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 Student Exchange Australia informed of any developments affecting the students’ exchange. We, in turn, contact parents if there are any issues that require their attention.

The chart above shows the support structure that is available to all students.

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 one of our key objectives.

We do 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, BA, Emirates, Lufthansa, Thai, Malaysian, 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
• providing all outbound participants with a Travelex Visa Cash Passport card to simplify overseas access to funds
• including comprehensive 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
• communicating openly and regularly with all parties to the exchange – parents, students, overseas partners
• regularly monitoring the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) travel advisories

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 our orientations and in our printed materials. Similar but more locally specific advice is included in orientations in the host country.

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