Become a Host Family in Brixton, South London

HOSTING OVERSEAS STUDENTS – Brixton

Brixton is for many the cultural beating heart of the capital, and as a South London suburb with a long and rich history, its reputation precedes itself! At the turn of the 20th Century, Brixton was London’s shopping capital and had the biggest high street in the city and became the home of the Windrush generation after the second world war. Sadly, the area gained a more edgy and dangerous reputation due to riots and a wave of crime through until the early 90s. Now, however, the community of Brixton have fought back and developed an achingly cool and community-based neighbourhood that feels homely and safe (OK, as well as a bit hipster) and is now a truly brilliant and diverse place to live.

HFS London is always looking to recruit more host families for overseas students in Brixton, so read on if you live there, have a spare room and fancy earning some extra cash!

Why Brixton?

Brixton’s diversity and multi-culturalism alongside its now fantastically hip independent retail and café scene makes it feel like home to many, even if they’re not resident full-time in the neighbourhood. The HFS London team often hear that it’s the preferred area for international students to live in as they feel they won’t get too homesick there and feel that it gives the perfect balance between multi-culturalism and really experiencing life in Britain.

Add in the transport links into central London and the amount of study centres in the nearby area, and it’s really no surprise that Brixton is one of our most requested destinations!

What is there to do in Brixton?

Living there every day, you probably don’t consider how much there is to do in Brixton, but even small and routine activities for you can be hugely beneficial to your homestay student guest/s. How about taking them along to do one of the following?

Grab some fresh air at Brockwell Park

Situated between Brixton, Dulwich and Herne Hill, Brockwell Park is a beautiful outdoor green space that plays home not just to a typical English park and outdoor herb garden, but also a number of cultural historical buildings! Brockwell Hall and the Brockwell Lido within both have interesting histories and plaques in the park explain all. Brockwell Park is the perfect place to blow out the cobwebs with a brisk walk around… and you can inject an English history lesson into it too!

Eat your way around Brixton Market

Brixton Village and Market Row are likely your go-to street food destination when you’re at home, so take your homestay guest/s when you go and let them experience around-the-world cuisine without leaving your neighbourhood! It makes for a great rainy–day trip (as most of it is covered), and you can always pick up ingredients to make a family dinner later while you’re there.

Tour the Brixton murals

The likes of Banksy have already made the UK highly reputed when it comes to graffiti and street art, and the Brixton murals have a rich political history, having been commissioned by Lambeth Council after the 1992 riots. The murals are all marked out and detailed on Google Maps, so your student guest/s can get a full outside art tour without paying or having to visit a gallery.