Educational programme

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WETM-IAC 2022 Educational programme

Sunday, 20 March

One Year into Biden Administration: Update from the Alliance

10:00 – 11:00 CET

With a supportive President and Secretary of State, the prospect of a Biden Administration created high expectations in the international exchange community. One year into the new Administration and significant challenges remain, however. Join Ilir Zherka, Executive Director of the Alliance for International Exchange, for a discussion about visa processing, steep proposed fee increases, possible regulatory support, and the need to rebuild exchange programmes.

Speaker

Ilir Zherka

Executive Director,
Alliance for International Exchange

WTF? (Where’s The Fun?)

14:00 – 15:00

After this 45-minute presentation, you will leave feeling motivated to re-embrace work and the cultural exchange mission, enlightened with new ways to approach business and life, excited and prepared for the unknown future ahead and, most of all, empowered to handle anything that may continue to interrupt life and business. All this whilst having some fun along the way.

Highlights will include:

Why the pandemic is no different than any other curve ball life throws at you
The most important skillset you will need in life
Your toolkit for making the best out of any and every challenging situation you’re faced with in business and life
Practical steps you can take TODAY to not just survive but thrive, no matter how unpredictable the industry climate remains

Speaker

Marisa Lonic

Speaker, author and coach
Mama Work It

J Program and US Tax: The Basics

15:20 – 16:00 CET

This session will give you an overview of what your program participants should be doing to get taxed correctly on their US income from the start of their program, and what they need to know about filing a tax return at the end of the year in the US. We’ll go over the basic filing obligations and use data from thousands of tax returns to show why it’s important to file, as well as addressing the implications of non-compliance.

Speakers

Enda Kelleher

Vice President,
Sprintax

Anna Fitzpatrick

Account Manager
Sprintax

Monday, 21 March

Around the World in three questions
Taking stock of the status of au pair placements worldwide

10:20 – 11:20 CET

In this session, we will take you on a journey around the world and review au pair placement opportunities in key au pair destinations. Our peer experts will inform you about:

the current status of au pair programmes in their respective country/region
what sending agencies and their au pairs currently need to know
program considerations for the near future

Panellists

Michael McHugh

Sr. Vice President
Au Pair USA by InterExchange

Jackie Rylance

Founder
Dream Nannies Australia
and
President of CAPAA

Patricia Brunner

Managing Director
IAPA

Linda James

Senior Vice President
AU Pair in America Chair, IAPA
AU Pair in America

Morgan Holyoake

Managing Director
Au Pair Link

Michael Xie

Director
Lopair

US Department of State Update on BridgeUSA Exchange Visitor Program

14:00 – 14:40 CET

Representatives of the US Department of State will provide an update on summer work and travel, internship, trainee and au pair programmes and regulations of the BridgeUSA Exchange Visitor Program.

Speakers

Joy Proctor

US Department of State

Cristina Hatfield

US Department of State

Developing a diversity, equity and inclusion learning journey in your organisation

15:40 – 16:00 CET

In 2021, as part of AIFS’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, the Au Pair in America division created a DEI group for employees to learn, explore, and discuss topics in equity, especially as they relate to the work of cultural exchange. The initiative kicked off with a DEI Learning Series. The goal of the series was to bring together members of the team from across the US and around the world for learning and discussion opportunities, centred around equity and inclusion. Recently, the initiative won a Global Youth Travel Award for New Diversity and Inclusion Initiative.

During this session Au Pair in America will share the story of developing their Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Learning Journey Series. You will learn why and how the team launched the series, including tips for starting your own learning journey.

Speakers

Jean Quinn, Director
Yasmine Osman, Deputy Director
Robin Leon, Field Service and Training Manager
Claudia Nixon, Regional Program Manager
Kim Van Cleave Michaels, Field Representative

AU Pair in America

Resilience and recovery of the youth and student travel market

16:00 – 16:40 CET

The youth and student travel market has a track record of resilience during periods of crisis. The market’s willingness to take advantage of unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for personal development during times of economic, political or socio-cultural turbulence has always been one of its tendencies and strengths.

Things have changed for most travellers due to the global COVID-19 health crisis, but for young travellers there have been significant barriers to international educational travel, cultural immersion and exchange programmes and overseas volunteering. These travel barriers have had an impact on how young people view opportunities for education, career and self-development. Destinations that do not understand the multi-fold value of the youth and student travel market are ignoring opportunities in this market segment. In turn, leaving opportunities by the wayside impedes the ability of travel and tourism businesses to recover amidst the current labour shortage.

During this panel discussion we make the case for understanding the international youth and student travel market as one of critical importance for destinations and employers in tourism, hospitality and related sectors.

Moderators & Panellists