By: Emily Rolen
A little introduction, I am Emily Kate Rolen and I head the Exam Committee formerly chaired by our current President- Laura Schroeder. I became interested in this committee some time before I was elected to the Board of Directors. Education for everyone, no matter the language barrier, socio-economic background, gender, or culture has always been a high priority for me.
I began to petition the Board last year for the exams of the INA to be translated into different languages. After a few weeks of the process of being made official by the former Board, I got to work with the help of the office. What many people do not realize in almost every single idea, proposal, committee, webinar, and blog post the office guides you through the Bylaws and P&P of the organization.
With the help of online groups, the word spread and many people from all around the world began to commit their skills, time, and effort. I will introduce you to a few of them in this blog.
We got the confirmation that we would have 14 different languages for the first translation. We hammered out an NDA (nondisclosure agreement) that gave the INA the security it needed, then I set to work finding the translators. Many had already agreed to help when it was in the early stages and just an idea, so I went back to them after I had the official go ahead from the Board for the proposal. Each Translator was given a year membership to the INA, a chance to take the exam for free before they translated it, and a certificate of Achievement stating their accomplishment in helping with this project.
The first translator I would like to introduce you to is Poppy Diacquenod.
“I’m British but have been living in France for 3 years and am currently working towards obtaining citizenship. During that time, I have learnt French and now work as a Nanny for high profile French families, teaching their children English. I am so excited to use that skill in working with such a wonderful organisation. When I first arrived in France, so many doors were closed to me because I didn’t speak the language, which motivated me to learn French. I am sure people who don’t speak English feel the same way while developing their careers. It is brilliant that the International Nanny Association is dedicated to being inclusive and keeping as many doors open as possible for nannies around the world! I am thrilled to be a part of such a fantastic project.”
“I have known INA for a long time, but on Italian salary I could not afford to register. Two years ago, I won the subscription and my life changed.
As Italian I have never felt part of a community, I always have been the only nanny I knew. Being part of the INA group on Facebook helped me connect with other nannies here in Europe and in the UK.
I want to be part of this project because I want other Italian nannies to be able to take the test and be able to show potential employers and agencies their skills.
There is the need for qualified Italian nannies.”
This is from Translator Giovanni Bali. She has lived in many different countries as a nanny and knows the value of having a proper CV (resume) and a portfolio filled with her experience and knowledge that is based on having education in her first language.
The next translator I would like to introduce you too is Bethany Gardner. She is a nanny located in the United Kingdom who is fluent in French, Dutch and English. She is translating the exam into French.
“I am so excited to be able to contribute to INA by translating the exam. I am so glad that this will enable more nannies to be qualified in their childcare skills. Being able to use my language skills in order to support and lift up other nannies is such a privilege and I’m really looking forward to seeing how this encourages and unifies the nanny community on a global level.
I know that nannying and childcare approaches can vary from country to country and I really believe that in working and providing guidance on a global level, we, the nannying community, will be able to gain standing and recognition both within our own countries and globally!”
I hope that this blog post has given a bit more insight on the hard work this committee has achieved in a noticeably short amount of time. It takes more than just chairing a committee. It takes unity, passion, and the vision of everyone involved. At this time, the first test to be translated fully into another language is Afrikaans, which is a huge milestone in INA History! Thank you for joining me today.
Emily Rolen – Emily has worked with children of all ages for the last ten years. She then started The Nanny Collaborative with an amazing team of administrators, three years ago this past August. It is an online forum for nannies that brings in experts from all over the world and reaches across barriers to find common ground. It has been educational and informative to the community, while also providing a relaxed atmosphere for nannies to learn and grow. Since then, she has worked and teamed up with various organizations and online forums to promote advocacy for domestic workers and children at home and abroad. She believes that collaboration with everyone in our profession can make our industry stronger. Working with professionals, organizations, and experts from Europe and the UK have made her realize that we are not that different in the struggles we face. She is wholly committed to seeing the industry move forward. Please see the Committee Appointments list for a list of committees for which Emily is the chair.
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