The projects’ overall goal was to look at the Social Economy (SE) and its already existing tools to foster more peaceful and inclusive communities, building the capacity of SE organisations in facilitating the inclusion of migrants and refugees and creating long-lasting inter-communities relationships in the receiving countries. Primarily, the project aimed at creating learning opportunities and a space for exchange of strategies and practices across organisations responding to the migrant crisis in Europe, specifically building the capacity of local organisations in Lithuania with the tools and methodologies characteristic of social and solidarity economy to scale up their activities and make their work more effective. In the long term, the project intends to increase the capacity of social economy organisations in Lithuania and across Europe to support the socio-economic empowerment of migrants and refugees, and increase the chance of a smoother integration into the local communities. Additionally, the project put a strong emphasis on awareness raising dedicated to demonstrating that the Social Economy is a resourceful sector to discover new approaches in peacebuilding.
The war in Ukraine led to thousands of displaced people fleeing to neighbouring countries, such as Lithuania, requiring unprecedented support and long-term solutions to facilitate their socio-economic inclusion, especially considering the contingent demands of the Lithuanian labour market. Sustainable job creation is integral to enabling migrants and refugees to achieve socio-economic empowerment: by providing opportunities for fair employment and decent work, these vulnerable populations can transition from dependency on humanitarian aid or public subsidies to becoming contributors to local economies. This shift not only enhances the wellbeing of migrants and refugees but also contributes to the overall stability of host communities, contributing to the establishment of more peaceful societies. Therefore, the situation presented a sudden need for building the capacity of local Social Economy (SE) and civil society organisations to identify innovative solutions and establish partnerships to support the socio-economic inclusion of the Ukrainian community, facilitating upskilling and exchange opportunities across Europe, and sharing of innovative tools and methodologies.