School exchange to France, students staying with families

mardirousse

I'm a new French teacher at a DEIS school trying to organise a French exchange with the help of a grant from Languages Connect. We already have a partner school in Lille with a similar social profile and the plan is to have our students go there for a week, attend school and stay in the homes of the French students, and then for the French students to make a return visit in April.

The problem is that our board has concerns about the kids staying in French homes. We can't organise an alternative as the grant is dependant on the kids staying in French homes (so as to benefit fully from cultural/language experience). There is no way these students could afford a trip without the financial help (with the grant we can keep costs below 200EUR per student).

We hope that if we can point to another school who has done this type of trip (with kids staying in French homes) and replicate the policies they used, the board will be reassured and will approve it.

So I'm wondering if anyone has any experience they could share?

thanks so much,

Louise

ChippingSodbury

What about Erasmus programme?

mardirousse

we really need it to be in the students' homes to keep costs down, our students would never be able to afford a hotel/hostel even with an Erasmus grant, and the languages connect funding is dependent on students staying with French families

rainbowtrout

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058318659/school-exchange-to-france-students-staying-with-families

We have been doing this for the last couple of years without any issues. The French school picks families that they say are reliable and will look after our students. The French teacher and a couple of other teachers go over on the trip and are contactable. Students should have their own bedroom in the host's house. There isn't a Garda vetting equivalent in France.

I suppose the other thing to put to the board is do they have any concerns with French students staying in Irish homes? Realistically most families willing to take part in an exchange want their child to benefit.

mardirousse

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121253771#Comment_121253771

Thanks so much for your reply, this is really helpful.

Rikand

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058318659/school-exchange-to-france-students-staying-with-families

It's more than 20 years ago now but we did this when I was a teenager. The french came to stay with us first in April and then we went to France in October. Incredible experience. We got to see loads of the sites of the local area and the final 2 days were spent in Paris doing site seeing and staying in a hotel. We exchanged about 30-40 students for a week, 5 days with the families and 2 days in Paris. Over and back on bus and by boat. If you have a chance to do this, I would say go for it. The kids will remember it for the rest of their lives just as we still do

dory

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121253459#Comment_121253459

We had the same issue. The board wasn't happy with students staying in home. We got an Erasmus grant and stayed in very cheap hotels/hostels. The problem is when they want to come to Ireland and you don't have families willing to host as the Irish students haven't been hosted abroad. If you can get around that (find familiies willing to host - we found a few) then Erasmus could be a runner.

ngunners

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121253459#Comment_121253459

Hi Mardirousse, I'am also in a DEIS school and our Erasmus grant covered all the costs of our trip to France including hotel accomodation. It worked out as about €850 per student for everything - students did not pay a cent.

Having said that, I'd suggest getting on to Languages Connect and they could advise.

ngunners

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121253771#Comment_121253771

There is a Garda Vetting equivalent in France, it's called a 'casier judiciaire' if memory serves.

Picaresque

Demande d'Extrait de Casier Judiciaire.
It is free and takes 2 weeks max.