Our international exchanges convene students and emerging leaders from around the world and facilitate global conversations with Clevelanders about how to improve our communities through action, innovation and collaboration.
Dinner Hosting: Youth in the Political Process
CCWA is looking for internationally minded individuals and families to host international exchange participants for dinner on Sunday, June 28th. Participants from across the world will be in Cleveland on an exchange project called Youth…
International Visitors
Hosting Opportunity – Experience America Program for Spain
CCWA is seeking families to host a high school student from Spain (ages 15-16) from August 31 – September 26, 2026. Students from Spain will attend classes at Mayfield High School three days per week…
Updates & Information
HOSTING OPPORTUNITIES
Volunteer as a homestay or dinner host! For more information, please email Andrew Kovach at akovach@ccwa.org for homestay hosting opportunities and Trey Rainey at trainey@ccwa.org for dinner hosting opportunities!
Welcome international visitors to your home for an evening of dinner and conversation, open your home to international visitors or students for an overnight stay. Click on the different opportunities below to find how to engage with our exchange programs:
EXCHANGES
Welcome international visitors to your home for an evening of dinner and conversation.
CCWA hosts numerous professional visitor groups each year that stay in a downtown Cleveland hotel. Home hosted dinners are a great way for them to get to know the the Northeast Ohio community. Group sizes typically range from 2-5 visitors.
No need for an elaborate multi-course meal. Dinner does not need to be expensive and can be done as easily as you’d like. A potluck or a catered meal are also possibilities.
The more the merrier. You’re welcome to invite family members or friends to help welcome your international guests.
Who’s coming to dinner? Background information will be provided typically one week in advance. This includes visitors' names, professions, and dietary restrictions. An interpreter may accompany for non-English speaking groups.
When do I host? After you sign up to host, you will receive CCWA's weekly newsletter to your email with hosting options and you can select the opportunities that work best with your schedule.
What is the time commitment? The time frame is flexible, however, 2 – 2.5 hours for dinner is typical.
Transportation. Hosts are kindly welcome to assist with transport to and from your home. CCWA can help make other arrangements, as we know this is not always feasible.
Sign me up! We ask first time hosts to fill out a Citizen Diplomat profile form here. A CCWA staff member will also briefly meet you in person at your home prior to hosting.
Open your home to international visitors or students for a short or extended overnight stay (2 nights to 3 weeks).
Who will be staying? Groups may be professional adults or high school students. Homestay host families each welcome 1-2 visitors in their home during the entire length of the program.
Where do the visitors stay? It is a requirement that visitors stay in a room with a door that can be closed. Each visitor must have their own bed. Visitors can share a room, provided that they are of the same gender. Youth visitors can share a bedroom with a host sibling of roughly the same age, provided that they are of the same gender and each has their own bed.
Do I live too far away? Visitors are typically placed in homes within a 35-mile radius of downtown Cleveland.
How long do visitors stay? Exchange programs can last as short as a weekend, or as long as three weeks.
Do I need to provide meals? Hosts will be asked to provide breakfast items for the guest and to include them in dinner plans, as they would any other member of their household. CCWA will provide lunch during program days (Monday-Friday). On weekends, visitors will share in all meals with the family. Visitors are not expected to pay for food.
What do the visitors do during the day? CCWA arranges a program itinerary on weekdays for visitors to engage in meetings, professional sessions, workshops, and cultural activities. CCWA will handle transportation on weekdays. Hosts typically engage with their visitors in evenings and weekends.
Sign me up! We ask first time hosts to fill out a Citizen Diplomat profile form here. A CCWA staff member will also briefly meet you in person at your home prior to hosting.
Contact Andrew Kovach, Director of Exchanges, at akovach@ccwa.org, for more information about CCWA’s International Exchange Programs.
Become a Host - Sign Up Below!
INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGES | WELCOMING THE WORLD TO CLEVELAND
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For a century, the CCWA has brought diverse perspectives on issues of international import to Cleveland. Much of our programming is made possible by the the support of our members and the generosity of our donors. Will you help us continue to create global connections?