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Introduction
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Rent this Space!
For further details,
read the last article
in the e-newsletter
or contact the
IAPA Secretariat.
mailbox@iapa.org
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Dear IAPA Member,
Welcome to the first edition of the IAPA e-newsletter,
IAPA World!
This new communication tool will be distributed 4
times a year (every three months) and is a platform to keep members of the
Association informed about the latest developments within the au pair industry.
In this issue we will look at the recent advocacy efforts
of the Dutch National Au Pair Organisation (NAPO), summarize the IAPA
Annual Conference that took place in Prague in March 2005, including
highlights of the 2005 Au
Pair of the Year award and an introduction to keynote
speaker Mr Richard Atkins. You can read about IAPA's soon-to-be-launched
Direct Recruitment Warning Campaign and learn about IAPA's activities that
have been planned for the upcoming months.
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Direct
Recruitment Warning
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Need for Action
 During
the past twelve months the IAPA Secretariat and many IAPA members have received
an increasing number of complaints and pleas for help from au pairs and families who
have arranged their au
pair placements by responding to advertisements on the
world wide web rather than using an established agency.
Au pairs and
host families using direct recruitment methods not only put themselves at
potential risk, but threaten the reputation and existence of the au pair industry.
Although appearing to be an inexpensive and acceptable alternative, many
families and young people realise too late that there is limited or
non-existent support when a placement is unsuccessful (if a placement is
actually achieved) and that the au
pairs and host families are often completely unsuitable
for this type of cultural exchange programme.
Stepping Up to the Plate
IAPA has recognised and acknowledged the need to
launch a public service campaign to warn au pairs and host families
of the potential dangers of arranging direct au pair placements
through newspaper advertisements, internet or web-based matching services
as opposed to using a legally registered and established au pair agency.
The Direct Recruitment Warning Campaign, currently in
the final stages of production, will include both web and print media.
IAPA Website: A
permanent warning will be placed on the home page of the IAPA website and
will be available in five languages: English, French, German, Spanish,
Russian. The warning can be downloaded by IAPA Members for use on their own
websites.
Flyer: A public
service announcement flyer containing the same text as the warning will be
printed in the same five languages: English, French, German, Spanish,
Russian. The flyers will be available as downloadable PDF files on the
Member Section of the IAPA website so Members can reproduce the flyers
using their organisation's contact details.
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NAPO: IAPA Support Leads to Success
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 (Monday, 27 June
2005) On Monday 27 June 2005 NAPO (Nederlandse Au Pair Organisatie),
the Dutch National Organisation for au pair agencies,
and IAPA were officially invited by the Dutch Ministry of Justice to
discuss au pair visa
regulations and investigate the policy of allowing au pairs to live outside of
the host family environment.
Mr Jack
Hompes, NAPO President and owner of S-au pair intermediate
(Netherlands), and IAPA Chairperson Ms Birte Larsen met with
representatives of the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Social
Affairs to examine issues currently affecting the au pair industry in
The Netherlands.
During the meeting, which lasted two and a half hours,
Ms Larsen gave a presentation highlighting the cultural exchange aspects of
au pairing and explained in detail the need for the industry to accept and
recognise internationally approved guidelines for au pair exchange
programmes as currently stipulated by IAPA.
The presence of the IAPA Chairperson was especially
important for NAPO as Ms Larsen described IAPA's current policy of
encouraging au
pair organisations to form national bodies and the need
for these bodies to be recognised by national governments.
The first issue addressed was that of au pairs living away from
the host family environment. This topic was initially brought to the
attention of IAPA by NAPO as many illegal au pair agencies in
The Netherlands are promoting out-living au pairs; these agencies
rent apartments for the au
pairs, sometimes as many as ten in one apartment, and
then charge the host families for the accommodation, food, transport, etc.
After a brief discussion based on recommendations
presented by NAPO and IAPA, the Ministry of Justice and Foreign Affairs
reached the decision that au
pairs will no longer be allowed to live outside the host
family home. This news was reported throughout Holland on national
television and is likely to result in the closure of illegal au pair agencies,
and stricter enforcement of controls by the police.
The Dutch Government has agreed to investigate the
current visa system for au
pairs in The Netherlands. At present a young person from outside
the EU wishing to work as an au
pair in The Netherlands may have to wait up to four
months to receive their au
pair visa. Before the end of 2005 NAPO expects to receive
a special Ministerial allowance/contract whereby all au pair visas
requested through NAPO (and NAPO Members) will be issued within ten days.
When this occurs the impact on the Dutch au pair market is
expected to be considerable.
