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MISTI Staff Knowledge Base

MISTI GTL Homestay Policy 2024-25

Updated August 2024

Background

MISTI interns are typically housed in apartments, residence halls and other independent living situations. However, some students who participate in Global Teaching Labs over IAP are housed with local residents in “homestays.” In the majority of cases, these residents are identified by administrators from the host school and have some affiliation with the host school, either as a parent of a current or former student or a teacher. Feedback from student surveys and other resources indicate that the homestay component adds a significant educational benefit for students participating in GTL, as they are more fully immersed in the culture, language, and societal norms in such an environment. 

It is MISTI policy to inform participating students that:

  1. by participating in the GTL program, they are electing to participate in a homestay with local residents selected by the host school;
  2. it is their responsibility to be in touch with host families prior to their trip, in order to determine whether the family is an appropriate match for them and, if not, let MISTI know so that alternate arrangements can be made. If after speaking to the family the student raises a reasonable health or safety concern, alternate housing will be arranged at MISTI’s expense.  {If no suitable alternate housing is identified, student will be allowed to withdraw from the program without penalty or further financial responsibility}. If the student does not have a reasonable health or safety concern but does not wish to participate in the homestay, the student may seek alternate housing at the student’s expense; and 
  3. they should inform MISTI immediately if they feel unsafe or have a reasonable concern in their homestay situation, for any reason, so that MISTI may intervene and assist with making alternate arrangements (at MISTI’s expense).

The following statement has been added to the MISTI Student Participation Agreement, which all applicants must sign:

Homestays

Most MISTI GTL students stay with families affiliated with the host school. By participating in GTL, you are electing to participate in such a homestay. While MISTI provides host schools with guidelines for potential host families and receives some general information about host families prior to a student’s assignment, MISTI does not vet and/or select host families. If you are placed in a homestay, you will receive the host family’s contact information and will be expected to be in touch with the family before you depart. If after speaking to the family you have a reasonable health or safety concern with your matched homestay, MISTI will seek alternate housing (at MISTI’s expense) or try relocating you to another school if possible. If no alternative housing or placements are available you may withdraw from the program and/or placement without penalty. If in absence of any health or safety concern you do not wish to participate in the homestay, you may seek alternate housing at your own expense. Students who feel unsafe, for any reason, at any time during their homestay should inform MISTI immediately, in order for MISTI to assist with making alternate arrangements. 

Training

As per MISTI’s Health and Safety Policy, it is mandatory that all students complete the MISTI Health and Safety Canvas Course and that MISTI’s program managers conduct country specific health and safety training sessions for all students prior to departure. A mandatory part of the trainings is to emphasize the importance of reaching out if they have any health or safety concern. For students who are not able to attend training sessions, it is the program manager’s responsibility to organize and conduct individual or small group checkout meetings students in order to train them as well as to provide all the necessary information.  

MISTI homestay internal process and timeline

  1. Program manager provides host school administrators and/or partner organization with MISTI GTL Host School Expectations document. In each participating year the host school principal must sign the document agreeing to the terms. If the host school principal remains the same, the document will be valid for participation in the program during two consecutive years.  Host schools must provide all host families with the MISTI GTL Host Family Guidelines. In the event that MISTI is notified that a host family did not comply with the MISTI Host Family Guidelines, MISTI may notify the host school to remove that host family from its homestay list for MISTI students. If such non-compliance by homestays and/or the home school with the MISTI Host Family Guidelines or Host School Expectations recurs, MISTI may decide to bar that host school from hosting GTL students. 
  2. Program Managers should fill out this form with the estimated number of schools that will offer homestays. 
  3. Program Managers upload each MISTI GTL Host School Expectations signed forms here. 
  4. Host school administrators identify host families and provide a complete list to program manager, including: 
    • names and genders of all family members living in household 
    • ages of any children living in household 
    • phone number and email address for household main contact 
    • complete address of the home
  5. MISTI centralizes host family information in a database and tracks student experience with homestays. Program managers must provide any student feedback to be tracked in the database.  
  6. Program managers must check the  database when receiving homestay confirmations to review feedback. 
  7. If students with a disability require accommodations, program managers should work with host schools/families to identify a host that can accommodate the disability (wheelchair use, for instance), per MISTI policy. 
  8. Students receive above information for matched host family (either directly from the school or from the program manager) at least three weeks before start date. Students are expected to reach out to host family to make arrangements for the homestay. 
  9. If, in absence of any health or safety concern, the student wishes to seek alternative housing (at the student’s expense), student must inform program manager at least two weeks prior to start date.
  10. Program managers must check in with students between 24-72 hours after their arrival by email, WhatsApp or by using a check-in form to ask specifically how the homestay is going, they should also ask if they have any other concerns. Program managers will work to alleviate any reasonable health, safety and/or wellness concerns. Program managers must continue checking in with students on a weekly basis for the remainder of their stay. 
  11. If at any time during the stay the student feels unsafe or has a reasonable health and safety concern in the homestay situation, they should inform MISTI immediately, in order for MISTI to assist with making alternate arrangements (at MISTI’s expense).