After living in 6 European countries and working in approximately 30 countries, Nicole realised that her experience gained in these varied senior roles combined with parenting, gave her an edge in understanding the juggling act of working parents.

Her background in Tourism and Cultural Exchange allowed her to introduce the European au pair programme to Australian parents and in doing so she is helping parents with demanding schedules with a flexible live-in childcare solution whilst providing young Europeans with a family orientated gap-year program.

Smart Au Pairs is a highly successful au pair agency in Australia and is now part of Travel Active | Educational Exchange in the Netherlands.

For more than 30 years, Travel Active has been helping young people organise their educational gap year experience, offering a wide range of top-quality programs such as volunteering, high school exchange, work and travel and of course the au pair cultural exchange programme!