CCI Greenheart Host Families Short-Term Hosting Opportunities
CCI Greenheart’s Short-Term Programs
Volunteer to host a short-term exchange participant through CCI Greenheart! Our short-term participants come on one of four programs, lasting, on average, 2–8 weeks. Hosting an exchange student allows you to truly bring the world home.
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Hosting was very rewarding! We have learned that it is easy to get very attached to someone in a short amount of time. Agathe feels like a family member, and we plan to keep in contact with her always.
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—Beth Furdek, Host mom of a French Independent Homestay Participant
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Our student came with us to all of our scheduled events that summer and we ended up doing quite a bit of outdoor activities and concerts. After all, we wanted to show our student the American way of life — including summer concerts, fairs, festivals, and even a quick weekend trip to Minnesota. The resulting benefit, our summer was way better!
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—Sarah Monroe, Host mom for a Spanish group student
Quick facts about our short term programs: • Participants are teens and adults, coming for 2–8 weeks. • Participants are covered under medical insurance. • Participants arrive with their own spending money for dining outside the home, shopping, entertainment, and sightseeing. • Hosts are required to provide 3 meals in the home per day. • Hosts may need to provide some local transportation assistance. • Hosts must be able and willing to include their participant in their everyday life • All hosts complete an application and in-home interview. • A local coordinator (LC) and national office support staff is available to assist throughout the exchange.
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Host a Group Homestay Participant On a group program your international student arrives with other students and a bilingual leader, all of whom will be hosted in your community. Group programs include activities organized by a CCI Greenheart Local Coordinator (LC), and may also include English classes and/or high school visits. Generally group participants are 13-18 years old. Your LC will provide you with information specific to the group, including the nationality of the group, the program dates, and a tentative program calendar.
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Host an Independent Homestay Program (IHP) Participant On an Independent Homestay Program (IHP) your exchange participant travels independently to the United States. IHP participants are looking for a truly immersive experience. There are no organized activities on this program; the participant simply joins your family in everyday activities and does personal sightseeing. The LC will present you with different IHP participants to choose from, including their nationality, program dates, and their main interests. Participants on this program are ages 15-adult.
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Host a Volunteer Participant IHP Volunteer participants spend 5-15+ hours per week helping an organization within their host community. Volunteer IHP Participants select their preferred field of volunteer work from the following options: Environment, Animal Welfare, Education, Social Work, and Arts/Culture. If you are aware of a local organization who could utilize a volunteer, particularly in summer, please let your LC know! Outside of the volunteer assignment, there are no planned activities or excursions for Volunteer participants. Participants on this program are ages 15 – adult.
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Host a Language Buddy Participant If you have a genuine interest in learning a foreign language, the Language Buddy program is the perfect program for you! As a host family for the Language Buddy program one or more of your family members are tutored in the native language of your international participant for around 5 hours per week. All speaking levels are welcome, from beginners to fluent speakers! As is the case for IHP participants, the Language Buddy Participant travels independently to the United States, and there are no planned activities or excursions. Participants on this program are ages 15 – adult.
Ready for More? Consider hosting a high school student for 5 or 10 months on CCI Greenheart’s Academic Year Program. Check out CCI Greenheart’s website for more information: www.ccigreenheart.org
Since 1985, CCI Greenheart has offered cultural exchange programs in the U.S. that connect Americans with international students. Our mission is to promote cultural understanding, academic development, environmental consciousness, and world peace. Based in Chicago, CCI Greenheart is the only J-1 sponsor that incorporates a volunteering component into all programs with the Greenheart Club. CCI Greenheart has four designations with the United States Department of State as a J-1 Exchange Visitor Program sponsor and is currently granted full listing by the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET).
Toll Free (U.S.): 800-634-4771 www.ccigreenheart.org 712 N. Wells Street Chicago, IL 60654
CCI Greenheart is a division of Greenheart International, a global nonprofit committed to connecting people and planet to create a more peaceful sustainable global community. To learn more about hosting in your area contact:
Become a Host Family today. Visit cci-exchange.com/usprograms/host.aspx
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