NAPO also discussed details of au pair programmes
with the Ministry, for example, the expected duties of au pairs in regard to
household work, etc., Guidelines, and the working methods of NAPO and its
Members. It is expected that that the Dutch Government will implement the
ideas and recommendations of NAPO within the next three months.
Further news from the Dutch Ministry of Education has
shown that the Government is to provide a subsidy of approximately Euro
35,000 to “ROC” high schools throughout The Netherlands to
establish special au
pair courses. NAPO has the exclusive rights to this
programme and only au pairs
placed through NAPO Members will be able to attend the programme. The
courses will start four times a year and will be of ten months duration.
The first pilot course will begin in September 2005 in Rotterdam and
it is hoped that by September 2006 similar courses will be held throughout
The Netherlands using all 100 of the ROC schools.
The dialogue between NAPO and the Dutch Ministries has
established NAPO as a voice for the au pair industry
within The Netherlands and it is a distinct possibility that NAPO will be
officially recognised by a special department of the Dutch Government
within the next year.
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2005 IAPA Conference
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Successful IAPA Conference in
Charming Prague
 IAPA's 11th
Annual Conference took place this year in the popular historic city of
Prague in the Czech Republic.
A total of 140 delegates from 96 organisations,
representing 24 countries, convened at the stunning Corinthia Towers Hotel
for a full two-day programme of plenary sessions, business appointments,
and social activities.
Conference highlights included the re-election of Ms
Birte Larsen as IAPA Chairperson, presentation of the second Au Pair of the Year
award, and a very well received keynote address by guest speaker Mr Richard
Atkins, who shared his valuable knowledge of "dealing with au pair legal
problems."
During the Conference some 1000 pre-scheduled business
appointments were conducted by 117 teams, averaging 16.5 appointments per
team (out of a possible maximum of 25 appointments).
In typical IAPA-style delegates enjoyed a variety of social activities including
cocktail receptions, a sumptuous gala dinner at Francouzka Restaurance in
the city's famous Municipal Building, and an assortment of city tours.
Annual General Meeting (AGM) Summary
- Change in the name of the
Executive Committee to Executive Board
- Reduction of the number of
IAPA Executive Board members from 7 to 4
- Amendment to the
Constitution to allow future amendments to be undertaken by postal or
electronic ballot
- A new paragraph in the
Code of Conduct for Au Pair Organisations to ensure and maintain
the credibility and reputation of the Association and its member
organisations
- 2005/2006 Annual
Membership Fees maintained as per 2004/2005
Read more about the 2005 Conference on the Member
Section of the IAPA website.
IAPA Executive Board
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Name
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Position
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Term
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Organisation
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Country
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Ms Birte Larsen
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Chairperson
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2005–2008
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Association Famille Jeunesse
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France
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Mr Thomas Kiechle
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Treasurer
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2004–2007
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AIFS Deutschland
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Germany
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Ms Sandra Landau
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Member
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2003–2006
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Childcare International
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United Kingdom
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Mr Tadeusz Milik
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Member
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2003–2006
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Furnel Travel International
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Poland
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Ms Carolina Goncalves
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Member
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2004–2007
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Nurse Au Pair Placement
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France
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Mr Mario Ristovski
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Member
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2004–2007
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Au Pair Network
International
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United Kingdom
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Prize Draw Winner
Recommendations from active IAPA Members are a great resource
for recruiting new members into the Association. The name of all member
organisations providing referrals for successful applicants since the last
Conference were entered into a prize draw. Nine members competed in this
year's draw which took place during the Open Forum. The prize was a free
Conference in 2006, awarded to Au Pairs by Avalon
(United Kingdom).
Support IAPA by sending contact details of prospective
members to Association Manager Paul Browne: mailbox@iapa.org
Conference Evaluation
Delegates were requested to complete a Conference
Evaluation Report. Click here to view the Evaluation
results.
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IAPA Au Pair of the Year 2005
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The IAPA
Au Pair of the Year award was presented during the Association's
11th Annual Conference in Prague, Czech Republic. The winner, 22 year old
Ms Mariela Poveda from Quito in Ecuador, was flown in for the occasion and
was presented her award by IAPA Chairperson Ms Birte Larsen.
Ms Poveda spent the last year as an au pair with the Rush
family in Maryland, United States. For both the family and Mariela, the
experience was extremely rewarding. In her essay Ms Poveda brought tears to
the eyes of the audience as she recounted her year and explained how the
cultural exchange experience has affected her life.
