Inter-Ed's Mission Statement:
Improved understanding and acceptance of human
cultural differences can be achieved though educational experiences exchanged
with global communities. We are dedicated to providing the opportunity of
educational exchange for any student seeking to expand their horizons and make
positive contributions to humankindof their host country.
Inter-Ed Program Strategy:
Provide a program for concurrent social exposure and
education that high school age students can participate in to elevate English
language skills. Place each student into an American family to enable
total emersion of cultural and lifestyle. Create a home stay program that
will provide the most significant lifetime learning and acceptance of cultural
differences. Enable host families to learn cultural differences through
experiences with a student placed in their home.
Inter-Ed Program Description:
International Education (Inter-Ed) is a student exchange
program dedicated to bringing the youth of different nations and cultures
together at a personal family level, forging bonds of friendship that will last
a lifetime. Inter-Ed was founded with the belief that increasing understanding
and tolerance between nations is a worthwhile endeavor, and Inter-Ed focuses on
cultural exchanges for students of high school age in order to further that
cause. The majority of exchange students studying in the United States each
year are college age students who live in dormitories or apartments, often
having little or no personal contact with the community in which they live.
While these students will gain a good education, they do not necessarily gain
any understanding of our country or its people and they return home with little
or no empathy for the various ways of life that make up the culture of the
United States. Conversely, many families in the United States are insulated
from peoples of other cultures, lacking the opportunity to interact and form
bonds with citizens of other countries. Instead of following the course that
many exchange programs do, Inter-Ed chooses to concentrate on high school
students who will actually become a part of a community in the United States by
living as a member of their host family: Eating meals, conversing, playing, and
studying. In short, these students are immersed in a new way of life; joining
into the culture and community of their host family. Significantly, this
happens at a time in their lives when many people make their most long-lasting
friendships. Once their program ends, the Inter-Ed students then return to
their home countries, bringing their new understandings and friendships along.
But what they leave behind is just as important: host families are left with a
deeper appreciation and insight into another culture, closing gaps of
perception that may exist. Inter-Ed’s goal is to create bridges of
understanding, tolerance, and peace between the peoples of the world by
starting at the basic level: with personal relationships. The Inter-Ed students
who come to the United States to live and learn as part of one of our
communities are the same people who may grow up tobe the leaders of tomorrow.
The Inter-Ed program has been developed with the
expertise of people who believe in the value of cultural exchange and have many
years of experience in the field of international student exchange. They
believe in building a program of integrity that will be a shining example of
what a student exchange program should be.
Inter-Ed, International Education Exchange, A non-profit tax exempt
educational foundation consists of a National Office located in San Diego,
California, Area Coordinators and many Community Representatives. Students on
the Inter-Ed program are between the ages of 15 to 18 years of age. Independent
organizations overseas are responsible for the recruitment and screening of the
potential student candidates for the Inter-Ed program.
Inter-Ed's Community Representatives are the backbone
of the entire organization. The Representatives are responsible for performing
many key duties: interviewing prospective host families, matching up the
family's interests with those of available students, providing pre-arrival
orientation to the host family and post-arrival orientation to the students and
families on the program, maintaining contact with the students and host
families and schools, supervising the students throughout the duration of the
program, arranging gatherings and short excursions for the students under their
care, and providing the first level of counseling for the students and host
families should any difficulties arise. Inter-Ed’s Area Coordinators oversee
the Community Representatives, ensuring that all families are properly
screened, all students are properly supervised, and providing a second level of
counseling when needed. The Inter-Ed National Office is the top level,
communicating with the overseas partner organizations that recruit and screen
students overseas for the Inter-Ed program, working with the United States
Department of State to provide visa documents to the students, and providing
the final level of supervision and counseling for the entire country. In the
other direction, Inter-Ed contracts with independent organizations overseas who
recruit, interview and screen potential student candidates for participation on
the Inter- Ed program. All students must be recommended by Principals and
Teachers in their local schools overseas before they are accepted for the
Program. Only those students who can evidence academic interest and
achievement, exemplary character, curiosity, adaptability, and good command of
the English language are acceptable. Each student must satisfactorily complete
a personal interview by qualified representatives of Inter- Ed. The
interviewers’ written evaluation becomes a part of the student’s complete
dossier.
Exchange Students arrive with round-trip airline
tickets marked “non-refundable” issued to their final destination. The Exchange
Students also have complete medical coverage for the entire duration of their
stay in the United States. The cost for both is included in the student fees.
The natural parents provide a monthly allowance and the American Host Families
are responsible for room and board.
The American Host Families are recruited year-round.
Before the new school year begins, Inter-Ed believes that it is important to
find qualified host families as early as possible so that correspondence can
begin that much sooner between the host family and student. Experience has
proven that this correspondence helps to eliminate many false expectations and
to build friendship, trust and understanding. After the beginning of the new
school year, Inter-Ed continues to recruit qualified host families should circumstances
require the student to relocate.
Each prospective American Host Family is personally
interviewed by the local Community Representative. The prospective Host Family
must complete a detailed Host Family Application covering the family’s
background, interests, and hobbies. The Host Family must also provide two to
three references to the Community Representative, preferably one from an
employer, and one from a community organization (church, service club or other
such organization), or from a friend who knows the family well attesting to the
stability and good reputation of the family. All adult members of the host
family household must also undergo a criminal background check as part of the
screening process.
Exchange Students and their parents are required to attend
an intensive Orientation Meeting overseas prior to their son’s or daughter’s
departure. At the time of arrival of the Exchange Students, the Inter-Ed
Community Representative and/or the Host Families will be at the airport to
meet the students. Soon after the Exchange Students arrive, the Inter-Ed
Community Representative will conduct a comprehensive Orientation Meeting based
on a detailed agenda. At this time students and Host Families are once more
informed about the rules of behavior and official restrictions under which the
Inter-Ed Program functions. At this meeting Exchange Students meet privately
with their Community Representative to become better acquainted. Every Student
and Host Family is furnished with the names, addresses and telephone numbers of
the Inter-Ed Community Representative, information about the appropriate Inter-Ed
Area Coordinator Office, the Inter-Ed National Office and the official United States
Department of State, Washington, D.C. The National Inter-Ed Office has a 24- hour
answering service. Approximately three weeks after the students arrive, the
Community Representative will contact once more each student and Host Family to
reconfirm that everything is satisfactory. Monthly communication with the Host
Family and Exchange Student will be maintained throughout the year. During the
school year Inter-Ed requires that local Community Representatives have three
get-togethers for parties and celebrations of holidays. The Inter-Ed Program
stresses family living as the heart of the learning experience - offering
students from foreign lands the chance to share in other cultures through personal
involvement in the homes, schools and communities of their host country.
