Become a Home Away From Home
When you open your door to a YES Canada Exchange Student, you become the centre of one of the most rewarding experiences in a young student’s life. You become the ambassador of your country and open the door to a whole new world view for both our exchange students and your family too. The rewards last a lifetime.
Exchange students are here to learn and their education in school is important, but it is the every day immersion into Canadian culture that leaves the biggest impression on a young mind. Our students choose Canada because we have a world-class reputation for being friendly, hospitable and good-humoured. Your family – your home - could be that authentic Canadian experience. The daily routine of simply being a part of a family, from how you interact to your routines, to your own unique traditions and activities, they all play a part in showing a student from another land what life in Canada is really like. This is real learning! This is real life!
We will support you every step of the way, with YES Canada Local Coordinators to make the transition easy and help with any language translation or cultural concerns. Our coordinators will be fluent in the native language of your exchange student so that the students feel supported too. Our Local Coordinators are available 24 hours a day for the duration of your commitment.
Being a volunteer Host Family is about much more than providing a safe place for a student. It’s about welcoming someone into your family, becoming their home away from home.
Open The Door To Your “Home Sweet Home”
YES Canada Host Families come in all shapes and sizes: parents with young children, parents with teenagers, families with no children or families whose children are all grown up. What they all share in common is a desire to share in the experience of welcoming a YES Canada exchange student into their homes and opening their minds to new experiences.
Imagine the benefits for your own family. Learn a new language, see your own country through fresh eyes and earn a new cross-cultural perspective on the future. Discover differences in every day life from a guest who has the potential to shape your world view as much as you influence theirs. This could be the start of friendship that crosses oceans and years.
Becoming a YES Canada Host Family has some very simple requirements. We ask that you do the following:- Welcome our exchange student into your home as a member of your family
- Provide your exchange student with a private bedroom
- Provide 3 meals a day
- Exchange students are expected to participate in daily family life, including following the house rules and chore responsibilities
- Include exchange students in your family and community activities
- Encourage the exchange students to make new friends
- Engage the exchange student in conversation to work on language, but also to learn new things about each other
- Be welcoming and open-minded. Be patient and supportive.
- Share your Canadian culture with pride.
- Communicate with our YES Canada Coordinator and report any concerns or issues that impact on the exchange student’s experience with your family or their school.
Welcome In:
YES Canada is welcoming new Host Family applications right now. We’ve made the application process easy. Simply fill out our online form and send it in! We’ll contact you and set up an orientation meeting.
Please note: Host Families who have children between the ages of 14 and 18, interested in applying for a YES Canada student exchange outbound experience will automatically receive priority in their hosting application.
All Host Families must undergo a criminal reference check for all members of the household over the age of 18. Safety and security of our exchange students is a priority.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at YES Canada. We’re here to help.
 Host Family Application Form |
