Safety and Wellbeing

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Safety & Wellbeing

The safety and wellbeing of our students is our highest priority. We understand that student excitement at the adventure ahead is often mirrored by parental anxiety. Supporting and guiding our students and families through a safe and secure experience is our key objective.

Student Exchange Regulations

We ensure this by

helping prepare students prior to departure and providing them with high quality advice and information about their exchange experience
being available to parents throughout the exchange for any questions or concerns
always using recognised airlines like Qantas, Air New Zealand, BA, Air France, Emirates, Qatar, Cathay Pacific etc.
only working with established and reputable overseas partners
ensuring that host families are personally interviewed in their homes and that selection procedures and criteria meet with statutory requirements of the host country
ensuring that each student has a local coordinator for regular contact and close support and advice
including comprehensive insurance, including cancellation insurance, in our participation fee
training our staff and coordinators on a regular basis
providing an emergency phone service which students or families can call 24/7 if they experience a genuine emergency
providing all students with a Safety Information that lists contact details for our office staff, local coordinator, host family and overseas partner. These cards also contain the 24/7 emergency phone numbers.
communicating openly and regularly with all parties to the exchange – parents, students, overseas partners
regularly monitoring government travel warnings from DFAT (Australia) and MFAT (New Zealand)

We understand that, with the excitement and anticipation of an upcoming exchange, students and their parents may not absorb all recommendations / information at one sitting. That’s why we include our advice and information in various forums, for example, in our printed and online materials and during orientations. Similar but more locally specific advice is included in orientations in the host country.

Child Safety &
Quality Management Policy

Student Exchange Australia New Zealand Ltd places the safety and wellbeing of our exchange students as its highest priority. We maintain and continually improve a Quality Management System that complies with the requirements of the International Standard ISO 9001.

Learn more

Host Family Checks

In each of the overseas countries we work with there are variations in the legal requirements regarding working with children and criminal background checks for volunteer host families. In all cases, we and our overseas partners comply, if not exceed, the requirements of law when selecting host families for our students.

All overseas host families of Australian and New Zealand exchange students undergo criminal record checks in accordance with local procedures. A placement will only proceed if a satisfactory check has been completed.

In all cases, host families are interviewed in their home and referee checked as part of the process of assessing their suitability to host.

Student with her friends in the snow in Denmark

Local Support Structure

All students have a local coordinator appointed to support them throughout their time overseas. The coordinator – typically the mother or father of a returned student – is there to provide first level support to students and families. If a student is experiencing a problem they can talk with their local coordinator who will offer advice and assistance.

Coordinators are in regular contact with our professional staff to share information or seek advice.

Our partners keep us informed of any developments affecting the students’ exchange. We, in turn, contact parents if there are any issues that require their attention.

Complaints

Parent and Student Handbooks

All students and parents will receive a handbook prior to the pre-departure orientation with our staff. Each handbook contains comprehensive information on every aspect of our exchange program, what to expect, how to prepare prior to departure and providing high quality advice and information about the exchange experience.

Monitoring Student Wellbeing

Student Exchange Australia New Zealand Ltd has established a customised online monitoring and reporting system that facilitates us staying in touch with students during their exchange.

“Don’t avoid doing things just because you’re worried about other people’s opinions. If you’re worried to do something, you should just try to do it anyway… It was the best decision I’ve ever made,”

Allysandra – USA