For students attending our Essex campus, accommodation arrangements can be different to those in our more urban campuses. One option exclusive to Essex is living with a Host Family – when a student lodges with a host from our list of vetted and DBS checked local families. We spoke to Kate, a long-time student host who currently hosts two Trinity College Diploma in Musical Theatre and Dance students, Gracie-Mae and Arthur about her experiences and thoughts about the Host Families arrangement.
How long have you been hosting students and why did you become a host?
I’ve been hosting Performers students for 10 years now. Honestly, I originally thought about hosting as an opportunity for additional income. My mum had previously hosted Performers students and I thought it would make it easier to stay at home and look after my own kids as well. 10 years on and now I feel hosting students has been incredibly rewarding for myself and my children.
What do you think the benefits are for a student living with the host?
I would say the main thing that’s really good is having someone looking out for you, knowing that you’re not on your own totally for the first year or two, and being fed! In our house food is very important, because sometimes there can be long days at Performers College. One thing I do for my students coming in for the first time is help with breakfast, giving them a packed lunch if needed, and then when they come home at night their food’s on the table.
I think when you’re moving into a house share, there’s a lot that comes with it around running a house – and when you come to a host family like us, that’s all done for you whilst still giving you your independence. You’re coming into a family environment, staying safe, but also having your independence to be able to go out and socialise, make friends, do all these things and do all those things that you would do in a house, but with the safety of the host family to back you up.
Do you think parents feel reassured to have someone looking out for their child?
As a parent myself, if my children were moving away from home for the first time, I might be worried about their safety, their security, even things like nutrition. Practical considerations like getting around, making doctors appointments. When the students come to me, I kind of become a third parent to them but also help them become more independent themselves. Things like teaching them how to use a washing machine. To begin with, there’s lots of contact and messages backwards and forwards with parents, but gradually that kind of peters off as the students develop their independence. Even then, we’re always available for a telephone call or a message.
How has hosting students felt rewarding for you?
It’s been really rewarding for me emotionally, and it’s given a lot of development for my children with their interpersonal skills. I feel really accomplished as a parent on the decision that I made having students come and live with us, we were very family orientated group so bringing in Performers students for me was very natural and my kids learned to be more adventurous.
They say you’re always learning, aren’t you? With every student that comes through the door, you’re learning a bit more about yourself, how to deal with different age groups. I’ve been looking after students since my children were six, and the students have all come in aged 16 and up so I’ve learned how to deal with 16 year olds, 17 year olds, 18 year olds. They’re all coming through those really key times. For me, it’s taught me really how to probably be a better mum, which is lovely, it’s and it’s helped me achieve the goals that I wanted to do with my children.
How do you feel when you see students that you’ve looked after go on to success?
After 10 years of looking after students I feel immensely proud, especially as it is incredibly easy now to keep tabs on everyone with Instagram to follow them and see where they all are. We have a lot of students that still come back to visit us and have the Sunday roast that they all love so much, and we go and see the shows that they’re in and we keep contact. You see how they are when they first arrive, which is very fresh faced and young and not knowing what’s going to happen, and once they’ve gone through the graduation they’ve matured, they know what direction they’re going in, some of them even have jobs before they’ve even graduated. And it does make you feel proud, because you’ve been part of that journey.
Are there any specific happy memories you have of students you’ve hosted?
In the 10 years I have been hosting. I actually don’t have any bad memories. I think we’ve had some very eventful evenings, there have been some lessons that have been learnt. There’s been lots of jump scaring and pranks through the house. There’s been some memorable occasions, 18th Birthdays, 21st Birthdays. The memories are immense – and what makes me very happy every day is that everyone gets on in this house.
Read Part 2 of this story featuring Gracie-Mae, who lives with Kate here.
To discover more about Performers College, including auditions and how to apply, contact us at [email protected] or you can Apply Now, or book an Open Day on our Events page.
