Au Pair of the Year Award

The 2023 IAPA Au Pair of the Year Award

We are very happy to announce the opening of the IAPA International Au Pair of the Year Award. This prestigious award highlights some of the amazing young people taking part in an au pair program while raising the public’s awareness of this valuable cultural exchange programme. Additionally, the Au Pair of the Year Award is a great opportunity to showcase IAPA member organisations and promote quality au pair programmes around the world.

Our Winner 2022 – Alisson Bernarda from Ecuador

In 2022, the award was won by Alisson Bernarda Haro Zuniga. Placing agencies were GoAuPair (USA) and Au Pair to the World (Ecuador)! Her host family had suggested her because is/she was a true support for the host family and was always reliable, also during difficult times.
You can watch our video about Alisson here.

Changes to the Contest for 2023

After more than 15 years of granting the Au Pair of the Year Award, we felt it was time to modernise the contest and introduce new options to participate. Moving forward, we encourage video submissions that highlight the au pair and host family’s experiences. We understand that the essay contest is a longstanding tradition, and we will still accept essays, but we feel it is important to bring the experience to life with video when possible. Furthermore, we invite submissions from au pairs too, not just host families. We feel that submissions from au pairs can truly highlight the cultural exchange aspects of the programme.

How does it work now?

Please read the following carefully

1. Invite your au pairs and host families to submit a video (or essay) featuring a deserving au pair to your organization.
2. The receiving au pair agency reviews the entries and submits a maximum of two entries to IAPA using our online application form.
3. The deadline to submit your entries is 31 January 2023, 23:59 CET.
4. IAPA staff will review the videos and entries to verify eligibility.
5. Our selected jury of five non-board members will evaluate the submissions and choose a winner and runner up.
6. The winning au pair will be notified by IAPA or through the agency who submitted the application.
7. If possible, IAPA will make travel arrangements for the winning au pair to travel to Athens, Greece to receive the award.
8. The winning au pair will receive the award during the award ceremony (expenses paid by IAPA) during WETM-IAC 2023, taking place from 18 – 20 March 2023 in Athens, Greece.

Please note that we do not announce the winner before the ceremony. However, if your entry has won, you will be notified.

Who is eligible?

1. Au pairs, host families can nominate an au pair by sending a video or essay to the receiving agency who placed the au pair.
2. The receiving agency nominates up to two candidates.
3. Both the sending and receiving agency of the nominated au pair have to be IAPA members. The sending agency can also be a subsidiary of the receiving agency.
4. The au pairs being nominated for the award has been an au pair in the period 2022-2023.
5. To keep the entries anonymous for judging, please take any references to agencies, including branding or logos, out of the videos and/or essays.
6. Additional details regarding the au pair, agency and host family are provided through the online submission form but are not a part of the review process.

What are the requirements?

We´re looking for compelling, unique stories of cultural exchange experiences, personal growth, integration in a family, culture, language, community.

1. Content: How did the au pair integrate, overcome challenges, and experience cultural exchange. What are they doing to make the best of their time abroad? How did the au pair make a difference in the family’s life?
2. Creativity: Everything is possible, but it is important that the video wasn’t created by the agency or their professional staff
3. Legal compliance: Ensure that the entry is in compliance with all the legal and copyright requirements, including permission of those visible in the entry, especially from parents of children in the video; if parents don’t want their children to be recognized, please make sure that you prepare the video accordingly e.g. with faces blurred. Don´t forget to have everyone featured in videos and photos to sign the consent form.
4. Language: IAPA accepts registrations in any language. However, for judging purposes, all videos or essays should be with subtitles or translated into English.
5. Technical requirements:

• • Videos must be in mp4 or mov format and no larger than 3 GB
  • Music can be added, however, please make sure that you are allowed to use the music. Here are some resources for royalty-free music for videos: Youtube Music Library or Bensound
  • Make sure to check whether you need to mention the source of music in your video and do so, if required.

Please read the full Terms and Conditions and also inform your au pairs and host families about the rules and regulations. Make sure to have them sign photo and video relase forms that allow us to use their content.