| The Area Coordinator links the national office to the
student and host family, the school and the community. They serve as
the first point of contact for everyone. As an Area Coordinator you are
expected to be an informed professional representative in your community.
Area Coordinators are responsible for providing information and
support to all program participants such as host families, school
officials, exchange students and anyone interested in learning about
cultural exchange and Educational and Cultural Interactions.
Area Coordinator
Responsibilities
Necessary Documentation
Host Family Qualifications, Selection
& Orientation
Supervision
& Your Role at the School
Expectations and Problem Solving
Area Coordinator
Responsibilities
- Place and supervise students in your community.
- Locate schools able to enroll ECI students.
- Identify potential host families.
- Interview all qualified potential host families and assist families in selecting the right student for their home.
Try not to overwhelm the families. Limit discussions to no more than three
possible student profiles at a time.
- Conduct orientations for host families prior to arrival of students.
- Meet students at the airport and introduce them to their host
families.
- Provide counseling, support and supervision for students and
families throughout the program.
- When necessary, secure a replacement host family in the student’s
same school. When recruiting host families try to find families willing to be called on as back-up families.
- Meet personally with each student once a month and complete Student
Report Forms.
- Provide emergency assistance as needed.
- Research the history of exchange student programs in your community.
- Attend ECI program training meetings and keep up-to-date on program information mailed to you throughout the
year.
- Serve as a spokesperson for intercultural exchange in your community
and generate on-going publicity about the ECI program.
Necessary Documentation
The following is required to be submitted to the Regional Director
and/or to the Corporate Office.
- Host Family Application
- Host Family Interview Form
- School Enrollment Form
- Student Report Forms
Area Coordinators should be familiar with students’ financial responsibilities.
- Spending money for personal expenses (e.g. independent travel,
school lunches, school supplies, books, lab fees, entertainment, etc.).
- Long distance telephone calls and how they will be paid.
- Adequate clothing for duration of program.
- Passports, airline tickets and travel documents must be safeguarded.
- ECI students must be financially self-sufficient. Advise host family
to assist the student in establishing a bank account.
- Students arrive with medical insurance provided by ECI. Area
coordinators should make sure the host family and the student become
familiar with the medical insurance card and how to use it.
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