COLLABORATIONS
Mind the Journey is a project in development.
We are looking for the first founding collaborators who want to build it together with us.
Collaborating now means co-creating, not just contributing.
🌱 Why collaborate in the pre-launch phase
We do not (yet) have thousands of visitors.
We do not (yet) have dozens of partner schools.
We do not (yet) have EU-funded projects.
But we already have something more important:
✨ A clear vision of where we want to go
🛠️ A working technological platform
📚 A solid and verifiable method
🤝 The opportunity to be among the founders
🎯 What it means to be a “founding collaborator”
1. Co-creating the platform
You will not simply “submit content.”
You will be able to:
- ✅ Influence editorial direction
- ✅ Propose new sections or thematic areas
- ✅ Take part in strategic decisions
- ✅ Shape the project with your expertise
Concrete example:
Are you an expert in sustainable tourism in Patagonia?
You won’t just write content — you may help co-design the entire “South America – Wild Realms” section based on your real-world experience.
2. Visibility as a pioneer
“Founding Contributor” badge:
- Public recognition on the “Team & Contributors” page
- Dedicated profile as a pioneer contributor
- Possible reference as a founding collaborator in pitches to partners and funders, when expertise is relevant to the proposed project
As Mind the Journey grows, your pioneer role will be visible and recognized.
3. Priority of consideration for future opportunities
If and when new opportunities arise, founding collaborators may benefit from priority consideration, based on:
- real and ongoing contribution to the project
- demonstrated reliability over time
- alignment between skills and the specific opportunity
In particular:
- 🇪🇺 EU grants → possible involvement during early design or preliminary evaluation phases, based on relevance
- 🎓 School-based projects → priority contact for training or consultancy roles, when aligned with the profile
- 📸 Funded productions → early access to calls or invitations to submit proposals
- 🤝 Ethical commercial partnerships → preferential evaluation for collaboration or revenue-sharing models
Investing time now means building trust and gaining priority consideration for future opportunities, without automatic entitlement or obligation.
4. Professional growth with the project
A credible portfolio from day one:
- “Founding Contributor @ Mind the Journey” (even in pre-launch)
- Published content on an innovative educational platform
- Tangible proof of commitment to responsible tourism
🌍 The vision: where we want to go (with you)
In the next 6–12 months, Mind the Journey aims to become:
📊 An International Educational Hub
- partner schools in different countries
- active students and educators
- Erasmus+ projects applications
- Work-based learning activities for students (subject to agreement with participating institutions)
📚 A collaborative cultural archive
- Verified editorial contents
- Multilingual database (IT, EN, ES, FR)
- Network of expert collaborators
- Partnerships with universities
🤝 A responsible tourism network
- A reference platform for conscious travelers
- Growth in the number of qualified monthly visitors
- Partnerships with certified cultural institutions
- A transparent and sustainable B-Corp model
To get there, we need founding collaborators over the next few months.
👥 Who we are looking for
🎓 Education sector (students and educators)
What we are looking for:
- pilot teachers willing to test MtJ with their classes
- students (high school or university) for initial FSL projects
- trainers specialized in innovative education
What we offer:
- Co-design of educational tools
- Work-based learning activities for students (subject to agreement with participating institutions)
- Free training on educational AI
- Recognition as “Pilot School Partner”
📸 Content creators & bloggers
What we are looking for:
- Ethical travel storytellers (not generic influencers)
- Focus on culture, nature, and traditions (no “top 10 Instagram spots”)
- Existing portfolio (blog, YouTube, Instagram with 1,000+ real followers)
What we offer:
- Early Adopters Program with exclusive benefits
- Backlinks from an educational platform (future SEO value)
- Co-branding with a developing EU-oriented project
- Grant-writing training (how to fund your productions)
What we cannot offer (yet):
- ❌ Immediate financial compensation
- ❌ Massive traffic tomorrow
- ❌ Instant mainstream visibility
What to expect:
- ✅ Measurable professional growth
- ✅ Positioning as a responsible tourism expert
- ✅ Concrete opportunities when EU funding becomes available
Expected commitment: 1–2 high-quality contents every two months
→ Join the early adopters program
🧳 Tourism professionals
What we are looking for:
- Ethical tour guides with territorial expertise
- Destination Managers focused on sustainability
- Accessibility Experts (inclusive tourism)
What we offer:
- “Verified Local Expert” badge issued by the Mind the Journey editorial team, subject to periodic review
- Visibility as an ethically selected professional within a European educational project
- Access to a network of sustainability-oriented EU professionals and operators
- Priority consideration for future ethical commercial partnerships, without automatic entitlement or binding commitments
→ Position yourself as a local expert
🔬 Researchers and academics
What we are looking for:
- 5–8 researchers (geography, anthropology, biology, art history)
- 2–3 partner universities for pilot projects
- 1–2 travel writers with academic background
What we offer:
- Scientific dissemination platform (future reach)
- Co-authorship in EU projects (when funded)
- Verifiable Citations: Evaluation of DOI system integration is underway and remains subject to technical and governance feasibility. Full editorial registry activation is scheduled upon the formation of the Scientific Committee (minimum 5 members).
