Problem addressed

The project responds to two intertwined needs: improving services that support the social and economic inclusion of migrants, and helping displaced people move from an initial phase of emergency towards a more stable and sustainable situation.

In both Italy and Poland, employment remains one of the central challenges. DPUs often face discrimination in the labour market, limited access to jobs due to language barriers, and difficulties securing positions that match their skills and qualifications. On top of that, the instability and temporary nature of the legal protection frameworks further undermine their prospects, creating uncertainty for DPUs and complicating the efforts of organisations supporting their social and economic inclusion.

The project also addresses the impact of the political frameworks developed in both countries over the past three years. These policies shape the conditions under which DPUs, as well as NGOs such as PAH, the Emic Foundation, and RED Nova, operate. By engaging with this context, the project seeks not only to support individuals directly, but also to strengthen the environment in which organisations work to promote inclusion.

Innovative solution

The project’s innovative solutions build on pre-planned actions by RED Nova in Italy and by PAH and the Emic Foundation in Poland. These actions are further strengthened through a needs assessment led by the OPORA Foundation and a structured mutual learning process within the consortium.

In Italy, RED Nova, which currently specialises in socio-legal assistance through its Helpline and casework on legal, mediation, and translation issues, will expand its support to include job counselling and job matching. In Poland, PAH will provide vocational training for DPUs in specific sectors such as technical professions and accountancy. With the support of Emic, participants will also access targeted job counselling and Polish language classes through a One Stop Shop (OSS), where DPUs can receive comprehensive assistance. Emic will additionally run an Entrepreneurship Academy that covers not only the practical steps of starting a business, but also protection-related issues, including rights and obligations. These interventions aim to further develop the OSS model run by Emic, making it sustainable and adaptable to more specialised needs. In Italy, RED Nova will incorporate key elements of the OSS approach into its Helpline, moving towards a more comprehensive model of social and economic inclusion.

All upscaled activities are guided by the needs assessment, which identifies concrete requirements such as language for specific professional purposes and greater awareness of employment-related rights and obligations. Mutual learning is embedded throughout the project: Emic and PAH will learn from RED Nova’s experience in setting up and managing a Helpline, including the strategy and operations this entails, while RED Nova will draw on Emic’s expertise in job counselling to strengthen its employability support.

Key results and benefits

1. Needs-based, integrated support package in Poland

A comprehensive needs assessment confirms the importance of making the labour market more accessible for DPUs in Poland, with particular attention to language barriers. In response, PAH and the Emic Foundation will offer an integrated package combining vocational courses, targeted job counselling, and Polish language classes tailored to specific professional fields.

2. Adaptation of RED Nova’s Helpline into an OSS-like service in Italy

RED Nova will adapt its existing Helpline into a more holistic, OSS-like service delivered by phone. In addition to ongoing socio-legal and mediation casework, the Helpline will gradually integrate employability support, guided by the needs assessment findings and the consortium’s mutual learning process.

3. Direct and long-term impact on beneficiaries and service providers

During the project, beneficiaries will test and benefit from the enhanced services, improving their chances of social and economic inclusion. In the longer term, the strengthened models in Poland and Italy are expected to continue beyond the project period, with the potential to be adapted and replicated by other actors.

4. Tested model and Best Practice Toolbox

The integrated support model will be tested, evaluated, and documented. The results will be compiled into a freely accessible online Best Practice Toolbox, enabling other organisations and stakeholders to draw on the project’s methods, tools, and lessons learned.

Potential for mainstreaming

1. Adaptation of RED Nova’s Helpline into a phone-based OSS model

RED Nova’s Helpline will be expanded to provide comprehensive social, legal, and employment-related support. The service will function as an OSS-like model delivered remotely by phone rather than on-site, offering integrated assistance that combines socio-legal aid, mediation, translation, and employability support in a single access point.

2. Refinement and specialisation of OSS services in Poland (Emic & PAH)

In Poland, the OSS run by Emic, with support from PAH, will further specialise its services based on identified labour market needs. This includes linking shortages in specific professions (e.g. care workers) with tailored activities for DPUs, such as targeted vocational courses, language classes for specific professional contexts, and specialised job counselling aimed at reducing those shortages while supporting DPUs’ economic inclusion.