The project aimed to empower migrants by strengthening their confidence, self‑esteem and self‑belief through coaching, mentoring and peer networking. A key objective was to help participants reflect on their past experiences and migration journeys to recognise the skills and knowledge they already possess. Using tools such as the EntreComp framework, the project sought to show how these existing competences can be transferred into entrepreneurial activity. Another central goal was to increase migrants’ entrepreneurial skills so they could develop realistic and achievable business ideas suitable for funding and aligned with local legal and economic conditions. The project also aimed to build participants’ understanding of the country‑specific business environment, enabling them to take informed first steps in their entrepreneurial journey. By fostering peer networks, the project intended to create supportive communities of migrants facing similar challenges. It also sought to help participants acknowledge the social capital they bring to entrepreneurship. Finally, the project aimed to enhance the skills of VET trainers so they feel more confident and capable of engaging disadvantaged learners, including migrants, in future training
The project was launched in response to needs faced by migrants who often experience unemployment or underemployment due to socio‑cultural barriers, restrictive policies, and difficulties getting their skills recognised in a new country. Entrepreneurship offers a viable pathway to meaningful work, improved agency, and stronger social and economic participation, yet many migrants lack the knowledge, networks, and understanding of local business and regulatory environments necessary to start and sustain a business. These challenges have intensified due to increased migration flows, the impact of the COVID‑19 pandemic, and labour‑market disruptions. We applied for this project to address these gaps by strengthening migrants’ confidence, helping them identify and value existing skills from their life and migration journeys, and guiding them towards feasible business ideas. The project also responds to the need for culturally sensitive coaching, improved access to business support structures, and stronger peer networks.