- Participation in the MtJ Scientific Committee (shared governance)
Expected commitment: One longform article every 3 months + peer review
→ Join the scientific committee
💻 Developers & designers
What we are looking for:
- 2–3 frontend developers (Next.js, React)
- 1–2 UX/UI designers (WCAG accessibility)
- 1 data scientist (geospatial data)
What we offer:
- Open-source credits (public GitHub repository)
- Portfolio within a European educational project
- Technical training on a modern stack
Expected commitment: Flexible, based on availability
❤️ Thematic experts
What we are looking for:
- People with ultra-specific, vertical expertise
- Examples: Sardinian vernacular architecture expert, avian migration specialist, Siberian shamanic traditions researcher
What we offer:
- Recognition as a “Thematic Expert”
- Dedicated space for your specialization
- Documented cultural preservation
Expected commitment: Contributions whenever you have unique knowledge to share
📋 Selection process (transparent)
1. Application
Submit a form including:
- Background and skills
- Portfolio (if applicable)
- Motivation: why do you want to be a founder?
- Availability (hours/month)
2. Introductory call (30 minutes)
Online meeting to:
- Present the project in detail
- Listen to your ideas
- Assess mutual fit
3. Decision
- ✅ Approved → welcome pack and onboarding
- ⚠️ Waitlist → we will contact you when space opens
- ❌ Declined → transparent feedback
4. Onboarding
- Access to Slack / Discord community
- Introduction to other collaborators
- Briefing on first activities
- Tutor or mentor assignment
❓ FAQ for potential collaborators
Q: Why should I invest time in a project that does not yet have an audience?
A: Because being among the early founding collaborators means co-creating, not just contributing. You will have a voice in direction, content, and partnerships. When the project grows, your role will be publicly recognized.
Q: Is there financial compensation?
A: Not immediately. We are transparent: The initial phase is voluntary and based on unpaid contribution. If and when EU grants or ethical commercial partnerships are secured, founding collaborators will receive priority consideration based on competence, reliability, and alignment with the specific project.
Q: How much time is required?
A: It depends on the role. Indicatively: 2–4 hours/month for students and educators, 4–8 hours/month for content creators, 1–2 hours/month for professionals and experts.
Q: Can I step away if I change my mind?
A: Yes. There are no contractual constraints. We simply ask for advance notice. All contributions remain yours (copyright) and will always be credited.
Q: How do I know the project is serious?
A: Full transparency:
- A working technological platform (testable)
- An identifiable founding team (verifiable LinkedIn profiles)
- A public vision document
- A shared roadmap
We also host monthly open calls to discuss progress, challenges, and decisions.
Q: What if the project fails?
A: That risk exists. Even in that case:
- You will have learned EU grant writing
- You will have a verified content portfolio
- You will have built a qualified network
- You will have demonstrated commitment to an ethical cause
This is not wasted time, even in the worst-case scenario.
Collaboration does not constitute an employment relationship and does not guarantee future paid assignments.
🤝 Transparency on risks and challenges
We are honest about what could go wrong:
⚠️ EU grants are not secured → growth may slow, volunteer model may last longer
⚠️ School partnerships may be delayed → focus may shift toward travelers and researchers
⚠️ Technical scaling issues → additional refactoring required
⚠️ Collaborator turnover → community rebuilding needed
At the same time:
✅ We have contingency plans
✅ We are ready to iterate and adapt
✅ The vision remains solid even if the path changes
We are looking for people who embrace uncertainty with optimism, not cynicism.
🚀 Get started
Do you want to be among the among the early founding collaborators?
Choose your path:
🎓 Pilot School — 📸 Content Creator — 🧳 Professional — 🔬 Researcher — 💻 Developer — ❤️ Expert
Or:
📧 Write to partnership@mindthejourney.org
💬 Join the Telegram community
📅 Book an introductory call (30 min)
We are not looking for followers.
We are looking for co-founders.
If you believe travel can be a process of understanding rather than consumption, this is the right moment to join.
Mind the Journey — Founding Contributors Program 2025
The first 50 help shape the future.