MoMo:The Mobility Counselor’s Profile

Exploratory Research

on Interviews

According to Mobility Counselors their Main Goals are:

a. To inform, to orient, to assist and to guide people who are interested in a mobility experience (this is their job, their duty)

b. To increase the number of participants & to involve them in the mobility process (this is their aim)

c. psychological follow-up (this what they sometimes actually do)

d. Create network & exchange best practices (this is what they would like to improve)

Background

There was no HOMOGENOUS Background profile

Still, most mobility counselors were bilingual or trilingual (their language + English + “x”)

they had learning/teaching/working

experience abroad A lot of them had completed studies in social sciences

Competences

There was consensus on the need for:– Having an experience abroad (also background) – administrational and analytical skills, – social /intercultural/ listening skills, – empathetic approach,

Discussion Topics

On frames of programs: – All programs included language courses (Isn't this old

fashioned? Are there any new ways of teaching individuals how to speak another language? - Sheherazade)

On selection: – Counselors looked for people who where motivated,

psychologically strong and who had an intercultural sensibility. How do we evaluate these competences? More importantly, how do we develop them?

Discussion Topics

On preparation: Different strategies: most of counselors insisted on the importance of

having: – Intercultural awareness/seminars– organizational details given in advance– interactive preparation (such as presentations on the destination

country – need of innovation?)

On monitoring:– Every counselor contacted and monitored participants

through E-platforms contact → Is it mandatory to manage social media resources?

Discussion Topics

On evaluation: – They all agreed on the need of evaluation before, during

and after their mobility.– Participants need different kinds of reports (after + t)

On re-integration: – There’s not much. Almost no mobility counselor has a re-

integration program: This has to be a problem for at least some participants (?). But is it the

mobility counselor’s duty?

Discussion Topics

On participants’ difficulties: Most participants have high/low expectations that won’t

match reality. On a practical level, transportation to destination seems

to be a common problem (psychological content of having problems in transportation when you are travelling, seems paradoxical)

On obstacles: economic - financial (Erasmus+)

On what to change: The need for working with a staff (in group)