Since its foundation in 1949, the SOS Children’s Village Organisation has grown dramatically. From our roots as a small, family-style local charity, we have become a large international organisation spanning five continents and employing thousands of people. This has only been possible thanks to strict and professional principles such as the professional devotion for the care to children, the respect to every member of the staff, the support to the own development and personal blossoming of the employees and the implementation of the sense of responsibility.

SOS Children's Villages is autonomous as regard staff recruitment. SOS mothers and SOS aunts are the key employees of our system. These two posts need women in their 30’s, without any marital obligations or infants.
Here are the SOS aunt and mother responsibilities:

The SOS mother is the leader of the SOS family and is directly responsible for the care and development of each of her children. She leads the decision-making process for her children, making day-to-day decisions on her own. She also seeks out expert advice from other village co-workers when needed to ensure that the best decisions possible are made for her children.

a) Create a home
An SOS mother develops the SOS family house into a warm, loving and secure home for the children entrusted to her care. The home is a place with a relaxed atmosphere, fun and laughter, and a place where the SOS mother and her children can readily bring their friends.

b) Leads her SOS family
The SOS mother is the leader of her SOS family and the central figure in the lives of her children. Family ties are maintained when the child grows to adulthood and leaves his or her SOS mother’s care.

c) Ensure the well-being of the child through parenting
The SOS mother promotes the development of each child and youth in her SOS family. She creates a nurturing family environment and supports the physical, emotional, intellectual, social and spiritual well-being of each child taking the child’s biological, social and cultural roots into consideration.

d) Develop her own well-being
An SOS mother develops her own well-being. She strives to balance her life and enjoy her own personal time and interests. She gives special attention to maintaining her physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being.

e) Perform household tasks
Each SOS mother is responsible for the management of her own home and the necessary domestic activities. She works with a monthly budget, runs her household economically and ensures the proper care of household furnishings and equipment.

f) Guide the children to take responsibility
While an SOS mother provides for a child’s needs, she also creates opportunities for the child to become more independent and responsible. As a parent, she appropriately guides children of varying ages.

g) Interact with and contribute to the community
The SOS mother encourages her children to interact with children from other SOS families and the community. The SOS mother ensures that she and her family live as an integral and contributing part of the community.
 
The SOS aunt provides general support to the SOS mother in a variety of ways. She respects the SOS mother’s role as the person who is ultimately responsible for the children, while also contributing towards the welfare and development of the children.

a) Support and relieve SOS mothers and provide direct care to children.
The SOS aunt co-operates with the SOS mother according to an agreed framework. This framework includes the SOS mother’s requirements regarding the care of her children and home. When the SOS mother is away from her family house for any reason, the SOS aunt relieves the SOS mother and cares for her family.

b) Assist SOS mothers with child development activities.
She has a sensitivity towards each child’s development and supports the SOS mother in integrating child development objectives into daily activities.

c) Provide a complementary role model for the children.
As an important figure in the life of the children, she has an impact on how the children develop. She is aware of this role and offers the children another adult perspective, sharing her values and life experience.

Here, you can dowload our 2008 job announcement (in French only).