Michele & David Chazen

The results from the 2009 Host Family Survey are in … and the consensus is that our host families are overwhelmingly happy! To share a few of the stats:    

- 96% of host families are satisfied with the quality of childcare that their au pair provides
- 95% are satisfied with the support provided by their Local Childcare Coordinator
- 97% are pleased with the choice they made to use the services of Cultural Care Au Pair
- 96% would recommend the services of Cultural Care Au Pair to other families

Thank you to our current host families for participating and for helping us to further improve our program! Host family feedback gathered through our customer satisfaction survey has contributed to several changes at Cultural Care Au Pair including an improved host family and au pair matching process, increased new and repeat host family discounts, new payment plan options, and better online and phone support for host families. In addition, host families are able to provide direct feedback to senior management at face to face meetings held throughout the country, and they may participate in an online forum (www.community.culturalcare.com) created just for program participants.

We’re thrilled with these results, which are certified by independent survey company Discovery Surveys, Inc. In fact, our participation rate (52% of active host families this time around) and the results themselves have improved each of the four times we have administered the surveys (spring and fall of 2008 and spring and fall of 2009). For more detailed survey information, visit our website

Looking for something to do on President’s Day

It’s 29 events in 1 day!
February 15th, 2010

Spend the holiday with your family at the State Theatre in New Brunswick, NJ, under the Hub City Big Top and at three theatres on Livingston Avenue.

Gazillion Bubble Show 11am, 1pm & 3pm at the State TheatreTake the journey of a lifetime and step into the “unbubblelievable” magical kingdom of Fan Yang’s Gazillion Bubble Show, featuring Guinness World Record Holder Ana Yang, “The World’s Greatest Female Bubble Artist.”Tickets: $15-25 Groups of 12+: $10-20 Act quickly-tickets are selling fast! Kid-Friendly, Hands-On Workshops Please register in advance. Registration is $8. (To register in advance, please call 732-247-7200 x545.) Crossroads Theatre Community RoomMusical Story Time (10:30am & 11:45am) Musical Recycling (1:30pm) The Language of Music (3pm) Crossroads Theatre 4th Floor Rehearsal Room with American Repertory BalletHand-in-Hand (10am & 12:30pm) Bubble, Bubble, Dance! (11:15am) Hip-Hop Dance (1:45pm & 3pm) Crossroads Theatre 4th Floor LobbyMake a Monster Visor (10am) Build Lincoln’s Cabin (11:15am) Junk-Mail Jewelry (12:30pm) Create a Sock Puppet (1:45pm) Make a Bubble-Print T-Shirt (3pm) George Street PlayhouseCreate a Character Mask (10am & 11:30am) From Page to Stage (1pm) Intro to Improv (2:30pm)

Free Events at Crossroads Theatre (no tickets or reservations required)Julie Pasqual: Storytelling 10am, 11:30am, & 1pmSing-A-Long with Big Jeff 10:45am, 1:45pm, & 3:15pm   Al Grout: Comedy, Magic, & Juggling 12:15pm & 2:30pm Happenings Under the Hub City Big Top All Day LongFREE Balloon Animals & Face Painting Costumed Characters DJ Mickey Sweets & Snacks Christopher’s Food To GoAlso Featuring Philadelphia Zoo’s “Zoo on Wheels” Visit StateTheatreNJ.org/familyday for more information. State Theatre: 15 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick, NJ 08901 StateTheatreNJ.org3 Easy Ways to Buy: Buy online: StateTheatreNJ.org Ticket Hotline: 732-247-7469 Group Discount 732-247-7200 x517 Header Photo By Kyle D. Barker

Cultural Care Au Pair offers 3 Ways to Match
Cultural Care Au Pair host families now have the ability to review even more applications and au pair profiles with our new 3 Ways to Match, a program feature that let’s host families select the style of matching that best suits their needs. Host families can now search through multiple candidates on their own timeframe, set an appointment for a consultative matching session or work one-on-one with a placement manager who carefully selects possible matches. Best of all, our 3 Ways to Match allows you to enjoy the benefits of all three matching styles to help you find the right au pair for your family.      

To get started
Whether you’re a new family to Cultural Care Au Pair or have already hosted an au pair, our 3 Ways to Match makes it easy for you to begin reviewing au pair candidates right away. Simply fill out your new or repeat application. Once it’s processed, you can log into your account and begin matching. Here’s how it works:

Personalized, exclusive matching
Enjoy the benefits of our trademark one-on-one matching. Your placement manager will select carefully screened applications for you to review based on your family’s unique needs. Each au pair is exclusively reserved for your family’s review, which means no two families are contacting the same reserved au pair candidate at the same time.

