Have you ever wanted to experience different cultures but do not have upcoming plans to travel to a different country? Don’t miss out on the opportunity to host a Japanese youth (ages 12-17) this summer!

This is a great opportunity to assist these students in experiencing American culture while also experiencing Japanese culture yourself. Please see the information below and the attachments to this email to learn more!

What does it take to be a host family?
To be a host family, you must have a child in your home between the ages of 11-17. If chosen to be a host family, you will be placed with a Japanese youth within 3+ years of age of your child. Placing youth in a safe and caring environment is an essential part of the program. To ensure this, all adults in the home must undergo a background screening, a short virtual child abuse awareness training, and a home visit before being selected to be a host family.

What does the process look like?
Tentative Program Timeline
April 15 – Host Family Applications Due
Application Submission – June 1 – Home Visits for Applicant Families
June 1 – All Screening Paperwork Due in our CyCheck Portal
June 1 – Youth Assigned to Families
July 21 – Youth Arrive in Iowa
July 22 – Youth Pickup in Ames
TBD – Midpoint Meet Up (Optional)
August 15 – Families Drop off Youth in DSM
August 16 – Youth Depart for Back Home

How could my family benefit from being a host family?
How might your family grow with States’ 4-H? Learn what other host families have to share from their challenges, advice, growth, learning, communication, and development! Some quotes we particularly loved from the video “Live generously” (as seen on one of the host brother’s shirts). “We’re better having Yui.” “If you are thinking about hosting, you just need to do it.”

What does being a host family look like?
Hosting is a rewarding experience, but a lot of questions can come up when considering hosting! We will have an orientation session for all host families in 2024, but before applying, please check our Host Family FAQ sheet to help answer some common questions we often get!
host_family_faqs_2023.pdf (iastate.edu)

Where can I find more information about hosting?
Information on our International Exchange programs can be found at https://www.extension.iastate.edu/4h/iowa-4-h-international-programs

You can access the host family application link here: https://www.states4hexchange.org/apply/host/

We hope you consider hosting a delegate for our Summer 2024 Program, and please reach out with any questions you may have!