Page 21 - Open_the_door_to_the_world

wHere guidance counselling can abroad as a realistic possibility is a challenge
make a difference that requires concerted action between several
until recently, mobility counselling has primar- actors. Guidance counsellors can play a crucial
ily been perceived as information provision – role both as front-line staff, pro-actively suggest-
identifying opportunities and clarifying details ing participation to those who may not even
about practical issues, like funding possibili- have considered it, and as experts in a more
ties, accommodation, or insurance. With the downstream position, helping them to clarify
internet and the increased acceptance of options and lessen their concerns.
learning mobility as a pedagogical tool, this
has changed radically. Mobility counselling, the second important field of intervention is
therefore, has shifted its focus to other con- connected with the quality assurance of the
cerns which fall into two major categories. learning process. this springs from the real-
isation that in a stay abroad learning does not
the first one is the motivation of potential par- necessarily come itself to the participants. if
ticipants for a mobility experience. the adventur- this were the case, all it should take to secure a
ous and the career-conscious will come to the meaningful learning experience would simply
guidance office themselves to enquire about be to get them out and see to it that they return
the possibilities, but by a surprisingly large part alive – a purely practical task where guidance
of the population a stay abroad – especially for counsellors do not need to get involved.
an extended period of time – is not perceived however, we know from evaluations of mobility
as a realistic option. it is seen as a leap into the activities that this is not the case – participants
unknown and associated with all kinds of fears may return (sometimes prematurely) without
and threats that the imagination can conjure having explored the full learning potential of
up, and consequently rejected. Of course, the experience or, worse, with feelings of dejec-
nobody can (or should) be forced into partici- tion and defeat that leave them worse off than
pating, but we know from evaluations that the before departure. in order to minimize these
learning and developmental potential inherent risks, we need to work consciously with the
in this activity can be astounding, especially qualitative aspects of learning mobility – not
for the so-called young people with fewer only during the actual time spent abroad but
opportunities who can experience a widening also before departure and after returning home
of their horizons, which is at times life-altering. which, from a learning perspective, is almost as
Opening up these minds to consider a stay important as the stay itself.

21