Make America your ideal GAP YEAR or EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME

Be part of the au pair world now while you are young and free

AU PAIR IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA with JCR & Go Aupair

Become an aupair in America, a huge place to visit and explore! Disneyland, The Grand Canyon, Yosemite National Park, Sunny California, NASA, New York, Broadway, New Orleans to name a few. Watch baseball, basketball, grid iron football, ride the trains and interstate buses. Indulge in cheap food, clothes and wonderful shopping. Be with friendly, easy-going people.

JCR Aupairs & Nannies is the most trusted aupair/nanny agency for safe and secure placements and "in country" back up and support.

This program is only available to applicants from
AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND AND SOUTH KOREA
If you are from any other country you must apply within your own country
with a local Go Aupair agency.

Au Pair Age Group: Between 18 and 26 inclusive.

Females may apply. There are a small number of opportunities for males. You are able to apply but must be patient as it can take some time for a placement.

Education: Passed year 12 or the equivalent. A year 11 pass with a year further study is acceptable.

Childcare Experience: Minimum 50 hours Aupair/Aupair Plus. This can be any fairly regular interaction with children not related to you, up to age 12. Experience with children related to you is acceptable but only in addition to that of non related children. 200 hours with children under the age of 2 is required if you are to care for children under the age of 2. 200 hours with children under the age of 2 is the requirement for Premiere Aupair applicants.

Period of commitment: 12 months placements all year round on all programs. It is possible to extend ones stay in the States for a further 6.9.12 months.

Visa: 12 month aupair visa. This visa can be extended for a further 12 months.

Applicants to America must be comfortable speaking English well.
All positions are live in.
There are four levels of program:
Au pair, Au pair Plus, Premiere Au pair and Educare Au pair.

AU PAIR

• Work up to a maximum of 45 hours per week including some evenings babysitting.
• Work a maximum of 10 hours per day.
• If you are 18 - 26 and do not have 200 hours experience with children under the age of 2, care of children age 2 - 12 years old plus light housework for the children only.
• If you are 18 - 26 and have 200 hours child care experience with children 3 - 24 months old: care of children 3 months - 12 years old plus some light housework for the children only.
• Be a non smoker.
• Have a valid driving license.
• Be willing to attend 6 semester credit hours adult education non exam short courses about America for about 3 hours per week.
• Be willing to make a minimum commitment of 12 months to a family.
• Have a DVD player and be prepared to watch 32 hours of interactive childcare training on DVDs, as specified by the American State Department.
• Be willing and able to adapt to another culture.
• Be emotionally mature, flexible and able to adapt easily.
• Have a good sense of responsibility and a positive attitude.

AU PAIR PLUS

As above but have been an aupair for a year in another country backed up by a verifiable reference.

 PREMIERE AU PAIR

• As above for Aupair but should be aged 20-26 inclusive.
• You must have a qualification in children's services OR a Diploma in childcare OR a degree in any field relating to childcare. e.g. Nursery school teacher, Primary school teacher, Bachelor of Education early childhood etc, OR two consecutive years of full time childcare experience.
• You must have a minimum of 200 hours of experience with children under the age of two and be prepared to care for children in that age group.
• You must have had your driving licence for at least 1 year.

EDUCARE AU PAIR

• Provide a maximum of 30 hours childcare per week.
• Do not care for children under the age of 2.
• Do not care for pre-school aged children unless alternative full time care is arranged.
• Be willing to attend 12 semester credit hours of schooling, about 6 hours per week, attending adult education courses about America.

IN YOUR AU PAIR WORLD YOU GET

• Your own comfortable room, shared or own bathroom.
• Full board and lodge.
• Minimum one and half days free per week with one day being Friday, Saturday or Sunday. One full weekend per month.
• Two weeks paid vacation.
• Au pair: a minimum amount of US$195.75 as your WEEKLY stipend.
• Au pair Plus: a minimum amount of US$215 as your WEEKLY stipend.
• Premiere Au pair: a minimum amount of US$255 as your WEEKLY stipend.
• Educare Au pair: a minimum amount of US$148.81 as your WEEKLY stipend.
• Comprehensive health, medical insurance cover with the option to upgrade if desired.
• Family provides up to US$500 for au pair, au pair plus and premiere au pair and up to $1000 for educare au pair to cover cost of adult education courses. It is always sufficient so doesn't cost you anything.
• Your flight to the host family is provided at no cost to you from the principal gateways in your country. [Participants from all other centres will have to organise their own flight to the required departure gateway].
• The option to travel in the USA in the extra month allowed after completing your aupair term.
• Return flight to the above gateways is provided, at no cost to you, if you have completed your aupair year or extension time if you choose to stay on longer, have attended the required number of semester.
• hours and have attended at least 4 get togethers organised by the local area representative [LAR] through the year.
• DVDs and a childcare manual are provided for you to watch, to fulfil the State Dept requirement.
• Assistance applying for the visa.
• A childcare book and a pre-departure orientation workbook provided to ensure the best ever experience, before you leave.
• Contact details of your local area representative [LAR] before you leave.
• Support throughout your aupair year from your LAR who reports directly to Go Aupair head office.
• Support throughout your aupair year from JCR Head Office in Melbourne.
• Certificate on completion of your aupair year.
• A quarterly newsletter.

