Calling of Aupair near Odense avail of the rare opportunity attend the Orientation which will be conducted by Babaylan Denmark which yours truly will be one of the resource persons. This is also open to male Filipino aupairs.

As a bonus you can avail of “discount flyer” from Western Union with 30kr discount which can be use when you send money to your loved ones and pay less 30kr for a transaction only.

This is the description from FaFo’s homepage 

This report is the outcome of an evaluation of the Norwegian au pair scheme. The main objectives of the evaluation have been to uncover whether (or not) the scheme is practised according to its original intentions, and whether the changes introduced to the scheme in 2007 have generated the desired effects. The basic aim of the evaluation has thus been to give a comprehensive assessment of the au pair scheme, and furthermore to see whether additional changes are needed other than those already put in place in 2007. The report describes the strategies and motivations of au pairs and host families, and discusses how contact is established between them.

There has been a considerable increase in the number of au pairs in Norway, from 691 in 2000 to 2860 in 2008, with Filipinos representing the largest group. The majority of au pairs are female, and only a small proportion of applicants are men, making au pairing a form of female-dominated employment involving what has traditionally been the responsibility of women within the household, namely housework and care work.

 The report examines the increase in numbers and the fact that third country nationals today dominate the scheme. It also debates whether au pairs and host families see au pair placement as a cultural exchange scheme in accordance with the original intentions, or as a form of employment. In addition, the report offers a brief description of the conditions for au pair placement in the UK, Denmark and Poland as a comparison to the situation in Norway. In light of these various issues, the evaluation offers policy recommendations for improvements and changes to the structural framework of au pair placement.

You can download the full report as a pdf file by clicking this link that will lead you to site.

The launching of this report  was attended by State Secretary Libe Rieber-Mohn, the State Secreatary of integration, immigration, and diversity matters. One of Fafo’s recommendation is that the Norwegian government/embassy has to work on establishing a bi-lateral agreement with the Philippines. According to the State Secretary Lieber -Mohn that they are already in dialog with the Philippine goverment  and  will continue this autumn, she said, and if there is no agreement reached, Norway will most likely follow the Wien convention and respect Filipino law regarding au pairs. (source: http://www.lofot-tidende.no/innenriks/article4529719.ece)

So I hope the Philippine goverment will look on this matter now that the Norwegian goverment will sit down and willing to establish a bi-lateral agreement regarding the aupair system. For your information the Philippines doesn’t allow it’s citizens to go out and work as an aupair. Check the realted posts on this site  regarding the ban, The research of aupair program by Genevieve Arroyo Part 1 & Part 2 andd Not is all fair for Au pairs by Filomenits Hoegsholm. 

This is relevant for the Filipinos  because according to the 2008 statistics there are 2,090 filipinaaupairs out of 2,860 that is 73.08 % of the total aupairs in Norway. Filipinos in the past years flocks to Norway after their term as aupair  in Denmark and Holland. Others came direct from the Philippines amidst the ban by paying  a large sum of money to corrupt officials at the airport and agencies. 

As there is a continous demand for househelp more and more families are misusing the aupair system because it much more cheaper than hiring a professional help. Although the pocket money is higher than in the Philippines they should  still follow the European standard. So much was changed when they started the aupair system it is not a cultural exchange anymore but it mean work to the aupair and cheap labor to the host families. So is au pair still on equal terms?

Photo Credit: Picasa web

A young Filipina aupair 21 years old was found by her host family  floating in their villa in Chateauneuf de Grasse near Nice in France last June  29. The French investigated the accident. The last time I heard was that the girl’s body was brought to Norway and I don’t have any idea if her body was repriatrated to the Philippines or not.

Here is a link to a danish newspaper BT http://www.bt.dk/udland/au-pair-pigen-druknet-i-swimmingpool

ANd here was the news in Norwegian Newspaper http://www.vg.no/nyheter/utenriks/artikkel.php?artid=557596

If you want to look at the links just use Google translate.

