What would be the first Saanich spot you’d show off to a visiting international student? Would you take them paddle boarding or on a picturesque hike? Order dinner from your favourite food truck, line up for Sunday brunch or invite them to take part in your family’s Friday night tradition of backyard games and a movie night.
The Saanich International Student Program is searching for this fall’s host families — will you answer the call?
Do it because you love meeting new people and learning about other parts of the world. Do it because you love helping young people grow, and want to be more involved in your community. Do it because you want to show off the best of the Saanich Peninsula!
Benefits of hosting an international student
- Build relationships that last a lifetime, and help young students achieve their goals
- Bring the world into your home: learn about another culture, and share our culture with visiting students
- Receive $975 per month in remuneration
Hosting prerequisites
Students attend Claremont Secondary in Cordova Bay, Stelly’s Secondary in Saanichton and Parkland Secondary in North Saanich, and the program is looking for host families living in School District 63, north of Broadmead Village. Hosts will welcome students at the end of August, 2021.
Homestay families welcome and support students with a private, furnished bedroom with an adequate study area, three nutritious meals each day plus snacks, and inclusion in family life and activities.
“We welcome families of all shapes, sizes and cultures — some of our hosts are retired couples, some are young couples with or without kids, and many are somewhere in between,” says Ernestine Mager-Fagel from the Saanich International Student Program.
The program
For 20 years the Saanich International Student Program has welcomed exceptional students from 20 different countries. 90 per cent of recent graduates were accepted to top North American universities, and demonstrate sincere engagement with extracurriculars and our community.
COVID-19 safety
There were zero cases of COVID-19 in the Saanich International Student Program in 2020-2021 — that’s a 100 per cent success rate! All COVID-19 safety protocols align with federal and provincial guidelines to keep students and host families safe, and there is 24/7 emergency support available.
Learn more!
Reach out for a no-commitment consultation to find out more, and chat with an expert to see if your family would be a good fit. Email homestay@saanichschools.ca or reach out online at studyinsaanich.ca/host-interest. To see what students and host families have accomplished in previous years, follow the Saanich International Student Program on Facebook and Instagram.