General Information

All applicants to the Premiere Aupair program must be prepared to accept a standard aupair family should a Premiere Aupair family not be available. The same would apply should a move to a second family be necessary and a Premiere Aupair family is not available. However, every effort will be made to place all Premiere Aupair applicants to this program with a Premiere Aupair family.

Fly to the States at any time during any month of the year to fit the dates arranged between yourself and the host family. You are flown straight to the host family.
You travel on a legal J-1Visa. You have the option to remain in the USA to travel, for an additional 13th month.

You can choose to remain in the USA with your host family for an additional 6, 9 or 12 months with the option to travel in the USA in the extra month allowed after completing your aupair term.

Basic fully comprehensive insurance is provided by the program. Upgrades to two other levels are an optional extra. If you choose the option to upgrade this can be done before leaving your home country or can be organised once you arrive in the States. Both can be paid for in the USA.

There is a large selection of non-exam short courses about America, to participate in.

Go Aupair has a wide range of tours available which you can go on in the extra month of stay.

Welcome packet

This welcome packet is mailed to Au Pairs and arrives at their Host Family's home shortly before they arrive. The Welcome Packet contains the following:

• Insurance information: explanation of coverage, upgrade request form and insurance identification form
• Education details: explanation of requirement, pre-approval form, accepted schools in the local area
• Social Security: application and letter of support
• Tax information
• Travel restrictions and validation request form
• Information on GO AU PAIR's Bed & Breakfast program
• U.S. Cultural Perspectives booklet
• Au Pair Activity booklet
• What to expect during the first two months with LAR contact information and cluster list
• Training completion certificate

Go Aupair and JCR Aupairs encourage communication between you and the Host family prior to you accepting a position. Families will phone you for an interview. Also, you can expect to be emailed by prospective host families. We receive the family profiles of interested families which we forward to you to look through. It is up to you which families you would like to call you for the 1st interview.

If a family has emailed but you have not yet seen the profile you may request the family profile if you are interested to move further.

You are entitled to a 2nd phone call if you are really interested in the host family. If they call you it means that they are likely to offer you the position as their au pair. If they don't call it just means that they have chosen one of the other au pairs they have interviewed. Move on with the process as another family will soon be in contact.

Go Aupair and JCR Aupairs provides the host family's application form and dear aupair letter for you to read before having an interview with the host family.

Go Aupair and JCR Aupairs encourage you to discuss the position with the host family. Points such as the ages of the children, the area where the family lives, any special requirements either party considers important can be discussed. This is all completed before you accept a position.

JCR encourages you to discuss a family with us so as to make an informed decision.

You make the final decision to join a US family
Please note that unlike other USA programs once you have paid the commitment and placement fee there is nothing further to pay other than the cost of the visa application.
This means that you will NOT be asked to pay a contribution towards the cost of your return flight or if you decide to extend your stay into the 2nd year.

There is always a demand for aupairs and those with a qualification are highly valued. Families will give preference to applicants with the JCR childminding /aupair certificate. Obtain your aupair certificate now through the on-line JCR Aupair course. Benefit by being given prority placement.

• Professionalism, safety, security and care are four of the basic elements of JCR. Our programs aim to help you to find the perfect family match for you so that you have a great time in the USA.
• JCR has been sending au-pairs on cultural exchange and care, legal programs since 1992.
• JCR are so confident of their programs that they will not charge a placement fee until you accept a proposed host family.
• JCR ensures a valid contract that protects you. You will receive calls from host families that are interested in your application.
• JCR provides full support during your au pair year, including back up and support in case of emergencies; rematches should there be problems and fully vetted host families.