ACCESS NL > Features > Au Pair Programme: Culture Exchange & Child Care
Au Pair Programme: Culture Exchange & Child Care
2021-05-28 | By Sunshine Au Pair
Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic, most of us are working from home. While working from home sounds like a great experience, it can be challenging for some people, especially for new parents. If you are looking for some help with child care, the Au Pair program is the perfect option for you. Read more about this great program offered by Sunshine Au Pair to help expats like you.
About the Programme
The IND Au Pair culture exchange programme is an opportunity for young adults experience life and culture in the Netherlands. The programme offers opportunity for professionals and students to have a gap year and develop themselves.
In the Netherlands you can only have an Au Pair through an IND sponsor agency. There are few conditions the Au Pair candidate needs to fulfil, she/he should be single and within 31 years of age. The Host family should be a minimum of 2 people and have a 1.5 times the statutory income requirement.
The host family provides a private room and welcomes the Au Pair to live and support them. An Au Pair can work for 30 hours a week and has 2 full off days. They essentially work with a weekly schedule and provide personalized care for children and also support with light household chores. They receive a pocket money of a maximum of 340 Euros.
How to find a good match for your family?
It is important to understand the programme and carefully lay out expectations to find a suitable match for your family. You are able to look at candidate profiles through our agency or find your own match through www.Aupairworld.com . The process of selection starts with a series of video interviews. It is important to ask for relevant experience and also access the personality of the candidate. Our agency goes through a meticulous process to provide a good match for the host family and the Au Pair. Sunshine Au Pair has 9 years of experience with the culture exchange programme, we have a robust selection and match process that helps both the families and Au Pairs have a good Au Pair year.
What are some benefits of having an Au Pair?
An Au Pair is able to give personalized support to families and is involved in the development of the children. Some of our Au Pairs are qualified teachers or have extensive child care experience. It is also an opportunity as a family to learn from a different culture and share cultural experiences. This makes the programme very interesting. Au Pairs also helps families keep up with a second language and practice it on a regular basis.
For dual career families or families aspiring for a dual career this could be a great support. For expat and International families who stay far from their family, this is an opportunity to have additional support at home.
The Au Pairs form a nice bond with the children and families and become friends for a life time.
Dieuwertje ten Feld, a client of Sunshine Au Pair, has hosted 8 Au Pairs so far. She has had a positive experience with the Au Pair programme as a family. She feels it opens up the children’s ability to communicate and get along with people from other cultures. It has also been an immense support in a dual career family, they rush less and have a good support for busy family life. She advises families to go with their intuition while choosing an Au Pair for themselves, a personality fit and having clear expectations is essential for a successful Au Pair year.
What does this mean for the Au Pair?
The Au Pair gets an opportunity to live and experience Dutch and International culture. They grow as individuals and develop skills through this process. We always see Au Pairs becoming a better version of themselves at the end of the year. Some of them become independent and gain confidence travelling on their own. This gives them the confidence to pursue their dreams and aspirations.
Majo Morales, Au Pair from Ecuador explains how she learnt to take care of herself and learnt so much from the host family during her stay here.She feels so fulfilled through the experience. She learnt to be disciplined and patient. She says it helped her know herself during the Au Pair year.
Aru Chaiwongthip, was an Au Pair in the Netherlands and the USA. She shares a great bong with her host family even today.
How can Sunshine Au Pair agency help you?
We help you with finding a suitable match, but also help you if you have already found a candidate on your own. We conduct interviews and reference checks. We apply for the relevant visa with the Immigration office and support the Au Pair get to the Netherlands. Once they are in the Netherlands we support them during their stay with developmental activities, practical support and care. We help mediate any issues or hurdles during the year. Our aim is for Au Pairs and Host families have a good Au Pair year.
To learn more about the programme, you can watch Au Pair experiences and videos on their YouTube channel. You can also read more information on their website www.sunshine-aupair.com.
Follow them on Facebook for updates or simply write to them for questions at info@sunshine-aupair.com
Click here if you want know more about Childcare in The Netherlands.
