Volunteer hosts required for international students
21 Feb 2011
Welcome overseas students into your home for one-off weekend visits
The best way to understand a country is to live in it.
That’s why so many come to the UK to pursue their studies. Once here, however, it is all too easy for them to remain on campus, surrounded by other international students, without ever experiencing the ‘real life' of Britain.
For this reason, the University subscribes to HOST, a national voluntary scheme which, for 24 years, has been linking international students with volunteer hosts who give them a weekend away from the University and often away from Manchester too.
Every visit is different, but common factors are: chatting and learning from each other; joining in with the daily life of the household and sometimes the local community; a little sight-seeing; sharing meals and the relaxation and comfort of home life. Each visit is a one-off, although sometimes lasting friendships are formed.
HOST is always in need of more volunteer hosts. Most hosts offer just one or two weekends a year; some like to invite students for Easter or Christmas. This is such a worthwhile and simple way of enhancing the overall experience of our international students, and the benefits to those who take part ripple out to their colleagues here, and go with them when they return home.
You can find more information online to help you decide whether you would enjoy being a host: