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Who we are

Intercultural Association
Mobility Friends

PIC number: 948037649
Organisation ID: E10207576

We are a team of international talent, focused on bringing the best results to the European mobilities that the organization hosts and participates in, with all its partners.

Our Team
Projects
Internships
Campus
Come as a guest, Stay as a Friend.

Mr. President
Nuno Varajão Barbosa

In his book “Mensagem”, in a poem entitled “O Infante”, the Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa begins by saying “God wills, man dreams, the work is born”. On May 14th, 2012, God wanted me to be the founder of Mobility Friends, in the city of Barcelos, home of the Rooster, the symbol of Barcelos and Portugal. So the man, who was chosen to do this, dreamed. He dreamed that Mobility Friends would be an international reference organization in the promotion and implementation of International Mobility Programmes, that Mobility Friends would be the largest host organization in Portugal, that Mobility Friends would have its accommodation, that Mobility Friends would be a Training Centre, and that Mobility Friends would train and educate young people and adults in human values and active citizenship in society, preparing them for the challenges of the future and contributing to their economic and social growth and development. And the work was born. It was born, because over 11 years, the choice to professionalize human resources, the quality of internships, job shadowing, training courses, cultural visits, transfers, and the permanent availability of Mobility Friends’ enterprising staff to provide a good stay for our friends, always accompanied by a smile, have been fundamental in welcoming more than 28,000 friends, making Mobility Friends an international reference in the Erasmus+ Programme. The Mobility Friends Campus, located in the city of Barcelos, with a capacity for around 150 beds, is a must for enjoying Erasmus mobility in a unique intercultural and multicultural environment. The novel Collector’s Home, located in the historic city center of Braga, is another Mobility Friends dream come true, allowing us to increase our capacity to welcome more friends. Over the 11 years, the cities of Barcelos, Braga and Póvoa de Varzim have become insufficient for the continuous requests of our Friends, so we have broadened our horizons by organizing mobilities in the following cities: Porto, Lisbon, Aveiro, Coimbra, Leiria, Portimão, Funchal – Madeira Island, Ponta Delgada – São Miguel Island – Azores, in Portugal, Vigo in Spain, Radom, Wroclaw and Minsk Mazowieski, in Poland and Varna in Bulgaria. We would like to thank all the local partners, sending organizations, and all the 28,000 participants for choosing Mobility Friends, because, with everyone’s participation, the dream has become a reality. Knowing that the Erasmus Program is for young people and adults, it is one of the most excellent flagships of the European Union, we want to increase the number of participants, partnerships, and projects that continue to contribute to building an Erasmus Generation, with a better future, through education and training, providing new opportunities for new participants, especially those with little experience in the field. Welcome to Mobility Friends and make your dreams come true. Come as a guest to enjoy Portugal, and stay as a friend.

About
Mobility Friends

Mobility Friends is a modern training organization, mobility partner, headquartered in Barcelos in the District of Braga, founded in May 2012, specialized in three areas:

Development and management

Under different EU programs on mutual interest, multiculturalism, and interculturality topics. As a host and sending organization, promoting lifelong learning, offering participants from all countries the opportunity to have career guidance and/or work experience to improve skills, gain knowledge on how to start a professional career, and achieve success.

Professional Training

Through the offer of training courses for young people and adults, with pedagogical practices and methodologies, and innovative tools in accordance with a specific quality reference for training, certified by DGERT (the Portuguese entity responsible for the Training Entities Certification System), in the areas of education and training listed below:

  • Training of teachers and trainers in technological areas
  • Personal development
  • Foreign languages and literature
  • Computer sciences
  • Electronics and automation

Certificate nº 4122/2021

Tourism

Offering accommodation, meals, recreational and educational activities at the Mobility Friends Campus, and tourist services such as cultural visits and entertainment, cultural and social activities.

Mobility Friends works in close cooperation with various local, national and international partners, including educational institutions, universities, municipalities, qualification centres, associations, NGOs, research centres, consulting companies, SMEs, etc.

Mission

Promoting and implementing international mobility programs, training and educating young people and adults in human values and active citizenship in society, preparing them for the challenges of the future and contributing to their economic and social growth and development.

Vision

To be quality reference in the field of Mobility,Vocational Education and Training, and Tourism, recognised at international level by families, private and public organizations and educational institutions

Values

Striving for diversity and social inclusion in order to build an open and plural society and create equal opportunities for young people and adults. Sharing knowledge, skills, professional and cultural experiences.

Main Goal

Provide the best experiences and results to all participants and partners who are involved in our activities.

Services

Our
Target Groups

We work with groups of all ages, from both higher education and vocational courses, young students, employed and unemployed adults, teachers and technical staff in a whole range of areas from different countries not only from the European Union but also from all over the world. We also host groups with participants with special education needs.

In the framework of work placements, technical and professional visits, cultural visits and language courses, our hosting activity for 2021-2027 is organised according to the Erasmus+ Programme.

Mobility Friends is an international team from Portugal, Poland, Turkey, Italy, Azerbaijan and Croatia, that is available to cooperate with all countries, companies, schools, universities and their participants. We have human talent with a high level of qualification and professional experience. Our staff mainly consists of young, professional, energetic and creative entrepreneurial employees.

Local Entities

Local municipalities, private and public organizations from several business areas, private and public schools, and universities, are also the targets with whom we work. Some examples are the City Halls of Barcelos, Braga, and Esposende.

Mobility Friends Team

President

Nuno Varajão Barbosa

Nuno Varajão Barbosa


Internships Department

Céline Fernandes

Céline Fernandes

Luís Neiva

Luís Neiva

Ricardo Afonso

Ricardo Afonso

Patrícia Coelho

Patrícia Coelho

Francisco Hardman

Francisco Hardman


Logistics Department

Bruno Brito

Bruno Brito

Adriana Faria

Adriana Faria


European Projects & Training Courses Department

Ana Pereira

Ana Pereira

Sara Penouço

Sara Penouço

Rita Alves

Rita Alves


Marketing & Partnerships Department

Indira Marchitelli

Indira Marchitelli

Anna Roszczyk

Anna Roszczyk


Reception

Tomás Barbosa

Tomás Barbosa

Joana Veloso

Joana Veloso

Rute Simões

Rute Simões


Maintenance

Adriano Miranda

Adriano Miranda

Filomena Silva

Filomena Silva

Ana Vilas Boas

Ana Vilas Boas

Madalena Oliveira

Madalena Oliveira

Manuel Carneiro

Manuel Carneiro

Nazaré Vilas Boas

Nazaré Vilas Boas

Rosa Trindade

Rosa Trindade


Guides / Drivers

Eduardo Bolivar

Eduardo Bolivar

António Martins

António Martins

Helder Barbosa

Helder Barbosa

João Andrade

João Andrade

Manuel Silva

Manuel Silva

Rui Costa

Rui Costa

Rui Silva

Rui Silva

Soraia Costa

Soraia Costa

Abílio Faria

Abílio Faria

Luís Carneiro

Luís Carneiro

Mário Mendes

Mário Mendes

Cristóvão Costa

Cristóvão Costa

Adilson Cardoso

Adilson Cardoso

António Gonçalves

António Gonçalves

Wilson Maciel

Wilson Maciel

Patrícia

Patrícia

Fernando Gonçalves

Fernando Gonçalves

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