The Matching, Planning, and Hosting Process

How to find the right Experteer and plan a high impact Match!

On this page, we'll explain all the steps involved in making a match once you post a project.

Need help posting a project? Use our skills gap assessment


Defining Roles & Responsibilities

These are the common terms we use on MovingWorlds:

Hosting Organizations

Non-profits, start-ups, social enterprises, or community based organizations based all around the world. The Host has a specific project or need and is looking for an Experteer. In exchange for free skills, hosts are asked to provide some sort of in-country benefit, like housing, language classes, meals, and various forms of cultural integration and unique experience.

MovingWorlds Matching Team

Operates this matching site, will make suggested matches, and will facilitate an introduction when both parties approve. MovingWorlds will then provide you a planning process & template so you can work together to plan your own trip.

Experteers

Working professionals from all over the world who are willing to donate their time and skills - pro-bono - to a Host Organization. In exchange for the skills, Experteers appreciate housing, a unique experience, and/or other local benefits. They can create a sustainable impact by working on projects that hosts don’t have the capacity or know-how to complete, and/or by training local staff in new skills.

#1: Find the Best Experteer

Once you post a project, there are some things you can do to increase the chances of finding the best Experteer.

1

Promote your project

To improve the likelihood of finding match, use our "Promote Your Project Toolkit"

2

Fine Tune Your Project Description

Re-visit your project description and think about ways to improve it. Put yourself in the shoes of an Experteer reading about your organization and project for the first time.

3

Search for Experteers

Use the browse too (you must login and post a project to access this tool) to find Experteers and request introductions to the ones you find most fitting.

#2: Decide on Your Experteer

By this step, MovingWorlds has already gathered information on the Experteer and asked you the Host Organization to clarify the details of the project you want the Experteer to work. Now it is important for you to gather enough information about the Experteer, and for the Experteer to gather enough information about you, and the project, to determine if it is a good match from both sides.

1

Have a call

Setup a Call

Schedule a call where you can discuss the project and decide on whether the Experteer is the right fit. Use the time at the initial meeting to introduce yourself to the Experteer and learn more about the Experteer, their skills and their Experteering desires – think of it like an informational interview.

Introduce Your Organization

Share with the Experteer helpful information about your organization. This information includes but is not limited to:

  • Your organization’s mission
  • Line of work and social impact focus
  • Areas of success
  • Some details about the current state of project the Experteer might be working on

Get to know each other

At the center of every engagement is communication. If you can’t communicate clearly, the field engagement won’t work. Use this time to get to know each other and trade stories. Be transparent, transparency builds trust and is a crucial foundation to a long lasting partnership.

2

Do Additional Diligence

After your call, do extra diligence. Examples include:

  • Request a writing or work sample
  • Ask for a professional reference
  • Ask the Experteer to have an interview with one of your team members
3

Decide 'match' or 'no match'

Are you interested in working with this Experteer or not?

After speaking you should have enough information to determine if the partnership is a good match for you. As soon as you make a decision, email our matching team (match@movingworlds.org) to let us know whether you have confirmed a match or not.

In addition, you can use the email templates below to communicate your intention with your Experteer:

If the Experteer is a good fit

Congratulations! Let the Experteer know. Here is sample email template you can send to the Experteer.

If the Experteer is NOT a good fit

Write to the Experteer, thank them for their time, and inform them why you felt it wasn’t a good match. It's OK to be honest, that information is important for the Experteer. Also remember to email our matching team to let us know the match didn’t work and why so we can help you find a better match. Here is a template to get you started.

Not sure if the Experteer is a good fit?

That’s OK! Plan another call with the Experteer to ask more questions. Here is a sample email template you can use to set it up. When you speak together again, talk more about the project, working conditions, outcomes, the team, and deliverables.

#3: Planning to Host an Experteer

1

Complete the Experteering Project Planning Guide

When you are matched with your Experteer, MovingWorlds will send you and the Experteer a link to a customized version of the MovingWorlds Experteering Project Planning Guide.

We know this document is a lot of work, however working through it at this phase will ensure great impact from your Experteer.

We find that most people work on it collaboratively / together while on their series of planning calls.

Once complete, sign and submit it to MovingWorlds to confirm the formal match and start off your Experteering engagement. Please note it is strongly suggested that the Experteer Planning Guide is completed before the Experteer has booked an airplane ticket to the Host Organization.

2

Have a Series of Calls

We recommend you setup a recurring series of calls with your Experteer to have a touch base every week and/or every other week before the in-the-field project, or at least until your planning guide is finished. You don't have to be on all calls, and perhaps other team members of yours will join the Experteer. However the idea here is that you will all get to know each other better and even start working on some of the project so that once the Experteers arrives to your location real work can start right away.

3

Complete Your Hosting Preparation Checklist

When you are matched, you will receive your own copy of the Hosting Preparation checklist.

Make sure to complete the checklist so that you are fully prepared to make the most of your time with the Experteer.

#4: Hosting Your Experteer

1

Use the Opportunity to Learn

Use the MovingWorlds Host Organization Resources for some interesting reads and free learning resources that might help in you with Hosting an Experteer.

2

Make the Experteer Feel Welcome

Invite the Experteer to dinners and events.

Make recommendations for local experiences.

Make introductions to other interesting professionals and organizations so the Experteer can expand their network.

3

Get Active on Social Media

Have you, your team, and the Experteer get active on social media. Posting pictures and sharing first-person stories will help create more attention for you and your organization.

Make sure to tag MovingWorlds and #Experteering so that we can amplify your stories. Alternatively, you can email us updates at match@movingworlds.org and we can promote these on social media for you.

#5: Say Thank You & Amplify Your Story

When you are finished hosting the Experteer, you'll want to do these two things to help get extra attention for your organization:

1

Say Thank You

After the Experteer returns home, take the time to send an Experteer a thank you email, card, or small gift as a way of making the Experteer feel valued for the work they have done.

If the Experteer had support from their boss or company back at home, send them a thank you note, too.

We find that feeling valued through acts of kindness and verbal affirmation is especially appreciated by our Experteers and makes for stronger relationships in the long run.

2

Write a blog post

Write a blog post, press release, article, or medium post about how great your Experteer was. Tag the Experteer so that they are notified. Here's an example from LAFF.

Make sure to tag MovingWorlds and #Experteering so we can help promote,\ or send us a quick note via email to match@movingworlds.org

3

Submit your story to MovingWorlds

Complete your "Storytelling" worksheet so that we can learn about your project, write about your organization on our blog, and then feature your story on our website — it will help others learn about your great work, and will increase interest and trust from our Experteers for your future needs!