Consultative matching
Review our pool of au pair candidates in real time by setting up a consultative matching appointment by phone with your placement manager. This highly effective method allows you to carve out time with your placement manager to review available candidates who are not being reviewed by other families. At the end of the appointment, you have the opportunity to have up to three candidates maximum reserved for your family exclusively.

Search & Select
An enhancement to our current profile review system, this new feature offers families the ability to build a list of au pair profiles available for review. Families can narrow the search field and request, for example, a driver, a second year au pair or someone available now. If you find a candidate of interest to you, you may add the au pair to your list and notify your placement manager of your interest by clicking the Notify Placement Manager button. Your placement manager will review your suggested matches and place up to three of those matches into your host family account for further review of their full application.

 For more information about our 3 Ways to Match  contact your local childcare coordinator.

The news we hear daily about Haiti is devastating.  So many are suffering.  How can we help?   Please read Cultural Care Au Pair  Blog “The Buzz”

to see how Cultural Cares parent company EF Education First will match your donation to help this country in need.

The January Au Pair  meeting will be held on Sunday, January 24th 2010 from 12:45 - 2:45.   You will all be Ice Skating at the Red Bank Armory
 
Where: Red Bank Armory Ice Complex
76 Chestnut Street                                                                     
Red Bank, NJ 07701
732-450-9001
Cost: $9.00 (admission) + $4.00 ( skate rental )

See you all there.  Friends welcome to join us.

Other Au Pair Groups will be joining us.

Au Pairs as part of the program are required to take classes.  (6 credits and or equivalent at an accredited institution)    

One way of fulfilling this requirement is taking a weekend class. One weekend would be equivalent to 3 credits.

Listed below are 3 different options that offer weekend classes

These classes fill up fast so register early to get your desired dates.

Remember to review the dates with your host families before registering to make sure that the dates are ok with them as well.

 Silver Bay

Located in Albany NY  

The schedule for Silver Bay is as follows:

March 12

March 12-14, 2010                                                   

April 9 - 11, 2010

April 30 - May 2, 2010

June 25- 27, 2010

July 16-18, 2010

August 20 - 22, 2010

September 10-12, 2010

October, 22-24, 2010

November 19-21 2010

 For more information, description of the classes offered and registration information please visit the website at:  http://www.silverbayaupaircourse.com/

______________________________________________________________________

C.W. Post

Located in Long Island, NY

Website:  http://www.liu.edu/cwis/CWP/aupair/

The Schedule is as follows:

January 29-31, 2010

History of American Women - American History

TOEFL/ English Preparation Course

Growing up in America

American Indian Cultures and Their Impact on American Society

 February 19-21, 2010

Highlights of the Harlem Renaissance

History of American Music

American Indian Cultures and Their Impact on American Society

 March 5-7, 2010

History of American Music

Growing up in America

American Government, Politics, and Social Issues

 March 19-21, 2010

Storytelling: As A Way of Life: Exploring Traditions

TOEFL/ English Preparation Course

American Indian Cultures and Their Impact on American Society

 March 26-28, 2010

History of American Music

Regional Identities - American Culture

 April 16-18, 2010

American Indian Cultures and Their Impact on American Society

TOEFL/ English Preparation Course

History of American Music

Celebration of Holidays - American Culture

 Please click on the links for the aupaircoursedescriptions1 and  aupairwinter-springclassregistrationform.

 ___________________________________________________________________________

Sojourner Douglass College

Located in Maryland

Website: http://www.aupairweekend.org/

The Schedule and class offered is as follows:

March 6-7, 2010 American Culture and Personal Development
April 10-11, 2010 Caring for Special Needs Children
May 1-2, 2010 Child Development and American Government
May 1, 2010 Water Safety
June 5-6, 2010 Experiencing America
June 5, 2010 Infant and Child CPR and First Aid
July 10-11, 2010 to be announced
August 7-8, 2010 to be announced
September 11-12, 2010 to be announced
October 2-3, 2010 to be announced
October 2, 2010 Infant and Child CPR and First Aid
November 6-7, 2010 to be announced

For additional information and registration please visit their website.

