Gap Year Mentorship Program for Youth - GYMPY
Who is it for & why should you join?
Taking a gap year has become increasingly popular due to COVID-19 shutting down colleges around Australia and now converting classes online. More students are now considering taking time off from school.
The two most common reasons for young people deciding to take a gap year according to a survey were the burnout they experience from having to complete school as well as wanting to learn more about themselves. Taking a gap year will help them to recharge, refocus, and learn about themselves on their own terms.
99aupairs Gap Year Mentorship Program for Youth (GYMPY) is aimed exactly to meet the emotional and sometimes financial needs of students while having the chance to live elsewhere, experience a different lifestyle, and challenge themselves.
Explore the possibilities:
- Experience a different lifestyle
- Live in a different location
- Step out of your comfort zone.
GYMPY gives young individuals a chance to imagine what their life could look like as a nurse, teacher, or childcare professional.
Our program drives employability with transferable skills such as problem-solving, creativity, human interaction, and practical skills. All these important aspects are helpful in preparing young individuals for the real world.
Who can participate in GYMPY?
- Young people 18-30 years old
- Experience looking after children (i.e. babysitting)
- Available Full-Time
- Great communication skills
- A curious mind
99aupairs follow a screening process for both Host Families as well as GYMPY participants to ensure that both are safe, committed and happy to build a good relationship while sharing and exchanging learnings from each others’ cultural backgrounds.
Why should young individuals join GYMPY?
Here are just some of the benefits young individuals can get from joining the program:
- All expenses + Quality accommodation (i.e. Brighton by the beach) + Pocket Money
- Live and work in one location
- Gain experience towards future career (i.e. Teaching)
- Experienced Host Families
- Transferable skills
Young people who want to move out, live elsewhere, experience a different lifestyle and professions and challenge themselves are those who benefit the most. Apart from the transferable skills earned during their placement, they are also able to receive quality accommodation and board, be mentored by parents who are professionals in different fields, learn a new lifestyle, and earn pocket money that will be helpful for their studies or future endeavours.
Our Host Families vary from Doctors, Nurses, Lawyers, Corporate managers and directors, architects and successful business owners.
For example, we have a family from Templestowe where both parents are doctors. They are seeking a young person to help with school pick-ups and drop-offs and look after their little ones while they’re at work. They want to welcome an Au Pair with a fun personality in their gorgeous home and who can stay a minimum of 6months.
We also have a single mother who is an ER Nurse from Newcastle who will soon move to Darwin/Katherine. She is looking for a responsible and reliable Au Pair who can drive & can also stay 6months+ with her & her daughter once they move to NT.
Both these families live in some of the best & high-class suburbs with amazing views, perfect for someone taking a gap year to explore!
On the other hand, anyone with a heart & willingness to explore the opportunities available for them can join the GYMPY program!
Meet Maddy
Maddy is a 19 years old lovely girl who tried to apply for the Police Academy but did not get selected. Although she wasn’t successful with her application, she knew she had so much to offer. She wanted to work with children but she had no qualifications yet.
However, we’ve successfully placed Maddy with a wonderful family who is part of the spectacular musical, Moulin Rouge. Maddy’s drive, eagerness, and cheerful personality are the reasons why the family chose her to become a part of their family. She now looks after a 2-year old boy and 2 dogs, in exchange receives generous pocket money. Her resilience & passion for childcare has helped her work even through lockdowns and made new friends who included her in their travel plans around the country.
Maddy’s story tells us that your current circumstances will not limit you from what you can accomplish as long as you know what you want and you grab the opportunities available for you!
Maddy is about to complete her Cert III in Childcare education and is keen to continue with the program with yet another family.
Meet Monique
Monique is originally from Adelaide and loves children. She did not have a chance to complete her cert III in childcare due to an accident a few years earlier but was keen to get to work with children, despite the lack of qualifications.
Having a baby sister, whom she regularly looked after, gave her the edge over other applicants as her future host family was expecting a third baby.
She was placed with a professional family who is running their own business and her responsibility was to keep the two boys aged 3 and 5 busy and get them to and from school and kinder. She has also ensured to keep them entertained during the lockdowns in Melbourne.
Monique was quick to connect to the two older boys and keep them busy at the surrounding parks. And being in a city with fantastic public transport allowed her to be great at her job even without a driver’s license.
Monique was happy to accept an extension offered by her host family and will stay with them, whilst considering starting a Psychology degree.
What is the difference between GYMPY vs. Nanny?
A nanny needs to be qualified in order to look after the kids. She goes home at night when the parents come back home which is the same thing as what babysitters do. They help out a couple of hours to watch over the kids and are paid as regular employees.
GYMPY participants on the other hand, actually live with a family and stay with them 24 hours, 7 days a week. They share the family’s lifestyle (meals, activities), join the family on the weekend or holiday trips, although this can vary from family to family. You may be expected to help look after the children and light housework anywhere between 15- 40 hours per week and become a part of the family. And this will vary very much from family to family as with the age of children the schedules can change significantly. This is, therefore, a great opportunity if you’re looking into improving your language skills and experiencing a true Aussie lifestyle because you’ll be communicating with the family every day.
What can you expect from us?
We at 99aupairs will be with the GYMPY participant every step of the way. We will:
- Walk you through the process step by step
- Coach you through the interview
- We support you with the basic arrangement
- We connect you to the GYMPY community
Listen to what our GYMPY participants say about their experience:
How much does it cost?
GYMPY is FREE for all eligible young individuals.
We encourage Youth Communities to learn more about our program. Let us give young individuals a chance to explore Australia and soon the world, and create a brighter future for themselves.
Applicants may register online (it’s FREE) or can send us an email at support@99aupairs.com.
Also see: Moving out of home