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AU PAIR in EUROPE WELCOME TO EUROPE
Planet
Au Pair
Under the Au Pair in Europe program, au pairs are welcomed into the homes of European Host Families Au Pair as a family member for a 9 or 12 month cultural exchange. They participate in cultural and educational activities designed to teach them about European life, and they assist with child care. Summer placements of two or three months, June 15th through September 15th, can also be arranged but only for native English speakers and citizens of the European Union.
PROGRAM BENEFITS 1.
The Au Pair will live with a carefully screened Host Family who will
treat the Au Pair as a family member, not as a servant.
IN RETURN YOU Provide approximately 25 (in some countries, 30) hours of quality childcare or childcare activities per week. Commit to a 9 or 12 month program. Summer placements of two or three months, between June 15th through September 15th, can also be arranged but only for native English speakers and citizens of the European Union. PROGRAM BENEFITS 1.
The Au Pair will live with a carefully screened Host Family who will
treat the Au Pair as a family member, not as a servant.
IN RETURN YOU Provide approximately 25 (in some countries, 30) hours of quality childcare or childcare activities per week. Commit to a 9 or 12 month program. Summer placements of two or three months, between June 15th through September 15th, can also be arranged but only for native English speakers and citizens of the European Union.
RESPONSIBILITIES FAMILIES 1.
The Host Family will accept the Au Pair as a member of the family
and not as an employee or boarder. AU PAIRS
2.
As a member of the family, the Au Pair will be expected to share in
the usual household chores along with other family members. Heavy
housework is not the responsibility of the Au Pair.
3. The Au Pair is to be of assistance to the Host Family and in every way try to fulfill the duties expected. Collaborating agencies will be available to assist both parties, and will assist to resolve any disputes as to appropriate expectations. 4. Au Pairs are responsible for any personal expenses incurred while living in the home of the Host Family. This would include telephone bills, etc. ALL AU PAIRS MUST : 1.
Be between 18 and 27 years old. Holland, 18-25 years old and Germany,
18-25.5 years old. OUR BACKGROUND Planet Au Pair is an American run au pair agency, founded January, 1992, working with the United States, England, Ireland, France, Germany and Italy, among many other countries. We were formed with the purpose of facilitating opportunities for young people to visit and learn about different countries in order to better understand the peoples, and become familiar with the history and culture of each country as well as to improve their language proficiency. CULTURAL Planet Au Pair offers the opportunity to experience the European culture with the safe and secure environment of a European Host Family. The program strives to cultivate better intercultural awareness among participants and bring about a greater understanding among other nations.
VISA If accepted by Planet Au Pair, and you are from an EU (European Union) member country, a visa is not necessary. If you are from a non EU country, you will need to apply for a visa at your nearest Embassy or Consulate of your target country. We will inform you as to what you need to do, but please realize that it may take up to two months to get the visa, so plan ahead! SUPERVISION The staff at our collaborating agencies are always nearby. They are always available for counsel, assistance and continual support during the length of your stay. They are also present to mediate in the event of a dispute or disagreement between the Au Pair and the Host Family. EDUCATION If you wish to attend language classes or any other educational pursuit while you are in your target country, the host family must allow time for this activity. It is, however, not mandatory. HOST FAMILY Through the Planet Au Pair Au Pair Program, every Au Pair is welcomed to Europe as a member of a European family. The relationship that develops between the Au Pair and the Host Family is one that lasts a lifetime. Au Pairs can explore the exciting culture of Europe while enjoying the warmth and security of a stable, secure family life. HOW MUCH IS THE POCKET MONEY IN EACH COUNTRY?
