WISE Partner Coordination Meeting

17/12/2025

On 10 December 2025, an online coordination meeting of the WISE project (Supporting Ukrainian Refugee Women’s Socio-Economic Integration and Wellbeing) took place, with EARLALL participating alongside project partners.

The meeting focused on project implementation updates, with particular emphasis on activities carried out in Italy and Bulgaria, the use and integration of the SkillLab Tool, communication targets, upcoming exchange visits, and progress related to Women Rise monitoring, evaluation and deliverables.

The project coordinator, the International Rescue Committee (IRC), presented an overview of one-to-one employment support and case management, delivered through individual service plans and comprehensive integration pathways. In parallel, a wide range of group activities providing psychosocial support (PSS) were implemented, including creative, cultural and wellbeing-oriented actions such as dance, art workshops, cooking sessions, self-care activities, yoga and theatre initiatives. These activities aim to foster social inclusion, emotional wellbeing and community building among participants.

The meeting also highlighted group employment support activities, including job-readiness sessions, employer engagement, participation in job fairs, mock Italian language certification exams and targeted outreach efforts. Particular attention was given to outreach challenges in larger urban areas and to responding to specific content needs expressed by participants. In addition, IRC reported on staff training activities focused on the Italian legal labour system, covering topics such as taxation, social benefits, self-employment, payslips and employment contracts, ensuring that frontline staff are well equipped to support beneficiaries’ labour market integration.

A key point of discussion was the integration of the SkillLab Tool within the project. Communication matters were also discussed, including the need to clarify key focal points and social media platforms, as well as to further discuss and agree on outreach targets. The meeting further covered Women Rise monitoring and verification procedures.

A significant part of the meeting was dedicated to the preparation of the WISE Exchange Visit, scheduled to take place in Italy from 14 to 16 January 2026. The visit will be hosted at the IRC Holistic Support Center in Rome and will bring together project partners from Laboratorio GruppoAnalisi (LdG), Centro PENC, IRC and the Animus Association.

EARLALL’s participation in the coordination meeting reflects its continued engagement in supporting communication for the WISE project, contributing to the effective and coherent implementation of actions supporting refugee women from Ukraine who have fled the war and are now living in Italy and Bulgaria.