Our host families spoke, and we listened. The economy had an impact on everyone last year. Many families faced new financial challenges, but in the end, they still needed flexible, affordable childcare. As a result, Cultural Care Au Pair has created several new payment options that help lower the initial cost for welcoming an au pair into their home in the New Year. Along with this exciting new change, we are also keeping our prices the same for the second year in a row!

Now new families applying to Cultural Care Au Pair will have even more payment options available. Not only have we reduced our application fee, we have created several new payment plans for new and repeat families. As a result, they can continue to enjoy all the benefits they have enjoyed from Cultural Care Au Pair in the past - and even more!

Lower application fee, lowered payment plan options
How does it work? Now new families applying to the program will pay a $75 non-refundable application fee -a savings over our previous $350 application fee. Upon finding the right au pair, a $275 selection fee will be due so the au pair can finalize arrangements to come to the U.S. Offering this new payment structure not only helps secure the au pair for the family, it allows the visa process to begin moving forward.

In addition, families now have even more flexibility when it comes to making payments. On our regular payment plan, families now have the ability to pay the program fee 30 days prior to the au pair’s arrival, instead of upon selection of an au pair. This is great for families who select an au pair early, as it provides them with additional time to pay their program fee.

In addition, our Extended Payment Plan option now lowers the initial deposit to $2,395, plus a $200 payment plan enrollment fee. Families have the option of making a payment in three easy installments or they can log into their host family account at their convenience and pay weekly, bi-weekly or monthly - whatever works best for the family, as long as it’s within the Extended Payment Plan timeframe. Repeat and extension families enjoy all these flexible payment benefits as well, with the additional benefit of a waived application fee!

Along with keeping prices the same in 2010, and creating several new, lower payment plan options, we are also decreasing the cost for enrolling in our Extended Payment Plan, making it even easier to afford an au pair in the New Year. For more information about how to utilize these new options, contact me, your local childcare coordinator, and I will be happy to provide you with additional details about Cultural Care Au Pair’s exciting new payment options for 2010    

Every year thousands of young people from all over the world embark on a special journey by becoming an au pair. Now it’s time to recognize the extraordinary and ordinary daily accomplishments that each au pair makes in his or her host family by nominating your au pair for the International Au Pair Association’s seventh annual Au Pair of the Year Award.

The International Au Pair Association established the Au Pair of the Year Award to recognize the many great young men and women participating in the au pair program worldwide. In addition, the award helps highlight public awareness of this valuable cultural exchange program.

For the last two years, au pairs with Cultural Care have been honored with the IAPA Au Pair of the Year Award. In 2009, the honor was awarded to Francisco Ricardo Silva de Araújo, of Brazil, an au pair to the Boyer family of Virginia. In 2008, Linda Falter, an au pair from Germany, received the award while she was an au pair for the Sato family of Hayward, California.

What makes your au pair outstanding?
Maybe it’s the day-to-day things he or she does, such as kicking around a soccer ball, helping the kids with homework or entertaining them while you cook dinner. Maybe it’s the way he or she has embraced your family, such as teaching your kids her language, baking treats from her home country or coming to watch your children in the winter program at school. Every thing your au pair does that helps your family or brings a rich cultural exchange into your family is worthy of recognition, and a great way of saying thank you to your au pair!

Host families who would like to nominate their au pair should submit an essay detailing what makes their au pair exceptional in the form provided. Nominations for the Au Pair of the Year Award must be received by Friday, January 15. Once you’ve submitted your nomination, don’t forget to share it with your au pair to show her or him how much you think of what she or he does for your family!

Simply nominating an au pair for the IAPA Au Pair of the Year Award is a wonderful honor that can show your au pair how much you value what she or he does for your family. This award allows so many in the au pair community to reflect on what an incredibly positive program this is and the many lives it touches and enriches along the way.

For more information about the Au Pair of the Year Award or nominating your au pair please click here.

Our December Au Pair meeting holiday luncheon will be held on Sunday, December 6
Time 1:00 - 3:00 PM
Grand China Buffet
56 RT 36
Best Buy Shopping Ctr
Eatontown, NJ 07724

We will be doing this holiday luncheon with several other au pair groups in the area.

The cost of the meeting is $15 for the buffet lunch. This includes full buffet, drink, tax and tip. You will pay when you arrive.

We will be doing a small gift exchange, so please bring a small, wrapped gift that costs $5. You will leave your gift on the gift table and we’ll do the gift exchange after lunch when you will choose a gift from the table.   

I look forward to seeing you then.