Gap Year Experience: Australia on a budget as an Aupair

So you have graduated high school, but are not quite ready for university? Or you need a break from studies and really need to go on an adventure and a cityscape?

Yeah – we all need a break and need a deep dive into some serious adventure! 

Overseas travel is still uncertain. Here is an opportunity for you to have the adventure of a lifetime!

Make new friends, live in the best parts of the city, and gain more experience caring for children. You’ll gain new life skills, and explore new locations with the view of the locals. 

How? Easy, become an Aupair and explore the great cities of Australia – with even the tiniest budget!

What is an Aupair? 

An Aupair is generally a young person between the ages of 18-30 who is helping a family with basic childcare needs in exchange for the board (accommodation + food) and pocket money.

Aupairs generally work between 15 and 35 hours a week which can vary from family to family. 

How do I know if being an Aupair is the right choice for me? 

If you enjoy looking after children, are ready to move out from your parent’s home to live independently, and are keen to experience a different lifestyle in a new city, being an Aupair could be a great option for you. 

Why do others choose to become an Aupair?

Live Elsewhere

You might be ready to move out of home, but not quite ready to sign a rental agreement for up to 12 months, and spend a lot of money on Ikea furniture you are not sure you need. Not sure what it costs to move out? Check out this page.

You might be moving to the big city for studies and wish to live with the comfort of a family, close to your university or college, and be able to work around your studies. 

You might want to experience the big city life with the knowledge of locals.

Being an Aupair is like moving in with your distant relatives you have not seen in a decade. Whilst you are not close you can feel safe and be instantly included as a family member (not an employee). You might have dinners together, join the movie night, or tag along to the beach house on the weekends, but you are your own grown-up with your own space!

Most of the 99Aupairs host families are located in Melbourne and Sydney but not limited to these areas.

Experience a different lifestyle

Ever wondered what your life could look like as an Entrepreneur, Architect, Doctor, or Lawyer? 

Why not dive into a new lifestyle and experience what life as a doctor looks like. Do you know what roster life means? Are you curious to see what lawyers or business owners do day in and day out? This is your chance to get a taste of a potential career for you or simply a different way of living. 

So if you are for example keen to work with children but also considering going into nursing, we could place you with a family of doctors so that you naturally have a mentor in your future career. 

Step out of your comfort zone!

Are you considering a career in childcare, nursing, or similar? Have you worked with children before and want to gain a lot of experience in a homely environment? Do you wish to be the big brother or big sister to some younger children?

Then, becoming an Aupair is a great opportunity for you.

By becoming an Aupair you will be able to create a strong bond with your host children and discover the world through their eyes. At the same time, you will be able to learn and apply various tools of managing children’s basic needs, and emotions and help shape their world by learning and applying the parenting styles of your host family. 

Within months you will gain hundreds of hours of childcare experience that will give you a huge advantage towards your career. 

Even if you don’t plan to work with children, your improved transferable skills (problem-solving, creativity, human interaction, and practical skills) are future-proof and applicable across jobs. 

Can I become an Aupair?

Not sure if you have what it takes to have a great adventure gap year on a budget? See if you can answer the below questions with a YES.

• Are you between 18-30 years old?

• Do you love working with children?

• Do you have experience looking after children (200+ hours)?

• Do you have a driver’s license?

• Are you willing to provide a Police check, a WWCC, and at least two references?

• Are you available full-time for six-plus months?

If you have answered all of the above questions with a YES then you are ready for your Aupair adventure.