The WEM project aimed to empower vulnerable women, especially migrants and refugees, in the participating countries. The objective was to create a tailored socio-labor path through training, nurturing entrepreneurial skills and self-employment. By doing so, the project seeked to uplift women from exclusion and enhance their family finances. Furthermore, the project strived to enhance professionals' ability to guide vulnerable women entrepreneurs effectively. It introduced an adaptable methodology tailored to women's needs, with potential for broader European application. By instilling an entrepreneurial mindset, the project equipped women with personal branding, self-esteem, and financial proficiency, facilitating their integration into the labor market. The project also recognized the importance of strengthening Adult Education Providers (AEPs). It designed a course that empowers AEPs to support vulnerable women navigating entrepreneurship. In essence, the WEM project seeked to uplift migrant and refugee women through self-employment avenues, enriching their entrepreneurial skills, while also enhancing educators' capacities for a sustainable impact.
Our decision to apply for the Women Entrepreneurship Mentality (WEM) project has emerged from the urgency to tackle post-Covid-19 unemployment, particularly impacting European women. High job insecurity, seen with 4.7% in Italy and 5% in Spain (compared to Europe's 2.5%), and even worse for migrant women (32.5%-45.3% in Italy), highlighted the vulnerability of women in certain job sectors. The GEM 19 Report on Women's Entrepreneurship's 6.3% European Female Entrepreneurship Rate (lower in Italy and Spain) underscored the issue. Addressing this, especially the limited entrepreneurial intent among Spanish and Italian women (5.7% vs. 12.4% European average), was imperative. Barriers included enduring gender norms, skewed career choices, and men's stronger entrepreneurial inclination. The transnational WEM project united Spain, Italy, and Cyprus in combating women's labor market disparities. WEM developed a practical group-based methodology guiding women through entrepreneurship, uplifting not only these countries but resonating across Europe. By sharing effective strategies, the project searched to standardize approaches for Adult Education Providers (AEPs) continent-wide.