BridgeUSA Local Coordinator Responsibilities
Foster cultural exchange in your community
Get a Taste of the World – Right from Your Home
Being a local coordinator with CIEE means stepping into a role that changes lives – not just for exchange students, but for families, schools, and entire communities.
You become the connector who brings cultures together, opens doors to new perspectives, and helps young people experience the United States through genuine, everyday life.
What Does a Host Family Coordinator Do?
The work of a local coordinator is both practical and deeply meaningful.
Coordinators recruit and support host families, guide students through their cultural journey, and ensure every placement is safe, positive, and enriching. If you believe in the power of connection and want to make a lasting impact, this is the role for you.
Recruiting Families to Host Global Participants
Being a member of your community makes you one of the best sources for host family recruitment!
You can use your network – and even your network’s network – to find families excited to accept a high school exchange student into their homes.
Consider recruiting from:
- Community clubs, libraries, and recreation centers
- Faith communities
- School districts and parent-teacher organizations
- Sports organizations and teams
- Your neighborhood and social networks
- Youth groups
CIEE’s training includes providing you with resources to effectively recruit in your designated area.
And if you’ve been a host family before, you might find it beneficial to share firsthand stories of the life-changing experience of cultural exchange!
Screening Prospective Host Families
Local coordinators interview prospective host families to learn about their interests and hosting readiness.
Some of the tasks involved include:
- Gathering basic information about the family, including household members, pets, employment, religion, political views, dietary restrictions, and more
- Assessing whether the home is safe, clean, and appropriate for a student
- Confirming that there is adequate bedroom space for the participant (either their own room or a shared room with a same‑sex sibling)
- Requesting and reviewing references
- Collaborating with CIEE to determine whether the host family application should move forward
CIEE depends on the recommendations of local coordinators to ensure guidelines are met and followed.
Supporting and Communicating with Participants, Host Families, and Schools
Support and communication with exchange students, families, and schools requires:
- Exchange student communication: Schedule monthly personal contact with the participants. The first monthly contact must be in person. Issues need to be documented for CIEE.
- Host family communication: Schedule monthly personal contact with the host family. At least once during the fall semester and once during the spring semester, contact with the host family must be in person. Issues need to be documented for CIEE.
- Host school communication: Connect with the school to provide them with your contact information, name of the J-1 visa sponsor (CIEE), and information for the State Department's Office of Designation.
These are minimums that have been set forth by the U.S. Department of State.
Acting as a Cultural Exchange Ambassador
Cultural exchange is a shared activity. The more invested and engaged in the community, the more rewarding the experience can be for everyone. Local coordinators raise awareness, promoting the benefits of cultural exchange to community leaders.
Local coordinators build bonds with participants, greeting them on arrival and acting as a helpful guide. They may also help students adjust to America during the transition period.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Recruiting host families is a major part of the local coordinator role.
While the role also includes supporting students, checking in monthly, and maintaining school relationships, none of that can happen without first finding qualified host families.
Local coordinators can turn to their J-1 visa sponsor – in this case, CIEE – to train host families.
CIEE will review host family topics like:
- Arrival and departure timeframes
- Home visits
- School registration
- Finances
- Health insurance
- Community service
- Department of State regulations and CIEE program rules
- And the role of their local coordinator
While CIEE handles the host family orientation, local coordinators will be familiar with the same topics.
Part of being a local coordinator is knowing where your duties end. You’re not a therapist, lawyer, immigration expert, or doctor – and you’re not expected to be. If a student needs help in those areas, connect them with the right people or reach out to your sponsor organization.
You also don’t handle discipline at home or at school. Your role is to support and guide, not to enforce rules. If something feels outside your lane, looping in your sponsor organization is the right move. Clear boundaries make the role manageable and keep students safe.