HOW WE WORK
WHY YOU
At HBN we are looking for educated, energetic, independent, caring and reliable girls. We will screen you on the (legal) requirements but also on your motivation to join this exchange program and your ability to take on challenges and commit yourself to something once you start it. Having the right motivation is key when wanting to become an au pair through our agency. Since host families need an au pair for help with childcare and light household tasks, being an au pair is not the same as being on vacation. We feel it is important that you are really interested in children and that you are able or willing to learn how to relate to children, teach them things and actively help the parents to educate them. Next to this you need to be a real help in the household. It does not matter if you have to learn, but you need to be willing to learn and adapt to cultural differences and other lifestyles.
CONDITIONS
- Age; preferably 20+ High school diploma, preferably bachelor or university (or a similar educational level).
- Speak reasonable English and willing to learn another language.
- Love children, love to play, teach and educate them.
- have experience with taking care of children and good references.
- Characteristics: energetic, reliable, sociable, happy, self-reliant, patient, flexible, proactive and responsible.
- Motivated and committed to take on new challenges during the Au Pair year.
WHY HBN
HBN is an official sponsor of the IND. You can only enter the Netherlands as an au pair through an IND sponsored agency. But more importantly, we are here to guide you throughout your Au Pair year. We are taking on a very personal approach and are always out for your best interest. We stay in touch with you and your family throughout the year to keep a close eye on your wellbeing. In the first month after your arrival we will all meet during our welcome training and, of course, we hope to see you at our HBN club events. In order to make sure that a loving and caring family will welcome you, our host families are securely screened as well. If families do not measure up to the required set of conditions, we do not proceed with them. We arrange house visits to get to know them better, to see their homes and to see if the au pair room meets our standards. If during your year it does not seem to match, we are also there to assist you. It is our mission to give you an amazing experience that you will never forget.
Whether you come to the Netherlands through a Self-Match or Full Service, our guidance during your stay will be the same.
Are you interested in seeing how other HBN au pairs have experienced their au pair program with us or share your own experience? Click Here
GETTING TO KNOW YOU
As soon as you register on our website you will receive a Login and password to your own online portal. Here you can complete your profile by submitting all required documents. You will be led through all the steps in the process. Our system gives you a good overview of the entire process and all information you need is easily accessible. This makes our procedure very efficient and transparent. To support you, our personal agents abroad in Brazil, South Africa , Colombia Mexico Guatemala and Argentina will guide and advise you when you are still in your home country. If you come from another country; like Australia or the USA, please contact us directly so we can assist you from our NL office. Next to an in-depth interview with our agent abroad in order to get to know you and to inform you better on what to expect of the program, you will also have a short interview with HBN NL so we get to know you as well. As your future host family will pay for your screening and guidance during the pre-matching process, you are asked to pay for the greater part of your go and return ticket (or full go and return ticket) next to the legal maximum amount of 34 euros for your registration.
MATCHING OR SELF-MATCH
We find personal contact very important and will therefore contact you for a first interview. Firstly, to inform you, secondly to get to know you better and to see if you have the right motivation and qualities to partake in the program. We check your qualifications and experience to see if you fulfill the (legal) requirements and, of course, we will also listen to your wishes. With our new system we will easily be able to connect you with several host families whom we think could match your profile, and the other way around. You are able to set up Skype/WhatsApp calls with potential host families and we are able to guide you closely in this process. When there is a mutual connection between you and the family we will set up the necessary documents; Weekly Time Schedule, and a contract in which your duties and ticket agreements, insurance and courses are signed up.
Have you already found your matching host family? Than we can assist you and your future family with our Self-Match Service. We take both you and your future host family through the legal process in an efficient yet qualitative way. Furthermore, we will assist you throughout your whole Au Pair year, just like we do with the au pairs who are matched through our Full Service Program.
LEGAL PROCEDURE
As au pairs in the Netherlands are very well protected, the program includes quite some legal paperwork. As an authorized agency (Formal sponsor of the IND) we are obliged to screen you on certain legal conditions and check if your primary motivation is really to obtain life experience/cultural exchange. We also check the host family on the legal conditions. We request your residence permit (including VISA), make arrangements for your embassy-visit if needed, assist in arranging flight tickets and your au pair insurance.
COACHING
Whether you come to the Netherlands through a Self-Match or Full Service, our guidance during your stay will be equal. HBN has given your host family advice and tools to make the start of your Au Pair year as smooth as possible. Next to this we have set up a special HBN training for all our au pairs and you will be invited at our office in your first month to join this Welcome Training. This training will help you get into your role as an au pair and explains what is expected of you as an au pair. We will share our knowledge and expertise and give you tools to adapt to the differences in culture and living habits. We believe that with the right preparation and attitude you will have the time of your life in the Netherlands and we are committed to making sure that you do.
It will definitely not always be easy but we will also be there to support you in these moments and with a positive attitude and seeing this program as a way to grow personally, you will be able to take on these challenges and to have an amazing time! During your Au Pair year we will contact you regularly by email and phone to see how things are going, to check your wellbeing, to see if there are any changes and to check if you and your host family still adhere to the legal conditions. We will contact you and your host family separately. During the whole exchange period, the au pair and family can always contact us for advice or help.
Find out more on EVENT & TRAINING and our Huisje Boompje Nanny Facebook – page. Register now
COSTS
- Registration: €34-*.
- Greater part of go and return flight expenses**.
- Want to register? Please fill out the registration form and you will receive the Login to our system.
*legal maximum amount au pairs who come to the Netherlands are allowed to pay for registering. Your future host family will pay for the costs of your screening and guidance by your agent abroad and in the NL.
**Au pairs who come to stay in the Netherlands should pay for their travel expenses (go and return ticket)