If your target country isn't listed here, please ask. If you are not a citizen of a European Union country, we can only place you in Spain, France, Italy or Germany. If you are a national of the European Union, we can place you in, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Ireland, England, France, Scotland, Belgium, Holland, Italy, Austria and Spain. For Spain, click here. For other European countries, keep reading. If you are a native English speaker or from the European Union, we can place you in summer in all the above countries except Ireland, England and Scotland. If you are a citizen of the EU, we can also place you in the USA. For information regarding the Au Pair USA program, please click here. HOST FAMILY SCREENING
Unlike most other programs, Planet Au Pair permits each Au Pair to choose the family with whom they will be placed. After speaking with one another, the Host Family and the Au Pair decide together whether or not they are well suited for each other. Based on extensive experience, Planet Au Pair will refer Au Pairs to families who have similar interests and backgrounds, but the final decision is always up to the Au Pair and the Host Family. In the unlikely event that the Au Pair is dissatisfied with the family, our collaborating agency in your target country will help in attempting to resolve any problems. If the problems are insolvable, the Au Pair will be placed with another Host Family, provided the Au Pair has followed the program’s guidelines. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Q. What if I get homesick ? A. It is only natural to feel homesick at the beginning of your stay in Europe, but for those with enough maturity, this passes quickly. If you have serious doubts about being able to live away from home and friends for an extended period of time, wait until you are more comfortable with the idea. Q. I would like to go to Europe as an Au Pair, but the only experience I have is babysitting. Should I still apply ? A. Certainly, the more experience you have, the better your chances of placement are. However, there are other qualities that are also important for placement, such as maturity, responsibility, an interest in cultural enrichment and a sincere desire to work with children. If you feel you have some of these qualities, please submit your application. We will do our best to find you an appropriate family. Q. When should I apply ? A. You may start the program any time you wish. It will typically take up to two months to process your application, although placements are usually made in far less time. The longer we have your application, the better the chances of placement. The best time is the academic year, September through June. We do, however, have families waiting year round. Q. I do not speak the language of my target country. Should I apply? A. Yes, we can usually match you with a family who speaks English, German or French. You will find that you will pick up the language quite quickly in a total immersion situation such as living with a host family as an au pair. There is no better way to learn a language than to go to a country where it is spoken. If you don't speak English, German or French, it would be difficult. Q. What's the difference between an nanny and an au pair? Proper nannies have been to a nanny school and usually work for a family under a work contract for an extended period of time. Au pairs are young people who want to travel for a shorter time, learn a new language, culture and share their own language and culture with their host family. In short, a nanny position is a job and an au pair position is a cultural exchange. Q. Why do I have to pay a fee? Other agencies have offered to place me for free. A. As the old saying goes, "If something is free, you probably get what you pay for." If an agency does not charge you, you are not a client of that agency. Agencies who don't charge you only have the family as a client, NOT you. We consider both the families AND the au pairs to be our clients and do our best to take care of both parties. Q. I have heard of au pairs who have contacted families and have not had to pay an agency. What is the advantage of going through an agency when I can find families on the Internet by using automatic website-based searches? A. That would be fine if you are lucky and find a nice family on your own. But what if the family turns out to be one who exploits au pairs and is really looking for cheap domestic help? Who can you turn to? A good agency will immediately take care of such a problem and place you in a new family. Also, a good agency will screen potential families before accepting them into the au pair program. We also provide a human touch and personal contact to candidates and families that the Internet cannot offer. Q. Can you provide references? A. Yes, please click here for references. FEES Placement
fee: 319 € (or the equivalent
in your currency). For currency exchange rates, click
here PAYMENT PROCEDURE A non-refundable 159 € prepayment of the entire fee of 319 € is payable upon acceptance by Planet Au Pair. The balance of 160 € is payable upon placement and prior to leaving for the target country. Payment can only be made by bank transfer. Upon acceptance of your dossier, we will send you an invoice and instructions on how to send funds via wire transfer. APPLICATION PROCEDURES 1.
Read this web site thoroughly and complete the application form neatly. In order to process your application, we need the following:
To apply to be an au-pair in Europe with Planet Au Pair, print out the form on this page. Then mail or fax the completed and signed form, along with the photos (which can also be sent by email) and other documents, to: Planet
Au Pair Contents Work
and Travel USA
For references, please click here Best
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