AU-PAIR: WHAT IS THIS?

Au-pair is a program for cultural exchange which provides good opportunity to learn or improve foreign language, to visit another country, to become familiar with the habits and culture of the receiver country, to broaden your knowledge and interests about the life there
Au-pair is a young, non-married unbound person who is willing to learn foreign language in real conditions while living with a host family on equal basis. Au-pair is not domestic servant but shares the same duties in childcare and home maintenance like every one in the host family house. Au-pair takes enough free time for attending language courses during the week. In return for his cares the host family provides him with lodging free of charge, food and pocket money.
The Au-pair program is based upon the International Convention of the Council of Europe dated 24/11/1969, the provisions of which stipulate that young girls (very seldom boys)may take opportunity for staying in another country for certain time with a purpose to learn its language and culture, while enjoying full right membership in the host family.

We accommodate our candidates in France, Belgium, Great Britain, Germany, Austria, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Holland, Spain, Italy.

This program is intended for young people between 18 – 30 years of age, who are willing to combine the language studies with life and work among host family. Thus, they take opportunity to learn nearby the culture, habits and way of life of the receiver country and to practice the language within the different aspects of the everyday life. The candidates must have basic lexical and grammar knowledge in order to communicate easy with the members of the host family where they will live and work.
The educational and cultural program Au-pair provides opportunity to the young people while living in a foreign country as members of the host family to meet new people and make new contacts.

The Au-pair program may last from 6 months up to 24 months (varying for different countries). Au-pair is not a program for work.

HISTORY

The Au-pair idea has emerged by the end 19 century when English and German young girls went to France most often in known to them families in order to improve the language of Moliere, to learn more about the French culture and eventually to teach their mother tongue.
This kind of exchange has been performed within the framework of same social strata and it was quite logical to find a form which must ensure social equality and similarity. After the First World War these accommodations prove themselves as good opportunity for reconciliation and quickly become adequate form to discover the other culture in the family circle with little expenses. The term “Au-pair” is universal one and not to be translated in another language.

CHARACTER AND PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM

This is cultural and educational program of the European Union with a purpose to improve the linguistic qualification of young people and not a program to find job in order to earn money.
It relates to young girls and boys who want to follow up their education, to improve their linguistic culture. The program aims amelioration in the language of the receiver country, acquainting himself with its culture, habits and traditions by integration with the foreign youngsters in the native family and sharing its every day’s life. This program gives opportunity to thousand young girls and to a lesser extent to boys from the world over to travel and spend some time in foreign country while covering their expenses by working within the foreign family circle.