The Dunedin City Council’s economic development unit is leading the effort to find vital host families, as a growing number of students head for the city’s high schools and tertiary education institutions to study in 2023.
Study Dunedin economic development adviser Santashree Mitra is leading the push, and said there are not enough host families on the books at present.
"Our international high school pupils are under-age, so they need to have host families lined up to be able to come here," Ms Mitra said.
"And we also have older students coming for short-term stays, usually for a few weeks or months to study English, and we need hosts for them as well," she said.
Enterprise Dunedin facilitates the Study Dunedin advisory group — including representatives of Otago University, Te Pūkenga (Otago Polytechnic), and secondary schools — which is working to help rebuild the international education sector in the city.
Ms Mitra said prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, Dunedin was visited by 5000 international students each year, who collectively contributed $200 million to the local economy and supported 2200 jobs.
Ms Mitra has 15 years’ experience in the international education sector, including in the United Kingdom, and is focused on helping the sector to recover through working closely with stakeholders here and overseas.
After discussions, the Study Dunedin group had agreed to focus on three main markets for international students — China, Japan and Thailand.
"These countries are where we have had strong relationships and partnerships historically, and where there are sister-city connections as well," Ms Mitra said.
Most students heard about Dunedin through overseas-based education agents, who worked closely with schools and tertiary education providers to match students to places.
"For Dunedin, word of mouth is also important, so it’s essential that the students who come here have a positive experience," Ms Mitra said.
"But, of course, before we can get them here, they need somewhere to stay."
With that in mind, Study Dunedin is looking for local families to put their hands up to host a student in their home, and include them in family life, this year and into the future.
"The idea is to give students the experience of being part of warm, welcoming families, who are ready to embrace a new family member."
Economic development team leader Antony Deaker and his wife Mikaela Wilson have hosted about a dozen international students over the years, from Berlin, Amsterdam, Munich, and Spain, and have enjoyed great experiences and made lasting friendships all over the world.
"The students we have hosted have been at secondary school and have stayed with us for about five months to a year," Mr Deaker said.
"It has been great fun, for us and for our children."
The schools had provided excellent pastoral care for the young people and the host family was well supported throughout the students’ time with them.
"It was a real honour to have these young people stay with us at this time in their life, and they all brought something different, in terms of foods, traditions at Christmas, and some interesting music.
"We have built friendships that have lasted over a decade, with the students and their families — we stay in touch and they have come on holidays to New Zealand and have visited us.
"I can’t recommend it highly enough."
With schools reopening and the tertiary education year about to begin, international students will start arriving in the city in the coming weeks, so host families are needed urgently.
For more information on the programme, visit dunedinnz.com/study/homestays
