Welcoming your guest
I don’t know who was more nervous upon the arrival of our first guest – him or us. None of us needed to worry however, as a cup of tea and a chat at the kitchen table soon dispelled any worries, and over the following days we got used to each other and began to slip into an easy routine.
Preparing for arrival
Once you have confirmed you are happy to host a guest, you’ll receive an email from your Placement Coordinator sharing your guest’s contact details. The Placement Coordinator will pass on your home address, email and phone number to the guest or their referrer so that they can get in touch with you.
Please let your guest or their referrer know how to get to you via public transport, and what time you will be available for their arrival. Hosts tell us that being clear on the latest arrival time you will accept is essential!
Sometimes, arranged placements don’t go ahead. We understand that this will be inconvenient. Unfortunately, this is unavoidable, and it can help to remember that it is often the result of a positive development for the guest who needed the placement. We will communicate any change of plans as soon as possible.
Welcoming your guest
Some hosts have told us preparing a welcome pack in advance with key information in both written and visual formats is helpful. We all have those things in our home that need instruction; the front door that needs locking twice, the wifi password, the bathroom window which needs to be opened whilst having a shower. Don’t expect your guest to take this information in immediately. If you have any house customs you want to ensure your guest understands, make sure your Placement Coordinator knows about these in advance.
If you’re hosting a guest who does not have any, or limited, English reading or speaking knowledge, make sure you read our guide on how you can communicate with them.
Some guests may be arriving with very little possessions, or money. If you’re able to, providing a small bag of toiletries, a clean towel and some access to basics (tea, coffee, milk, fruit, cereal) can be very welcome. Helping them connect to your internet will mean you can assist them in staying in contact with their support networks.
The most important thing to remember is to take things slowly and at your own pace. Your guest is going to be taking in a lot of information, and they may already be anxious about meeting you and accepting your help. Hosts tell us that often the very first thing guests do is sleep for a long time, staying with you may be the safest they have felt in some time.
Remember
- Your guest, or their referrer, will be in touch to arrange a suitable arrival time
- It’s helpful to prepare a welcome pack, and to let your guests know how things work in your home
- There are lots of online tools to help if your guest does not speak a high level of English
- Take things slowly – your guest may be feeling anxious about meeting you
Every time a new guest comes, you don’t know who you’re going to meet coming up the garden path… so there’s a bit of a step of faith there or a small risk. There is a moment where somebody comes across the doorstep, and you say ‘hello, I’m Andrew’, and they ‘say hello, I’m whoever’ and that is the most that you know about them…but there’s an immense privilege in that sense that people trust you in that way.