Here’s the announcement from the embassy:

CONSULAR OUTREACH MISSION IN DENMARK (July 3-4, 2009)

The Philippine Embassy will be conducting mobile Machine Readable Passporting Services and manual Overseas Absentee Voting Registration in Copenhagen, Denmark from July 3 to 4 (Friday to Saturday) at the following venue with the following schedules:

VENUE:

STORSAL, SKT. ANNÆ KIRKE (ST. ANN CHURCH)
Hans Bogbinders Allé 2, 2300 Copenhagen S
by public transportation – take bus 5A and get-off at Tycho Brahes Allé)
SCHEDULE:

 

July 3 & 4:     9 AM-12 NN,  1 PM – 6 PM
Kindly refer to the Philippine Embassy in Norway website for the Machine Readable Passport (MRP) application requirements and make sure to bring COMPLETE requirements. Please make sure to include a photocopy of the data page of your old passport and its amendments page if any change have been made to your details in your passport. Application forms may be downloaded from the website.

Meanwhile, all Filipino citizens 18 years old and above who are eligible to vote are encouraged to to register. All interested registrants should bring three (3) passport size ID pictures and their valid Philippine passports.

For more information about the Machine Readable Passport, Overseas Absentee Voting as well as the registration process, kindly visit:

http://www.philembassy.no/consular/mrp2.html
http://www.philembassy.no/filcom/oavreg.html
http://www.philembassy.se/annments/oav/page1.htm
CONTACT PEOPLE:

Sister Myrna: +45 5290 0184 or +45 5354 3214
Ms. Rosemarie Christensen: +45 6013 6764
Philippine Embassy: +47 9500 1072

but a tleast it will help a little bit with the price increase of everything specially transportation fares which increases yearly. Just to remind you that the number of working hours still is from 18-30 hours per week.

The Immigration Service Website hasn’t updated yet so here’s the letter that was circulated to the au pair network for your reference.

Dear all,

Danish Immigration Service is to inform that the minimum amount of pocket money for au pairs increased from DKK 2500 to 2900 kr. months with effect from 1st of July 2009.

The new minimum applies to all new applications for admission as au pairs made by 1 July 2009 or thereafter. This means that applications for admission as au pairs made by 1 July 2009 and requests to renew permits as au pairs (same host family – unchanged conditions), where the original permit was issued before 1 July 2009, dealt with under the current practice at the time of issuing the original permit.

Allowance amount is indexed on 1 January each year, starting at. 1. January 2010.
�
Med venlig hilsen
Merete Pårensgaard
Danish Immigration Service

Daughter: Hello, How are you there?

Father:…?

Daughter: No, I don’t have money. I’m not marrying a rich guy…..

I asked her what was it all about and she told me that her father wa asking money from her because they want to move to Manila from her province and will rent an apartment in Manila. I’m felt sad for her because instead of greeting her Merry Christmas they ask her to send money right away.

My parents send us money for more than 20 years and although we did all finished college and able to buy properties but we if we knew better we could have invested those remittances in worthwhile investment. When I came home for the first time and they know I’m married to a Dane I got a lot offers to invest in properties and a lot more but I said no. That’s the dilemma of an OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker), are always bombarded by financial request from family and relatives and get a lot offers to buy properties and engaged in business without even basic knowledge of running a business. Sometimes they thought that an OFW has a lot of money and they are just picked up from the streets.

Unmarried Filipinos especially the girls are dutiful daughters who work so hard just to send money to help their families. Sometimes they forget to save for themselves for their future and makes their families depend on them most of the times even when you tell them that’s a hard earned money from cleaning etc. if they are au pairs or house helper their families don’t know how hard it is unless they themselves will become OFW.

Therefore Babaylan-Denmark is offering this one of a lifetime training on how to mange your finances on 30th of May 2009. This is limited for 30 participants only so Please Register now.