INTERVIEW

I have been in IH for almost 3 years now and we have almost tripled the number of High Schoolers arriving for September to participate in the programme we offer for different length of time.

What is your role inside the International House agency? What do you work on?

I am the High School Programme Manager for IH Dublin. From our Head Office in Central Dublin I coordinate the school where each of the students will be going into.

I coordinate the families that will be hosting each of the students, the accommodation team looks after the selection of the families but always under my supervision. Families are a very important active of the programme as High School students will be with them for a longer period of time that could go from 3 months to 1 year and sometimes to 2 years and even 3! I ensure that the families are contacted monthly to ensure that the programme is running smoothly and each family is visited yearly before the new batch of students' arrival. Our visits will ensure that the families comply to our standards: Each student should have its own private room fully equipped, family needs to provide space for a student to study away from excessive noise or distraction. Families can be of any configuration, from single parents no kids to traditional to big families, choosing a family is not really an option, we can try our best if a student has a specific request but we cannot guarantee a particular match. The family will include the student in family life and activities as any other member of the family. Families must be able to accommodate the lifestyle and demands of a young student. This means that our students must live by the house rules, and contribute towards family life as any other member of the family would. In return, they will get a warm, friendly environment and be included in any family experiences. Families should be excited by the prospect of learning about new cultures and countries.

Myself and a number of other members of staff (depending on the number of students each year) we visit each student monthly in their school generally, sometimes in their own home. A report is written and issued to their agencies. The aim of the visit is to ensure the students are happy, comfortable in the school and family. We also monitor their academic progress by attending their parent teacher meetings, but the responsibility of both studying and achieving their grades would be ultimate up to each of the students. We would care and give the best advice and if we know of any problem we would immediately contact their agents/parents.

Families can be of any configuration, from single parents no kids to traditional to big families

The family will include the student in family life and activities as any other member of the family.

The aim of the visit is to ensure the students are happy, comfortable in the school and family.