With MentorME, we aimed to foster access to cross-border national and European voluntary service programs for young refugees in Europe and create a sustainable network of youth workers as mobility mentors. These mentors would be equipped with the tools to guide and support young refugees interested in cross-border national or European voluntary service programs. Additionally, they would inform and support organizations active in the voluntary service sector (hosting, sending, supporting) and the integration/migration sector, helping them promote and provide access to voluntary service programs for young refugees. To achieve this, we focused on training youth workers to become mobility mentors for young refugees in their local contexts. These mentors would consult, inform, guide, and support young refugees throughout their cross-border volunteering experiences—before, during, and after their stay. Furthermore, they would train peer youth workers in their local and regional contexts to become mobility mentors, equipping them with the tools and knowledge to build networks of organizations active in the voluntary service and integration/migration sectors.
Our application was driven by the need to improve access to voluntary service opportunities for young refugees in Europe, particularly in cross-border settings. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, voluntary service remains a crucial pathway for young people to enhance their professional and personal development, acquire new skills, and contribute to society. However, young refugees often face significant barriers to participating in these opportunities. Our project, MentorME, in partnership with seven European countries, aims to address key challenges young refugees face in accessing voluntary services, including lack of awareness, digital barriers, insufficient support networks, and youth workers capacity. We wanted to address these needs by creating a European support network that promotes access to cross-border national and European voluntary service programs for young refugees, providing them with effective and sustainable guidance throughout the process. Our goal was to enhance refugee inclusion, employability, and European identity through these opportunities.