 am.

Sometimes students will travel to Australia with their parents. Homestay hosts are usually happy to meet the student’s parents but we recommend arranging a time for a visit on the day after your arrival day. Students need to have time to get to know their host family. Initially, parents and relatives visits should be limited.

It is important to remember, at all times, that homestay is a private home and should not be treated like a hotel. You will need to ask your host if they are happy for you to have guests in their home. Some hosts are okay with you having guests over, as long as you inform then with ample notice. Others will ask that you do not have guests over, and meet them outside, away from the home. You must respect and follow the host rules.

If your host family is going on an outing and invites you, then this is a great opportunity for you to see other places, talk with the family and relax. We suggest you ask the host what the cost of the outing would be before attending so that you can make your decision. The host family is not obliged to cover the cost of outings. Try to participate with the family as much as possible, even if it is supermarket shopping, this will help with your English and understanding of the Australian culture.

You will be given a set of keys to enter the house. Please look after the keys and return them upon leaving your homestay. If you lose the keys, you need to replace them or pay to have them replaced.

It is against Australian law for Minors (children under the age of 18) to purchase or consume cigarettes or alcohol. The legal age for alcohol and cigarette consumption is 18 years of age.

To minimise risk and potential disputes, Smoking, Alcohol and Non-prescription drugs are not permitted in ALL homestays.

If you are under 18 years old, you should be home for dinner on Sunday to Thursday nights. Outings till 10pm curfew are permitted on Friday and Saturday nights with host parents’ consent. Younger students may have a more age appropriate curfew and this will be discussed with your host family on your arrival.

Overnight stay is not permitted with anyone except your host family as this is part of your visa conditions. This includes your own parents and relatives while they are in Australia.

All care is taken by Auzzie Families and your homestay family to ensure you and your valuables are safe however they do not accept any responsibility in the case of personal injury, accident or loss of personal items. It is therefore important that all students have their own personal travel insurance to protect themselves. All students on a visa have compulsory medical insurance. Please note, OSHC – a compulsory medical insurance, does NOT cover loss or damage of personal items.

Do not leave any valuables lying around the house. Keep all valuables in a locked bag in your room. Large amounts of money should be kept in a bank account or in a safe at the bank. Do not leave them in the house and do not tell anyone that you have large amounts of cash.

If you are going out – do not carry large amounts of cash in your wallet or purse and make sure you don’t allow other people to see how much cash you have on you when paying for goods. Be discreet.

Please immediately inform your host of any damage in the house or accidents. Students may be required to pay for any damages or breakages caused.

• Payment of Placement and Administration fee, Airport Transfer fee, initial Homestay fees, Carer Setup fee and Carer fees must be paid in advance to Auzzie Families before the placement process can begin.
• Auzzie Families will manage homestay funds for the whole duration of ALL students’ stay and will continue to issue invoices to the students and they must be paid in advance. It is important that these payments are made on time and in full so that the host family can be paid.
• A late Administration Fee of $200.00 will incur for the late payment of the homestay fee and internet fee to Auzzie Families on each occasion.
• Two-week notice must be given to the homestay when vacating.

If you need police, fire or ambulance in an emergency call Triple Zero (000). Always call Triple Zero (000) in situations where a life is in danger, a crime is taking place, or in time critical situations.

Auzzie Families provides professional support 24/7. Please note our emergency number of 0419 628 168 is strictly for an emergency event and/or critical incident only. Here are some example of the emergencies:

• A natural disaster
• Arrest or detention
• Drug or alcohol abuse
• Serious illness
• Missing student
• Car accident
• Medical emergency

It is best to speak directly to your hosts if there is anything you do not understand and/or have an issue about.  This will give your hosts an opportunity to address it before it turns into a big problem.

If you find that discussing a problem with your host does not solve it after several attempts, please raise your concerns to Auzzie Families directly and/or your Learning Institution.

Auzzie Families Homestay Care’s procedure for handling student complaints are based on confidentiality, impartiality, procedural fairness, protection from victimisation and prompt resolution.  All complaints are managed by senior placement staff.

Confidentiality will be respected wherever possible within the constraints of the need to fully investigate the complaint. Matters pertaining to the complaint will not be discussed beyond the parties to the complaint, their chosen representatives (where applicable) and staff involved in resolving the complaint.

In Australia, it is unlawful to discriminate on the grounds of age, disability, race or ethnic background, domestic status, sex or intersex status, gender identity and sexual orientation. Both State and Federal governments have enacted anti-discrimination legislations.

If you believe you have been unlawfully discriminated against, harassed and bullied, please contact Auzzie Families Homestay Care immediately.Your complaint will be investigated and handled promptly.

In Australia, it is an offence to do any of the following:

1. Use a camera and / or other recording device without the consent of the person being recorded / photographed.
2. To take any photos and / or videos of your homestay family’s common areas such as the lounge, family room, kitchen front and back yard and their family members, in particular any children under 18 years of age, without their prior consent.
3. Secretly make a video or voice recording and distribute it to a third party without the consent of the person being filmed and / or recorded.
4. Distribute and upload any of those photos / videos / recordings to a third party or social media.

Auzzie Families holds your right to privacy as an absolute priority. We collect, hold and work with personal information solely for the purpose of conducting our Homestay Agency duties. Auzzie Families will not disclose your personal information to any third part not directly involved with the homestay arrangements.