There are really only two things you need to run a successful VE project:
- Access to the internet
- A partner
As you are reading this now, I assume you have already managed number one so let’s focus on the second one.
A lot of the people I spoke with told me that the relationship between partners is the most critical aspect of VE. In many cases, people considered their partners to be good friends, and felt that this strong relationship supported them through any challenges they encountered during the project. Some went so far as to say that they would not even attempt VE if they did not get on well with their partner.
So who you end up working with is clearly very important. But how do you find them?
Well… there seem to be four typical ways:
1. Through your personal network
A surprising number of people I spoke to ran their VE with someone they already knew. This might be a personal relationship (a friend or family member who lives in another country), or a professional one (a colleague, member of a professional organisation, someone you met at a conference etc). If you already have an existing relationship with someone then you may find it easier to negotiate planning a project with them. So, rack your brains: do you have a cousin living in South Africa? Have you met anyone at a conference or whilst on holiday? Reach out to them and see if they are interested.
2. Existing institutional partnership
A lot of schools, colleges and universities have existing partnerships with institutions in other countries. It can be easier for them to try something new with those partners, because they already have a track record of working together in other ways. If you or a colleague has ever worked with another institution/group abroad, then consider whether you could reach out to them about Virtual Exchange.
3. Cold calling
This was considered to be the most difficult way to find a partner, yet it has still proven effective. You can search online for groups, classes, institutions that are similar to yours (or interesting to you) and contact them directly to ask if they would be interested. If you take this approach, be aware that you may need to send out a lot of emails before you get a positive response and don’t be disheartened if people don’t reply quickly (or at all).
The VE experts I spoke to reported that they had most success when they:
- Reached out to a specific person, rather than a generic email address
- Personalised the email to each receiver
- Made the effort to write in the recipient’s language (even just including greetings (hello and goodbye) in their language can go a long way)
- Provided brief detail about what VE is and what the benefits are
- Provided an outline of the project idea, but made it clear that they would like to work together to shape it
- Were clear about any potential costs (in most cases VE is no or very low cost)
4. Respond to a call
Within education there is a community of people involved in VE and there are often people looking for partners. There are numerous places they may post opportunities such as via email lists, LinkedIn, or via dedicated online spaces. COILConnect.org is one such space where people post details of their course, looking for a partner. You can register for the site for free and browse the available courses. Be aware that these are mostly higher education courses however you may find that some are interested in partnering with groups outside of the education sector.
Why not try posting a comment here with your idea for a VE project? Perhaps someone will see it and get in touch.
Featured image by Madalyn Cox on Unsplash
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