International Au Pair Association’s Role in Cultural Exchange Programs
Established in 1994, the International Au Pair Association is a global non-profit dedicated to Au Pair and cultural exchange programs. As a leading organization, IAPA offers a membership program, assuring that associated agencies meet industry standards. We talked with Patricia Brunner, the Managing Director, who shared insights into IAPA’s objectives and its crucial role in the Au Pair industry.
The organization found inspiration at a conference where Au Pair agencies attended, leading to the idea of creating a trade association. Its purpose? Define regulations, codes of conduct, and ensure safety by emphasizing reliability among agencies, making the program safer for Au Pairs and host families. The goal was to give a voice to the program and enhance its quality for future participants.
IAPA places a strong emphasis on educating and informing about the industry. Addressing misconceptions, they aim to enlighten future Au Pairs and host families on all aspects of the program, including its challenges. Bridging different cultures can be difficult, as future Au Pairs may not grasp the complexities of living with a family of a different culture or language. IAPA emphasizes the importance of communication between Au Pairs and host families to succeed in the program and overcome challenges.
In the industry, IAPA plays a crucial role in advocating for the program to governments and offering advice to those considering its launch. They also assist agencies and organizations within the industry while highlighting the cultural exchange’s importance. Despite Au Pairs’ work obligations, the program’s primary goal is a cultural exchange experience. IAPA hopes that Au Pairs participating in the program will become advocates not only in their home country but also in the country where they choose to Au Pair.
Some of their impactful efforts often go unnoticed by the public, operating behind the scenes. Amidst COVID challenges, IAPA played a vital role in negotiating agreements for certain countries to open their borders to Au Pairs, significantly benefiting the program when agencies were grappling with difficulties. They also offer support to organizations in various countries who are trying to get Au Pair visas instated in the country, which in turn will make the program more accessible for future participants.
From its inception, IAPA aimed to establish a foundation of trust. The increasing use of their services by Au Pairs, seeking trustworthy agencies, reflects their success. Agencies listed on the IAPA website undergo strict screening, ensuring a level of experience and trustworthiness before earning membership status. While new agencies aren’t immediately accepted as members, IAPA dedicates efforts to guide and provide information, nurturing the hope that these agencies may become members in the future.
The screening process for potential IAPA members includes a comprehensive background check, verifying business registration and proper bookkeeping. An important thing is handing in references from partner agencies they do business with, it is also checked to see how the agency conducts their business in terms of service to Au Pairs and host families and information provided to them. Extensive research precedes any consideration for membership with IAPA. Membership is a privilege, contingent on strict adherence to rules and regulations. IAPA actively monitors agencies and addresses complaints, with the authority to terminate privileges for non-compliant agencies at any time.
While IAPA does concentrate on providing Au Pairs with agency information, they also offer guidance to agencies on screening candidates. The annual conference is a key resource for staying updated on agency guidelines. It covers topics like ensuring safety for agencies and Au Pairs, enhancing the screening process, and overall industry improvement.
A milestone they set from the beginning was to give recognition to Au Pairs who participated in the program. In 2019 they launched their International Au Pair Day initiative, declaring 24 November a day to celebrate Au Pairs. They aim to expand this celebration, involving more Au Pairs and agencies. It serves as a positive spotlight on the program, expressing gratitude to Au Pairs for their participation. Annual themes make it more engaging for Au Pairs to participate and share their stories. Since its launch, more agencies have participated, organizing fun activities such as picnics and celebrations with cakes or cookies.
Au Pair of the year is another initiative IAPA is very proud of. Specifically focused on highlighting the amazing work of Au Pairs. Every year they get flooded with entries for the competition. The competition attracts numerous entries annually, and a diverse jury, including the previous year’s winner, selects the current year’s winner. Their focus is not on finding the “Mary Poppins” of Au Pairs, but rather the Au Pair that indulged in the cultural experience of the program, someone who overcame obstacles and still made the best of the program or made a significant contribution to their community during their time as an Au Pair.
A concern for IAPA, something that they hope to improve in the future is the unregulated section of the industry. Although for certain programs like the USA where you must work with an agency, many other countries do not follow the same regulations. Because of this it can cause problems for Au Pairs and host families deciding to go this route. There are no proper contracts in place between the Au Pairs and host families in these instances, it can lead to program rules being abused. Technicalities such as missing insurance and mandatory language classes pose additional challenges. While the option of self-matching exists, IAPA strongly recommends working with a trusted agency.
Currently, IAPA is dedicated to aiding agencies in recovering from the impact of COVID-19. Many agencies closed during the pandemic, and efforts are underway to return to normalcy. Despite the challenges, the pandemic prompted IAPA to enhance their online platform, offering more resources to members. The future holds plans to resume hosting workshops globally and establish a training academy focused on educating members on crucial industry aspects. Their biggest hope for the industry is to expand the program to more countries or make it more accessible for other countries.
IAPA, with almost 30 years of experience, strives to be a trusted and caring voice in the community. Through initiatives, conferences, workshops, and partnerships, they work diligently in the Au Pair industry. The goal is to reach a global audience, educating them about the program while ensuring safety and top-quality services. With leaders like Patricia Brunner who previously Au Paired and owned an Au Pair agency and has vast knowledge of different aspects of the program, we know that they are not only setting strict guidelines for agencies across the globe, but they hold themselves to a high standard as well.
For more information on International Au Pair Association, click here.
