Work exchange creates lasting learning

Every year, more than 400 organisations take part in work exchange through Norec. Young employees work with a partner organisation in another country, where they learn new ways of working, develop their professional skills and gain a better understanding of other cultures. Afterwards, they can share their experiences with colleagues and their organisations. The knowledge can also benefit the people and communities the organisations work to support.

“When young professionals work side by side across countries and cultures, they share knowledge and gain new perspectives. In this way, work exchange can strengthen collaboration and lead to better solutions for the people the organisations work to support,” says Tehetena Woldemariam, Acting Director of Norec’s Work Exchange Department.

Norec measures the results of work exchange through participant and partner surveys. Regular contact with participants and partner organisations helps Norec understand the data in light of their experiences and use this knowledge to further develop the programme.

On Norec’s results pages, you can read about partnerships that have contributed to better treatment and shorter hospital stays, strengthened young entrepreneurs and helped create new jobs, income opportunities and services. They have also contributed to greater participation and more opportunities for girls and young people.

New ideas and lasting change

For several organisations, work exchange has generated new ideas and contributed to innovation. In in-depth interviews, organisations report new activities, better solutions and new services. Some have adopted results and methods from action research. Others have placed greater emphasis on innovation.

In some projects, the learning has led to lasting changes. Organisations have developed new procedures, teaching methods and curriculum modules. Other results include new perspectives in research and more systematic knowledge sharing.

Learning reaches more people in the organisation

As many as 92 per cent of organisations say that their Norec project has been important for their skills development.

Norec’s database shows skills development in areas including communication and IT, training, rights-based work, medicine and research. Participants say that their ability to collaborate with others is the area in which they experience the greatest change after their work exchange.

Many participants provide training for employees and volunteers. Others work side by side with their colleagues, sharing knowledge through their day-to-day work. In Norec’s organisational survey, 68 per cent of organisations report that employees who have not participated in a work exchange have also learned through the exchange.

Partners share methods

Some partnerships have been particularly successful in learning from one another. One organisation may transfer a way of working to another, while a partner may adapt parts of a method or model to an existing programme.

A NUPI study of Norec partnerships shows that partners consider respect and trust the most important values in their collaboration. At the same time, 72 per cent report having experienced practical or organisational challenges.

These challenges include limited budgets, visa issues, staff turnover and an uneven distribution of participants. Some also mention issues related to punctuality, participants withdrawing shortly before departure, and delays in feedback and payments from Norec.

Greater understanding of culture and diversity

In Norec’s participant survey, 96 per cent say they are more open to other cultures after taking part in a work exchange.

This learning can also benefit the organisation. Between 2020 and 2023, 17 per cent of projects reported increased intercultural competence. One organisation developed a diversity and inclusion policy. Another reported that this competence had contributed to a more positive reputation. The organisation had worked to break down stereotypes and build mutual understanding and respect.

Hosting employees from other countries can also be challenging. In a survey of host organisations, 13 per cent said that integration in the workplace was a challenge. Twelve per cent highlighted the challenge of creating meaningful opportunities for participants outside working hours. Cultural and language differences were the most common reasons why integration took time.

Results for target groups

All Norec projects are expected to create results for the target groups that the organisations work to support. In Norec’s organisational survey, 92 per cent say that their project has reached its end users.

On Norec’s results pages, you can find examples from health, business and civil society. Partnerships have contributed to faster treatment and shorter hospital stays, strengthened young entrepreneurs and helped create new jobs, while also increasing participation and opportunities for girls.

This is the strength of work exchange: knowledge travels with people, is shared with others and can continue to benefit target groups long after the exchange itself has ended.