Expectations for Families
CultureWorks is a private, English as a Second Language, school located on the grounds of King’s University College and Brescia University College at the University of Western Ontario. CultureWorks is affiliated with King’s, Brescia, and the Faculty of Graduate Studies on the main campus whereby academically admissible students who successfully complete our program can enter King’s or Brescia, or the Faculty of Graduate Studies at Western, without writing the TOEFL or any other English proficiency exam.
Our students come from all over the world and range in age from approximately 17-30 years old. Students attend school for anywhere from 3 months to 12 months, depending on their own needs or goals.
Our academic calendar consists of four 3-month terms. New students arrive at our school in January, April, July and October. There is a 1-week holiday at Christmas, a 1- week holiday in February and a 2 -week holiday in July. Students who commence studying at our first level, and pass each subsequent level, will complete our program in approximately 12 months.
When students register with CultureWorks, they are offered the choice of residence, staying with a Homestay family, or living on their own. While we do offer the choice, we believe that the Homestay family experience is the best choice in that it gives a student more of an opportunity to speak English and also gives them more support in an often strange, foreign country. Our Homestay families are a very important part of what we do. Without a good Homestay our students will not be happy nor successful. This is why we strive to find the very best Homestay families for our students.
The following are our expectations from our Homestay families:
- Acknowledge that the primary consideration in hosting a student is for the cross-cultural experience;
- Treat the student with kindness and respect and expect the same in return;
- Interact with and speak English with the student on a daily basis and include the student in appropriate family activities;
- Acknowledge that you will be involved in "life skills training" for your student, particularly with respect to food.
- Provide three meals a day, and snacks. On the rare occurrence, if you are not able to prepare an evening meal there should be adequate food and instructions available for the student to make their own meal or prepared meals left;
- Provide the student with a private bedroom, which should include a study area;
- Provide a house key to the student;
- Acknowledge that all costs associated with hosting a CultureWorks student are to be covered by the $700.00 a month fee paid by CultureWorks.
- Inform CultureWorks if you will be leaving the student alone while you are away for more than a day.
The following sets out the homestay family’s expectations from CultureWorks:
- CultureWorks requires that once we place our students with a family the student commit to a 12-week stay with that family. However, CultureWorks reserves the right to move a student if a situation is unsatisfactory or if problems cannot be resolved between family members and student. This move will be the sole decision of CultureWorks but will include consultation with the family. When a student is moved, the Homestay family will not be paid any further hosting fees.
- Students pay CultureWorks a $75.00 per four-week period administration fee, for each twelve-week term that we administer.
- CultureWorks pays the Homestay family $700.00 per four-week time period. This amount will be directly deposited to the Homestay family’s bank account. The first four-week cheque will be deposited on the Monday following the student’s first day of school. The subsequent four-week payments will be direct deposited on the Friday, one day before they are due, for that upcoming four-week time period. There will be times that you will be paid for five weeks if the period includes school holidays.
- Situations sometimes arise where, through miscommunication or inadvertence, a Homestay is arranged by CultureWorks and the student does not intend to move there. Often the student has already made alternate arrangements (i.e. signed a lease for an apartment, etc.). In situations such as these, it is CultureWorks’ policy that we will pay the Homestay family a one-month cancellation fee ($700.00) and that no further commitment exists between CultureWorks, the student or the Homestay family.
- If a Homestay is arranged and a student is unable to obtain a study permit to come to Canada, the Homestay will be cancelled with no penalty to the student or compensation to the family. We strive to avoid these situations but sometimes they are unavoidable.
- At the end of the three-month stay with your student, your student is free to move, make private arrangements with you, or even to continue the same arrangement. CultureWorks should be notified of whatever arrangements have been made.
We further confirm the following:
- The Homestay family agrees that CultureWorks is not liable for any loss or damage to their home caused by the student. Students are responsible for their own debts, conduct and actions while in the Homestay program.
- Homestay placements and/or removals will be conducted at the sole discretion of CultureWorks and CultureWorks will never guarantee a Homestay placement.