 “My
experiences as an au
pair have helped me discover new abilities and allowed me
to improve myself as an au
pair, person, woman, daughter, and sister. I have enjoyed
sharing my customs and time with a small family full of love and happiness.
It has helped me to discover new abilities and opened my eyes to a new
world. These times I would not change for anything. I have learned how to
value my life and family more. I also learned how to improve myself by
becoming a better person and to give the best of myself to people wherever
I go. I feel happy to have lived all these experiences and to have visited
so many places," said Ms Poveda.
This marks the second year that an Au Pair of the Year has
been named by IAPA. All host families of IAPA placement organisations were
invited to nominate their au
pair for this award by submitting an essay describing the
qualities and characteristics that made their au pair exceptional.
You can read more about this exciting award in the July 2005 issue of the
Youth Travel International (YTI) magazine.
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Mr Richard Atkins. “Dealing with Au Pair Legal
problems”
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 Keynote Address
Mr Richard Atkins, a
Philadelphia lawyer, presented an informative and factual keynote address
during the open Forum of the Annual Conference entitled “Dealing with
au pair legal
problems”. The address provided an overview of some of the more
common potential legal problems faced by au pairs and young people
when participating in cultural exchange programmes outside their native
country. Mr Atkins highlighted the legal implications and ramifications
these problems may present and provided invaluable advice from the
perspective of an au
pair agency.
Click here to view the presentation.
Biography
Mr Richard Atkins is Vice President and Legal Counsel
for International Recoveries, LLC (INTRESCO) providing legal related
services, including a comprehensive global subrogation programme, for the
travel insurance industry.
A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law
School (JD), Mr Atkins has maintained a law practice in Philadelphia for
the past thirty-five years and in 1980 co-founded the firm International
legal Defence Counsel (ILDC) specialising in representing individuals with
legal problems, civil and criminal, in countries other than their own.=
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Membership Certificates
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 The
new-look membership certificates for 2005/2006 will be distributed to
members on confirmation of payment of the 2005/2006 Annual Contribution
(AC) Fee.
AC Invoices were sent to members 01 July 2005 by both
regular mail and email. If you have not received your invoice, please
contact FIYTO Finance Manager Mr Mikael Blom at finances@fiyto.org
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ILO
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GWEA Lobbies International Labour
Organisation (ILO) for Interpretation of Terms
The International Labour Organisation, a United
Nations' Organisation, adopted Convention C.181, also know as the Private
Employment Agencies Convention, at the 84th Session in Geneva in 1996.
Since 1996, Convention C.181 has been ratified by 17 countries.
Convention C.181 regulates – amongst other
issues – fee charging for services provided by Private Employment
Agencies. GWEA, on behalf of FIYTO and its Associations, is lobbying for an
interpretation of the terms in Convention C.181 with regard to cultural
exchange programmes.
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WYSTC
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 Are you a busy youth and
student travel organisation looking for the latest products and services in
the market?
Then you should attend WYSTC, the premier industry
event with over 700 delegates representing 450 organisations from around
the globe.
What is WYSTC?
The World Youth and Student Travel Conference (WYSTC)
is owned by FIYTO (Federation of International Youth Travel Organisations)
and ISTC (International Student Travel Confederation), the leading voices
in youth and student travel for over 50 years.
 WYSTC
has established itself as the meeting place for specialists in the youth
and student travel industry. It is a forum for the exchange of information
and know-how and a place to conduct business with a diverse range of
reliable partners for effective 24-hour networking.
IAPA Members can attend WYSTC at special rates!
When & Where?
10–16 October 2005
The Sheraton Centre Hotel, Toronto, Canada
To learn more about this exciting event, how to
register, and Conference fees, visit the WYSTC website.
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Congratulations New IAPA Members
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The following organisations were voted into IAPA by
electronic ballot in February 2005.
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Full Voting
(6)
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Country
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World Study Network
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Brazil
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Au-Pair Agentur International
Maria-Theresia
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Germany
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Au Pair Interactive
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Netherlands
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Au Pairs Worldwide
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Netherlands
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Angel Au Pairs
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United Kingdom
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Cultural Homestay
International
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United States
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Affiliate
(1)
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Country
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Millennium Ltd
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Russian Federation
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Events
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Visit a FIYTO Association
Representative at one of these events
- World Youth & Student
Travel Conference (www.wystc.org), Toronto 10-16
October 2005
- ALPHE Workshop UK, London,
26–28 August 2005
- International Languages
& Education UK Fair, Brighton, 30 August–01 September 2005
- World Travel Market,
London, UK, 14–17 November 2005
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©
2005 IAPA
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All
rights reserved
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