Vision: Seniors and Students: forever friends
Mission: To help senior citizens age gracefully and with dignity as they are no longer able to fully take care of themselves while also helping underprivileged students pursuing a medical career to get an education.
Values: Respect, Dignity and Love
Introduction
The vision of AuPairs for Seniors is to provide an opportunity for young Christian men and women from underprivileged countries, regions, areas or populations to demonstrate the love of Jesus to the elderly population of the U.S. while pursuing their medical training. This will include sharing their culture and values as well as learning U.S. culture and values. It is our goal to make this a relationship that blossoms into a strong bond of friendship built on mutual trust and respect that transcends cultural differences. Upon their return to their native country, the students will be better able to serve Christ, disadvantaged Christians and themselves. They will also promote better relationships with the people, the educational system and the government of the United States of America.
The organization will be built on strong Biblical principles, recognizing that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. We hope to demonstrate the love of Jesus by living according to the Christian principals in His Word, the Bible. These principals give Christians both practical and spiritual guidance on how to live their daily lives in a way that honors Jesus and serves others.
By helping a U.S. population that was once vibrant and productive but is now no longer able to help themselves, students will get both a formal and informal education that is more valuable than the sum of its parts. The program is designed so that students learn the value of wisdom that is gained through the aging process and hard work. It is also designed to recognize the value of senior citizens and to help them age gracefully and with dignity in their own home.
Start-Up
An organization is only as good as its people. The first step is to identify our strategic partners and how these partnerships will align with the vision and mission of AuPairs for Seniors. AuPairs for Seniors will need three types of strategic partners: a Christian ministry to the poor in the underprivileged location, accredited medical and/or nursing schools and an elderly population that has the means and the ability to host an AuPair.
The number of strategic partners (Christian ministries to the poor) in each location will vary depending on the size of the disadvantaged country and the number of young Christians that are interested in pursuing a medial career.
Likewise the number of nursing schools that our students attend will depend on the availability of the schools in the geographic area, the availability of scholarships and other forms of financial aid and the schedule of classes. The elderly may need AuPairs during the day or in the evening depending on their situation so finding schools that offer day and evening classes would be ideal. Also because the AuPairs are not necessarily native English speakers, schools with small class sizes would be helpful.
The third type of partnership needed to fully implement the mission of AuPairs for Seniors is a population of senior citizens In need of care who not only have the means to provide for an AuPair but will be able to enhance their experience in the U.S. by sharing their knowledge, experience and wisdom.
First steps:
To change U.S. Laws so that AuPairs can serve senior citizens as well as young children.
To find schools that are willing to enroll students from disadvantaged countries, regions, areas or populations.
The first AuPairs will be recruited from disadvantaged areas and populations of India because of the Executive Director’s familiarity with these areas and populations. Initially, we will identify one or two strategic partners and later use the recommendations of these partners to expand to other areas. Three or four strategic partners, each in various parts of India, would enable AuPairs for Seniors to have an impact throughout the country. The first full year will be devoted to setting up the partnerships, placing students in accredited schools, finding suitable positions for each student and ensuring that the process and plans are working as expected or better. Adjustments will be made as necessary to ensure that senior citizens receive high quality care and students are safe and have time to pursue their studies.