On 22 October, the European Parliament adopted its position on the next Erasmus+ programme for 2028–2034, with 454 votes in favour. The vote marks an important step in shaping the future of one of the EU’s flagship programmes for education, training, youth and sport. It also opens the way for the next stage of negotiations with EU Member States.

Parliament is calling for a budget of €47.39 billion, compared with the European Commission’s proposed €40.8 billion. The future programme would also integrate the European Solidarity Corps, bringing volunteering and solidarity activities together with education, training, youth and sport under a single programme.

However, Parliament’s vote does not represent a final decision. Its position will serve as a negotiating mandate for the discussions with EU governments, with the final budget also linked to negotiations on the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2028–2034.

For EARLALL, the next Erasmus+ programme must provide the resources, accessibility and regional cooperation needed to make lifelong learning opportunities available to people and communities across Europe.

A stronger Erasmus+ with a broader reach

Parliament’s position seeks to strengthen Erasmus+ so that it can respond more effectively to Europe’s strategic challenges. As well as advocating for a larger budget, MEPs have proposed measures to reinforce inclusion and recognise a wider range of learning and professional pathways.

One important development is the explicit inclusion of vocational education and training (VET) learners, teachers and trainers as eligible participants. This reinforces the role of vocational education within Erasmus+, alongside other education and training sectors, and offers opportunities to broaden access to international learning mobility.

Parliament has also proposed a target that at least 20% of mobility participants should be people with fewer opportunities. Achieving this ambition will require more than setting a target: funding mechanisms, grant levels and practical support must enable people facing financial, geographical or other barriers to participate.

The integration of the European Solidarity Corps also brings opportunities to strengthen connections between learning, volunteering and active citizenship, while ensuring that solidarity activities remain visible and accessible within the future programme.

Rapporteur Bogdan Zdrojewski (EPP, Poland) underlined Parliament’s ambition to strengthen the programme’s capacity to address Europe’s strategic challenges, calling for the investment needed to build on Erasmus+’s achievements. Parliament also expressed support for the United Kingdom’s return to the programme.

EARLALL’s contribution to the future of Erasmus+

EARLALL has been actively contributing to discussions on the future of Erasmus+, advocating for a programme that better reflects the needs of regions and local communities.

In May 2025, EARLALL published its position on Erasmus+ in the EU’s 2028–2035 Multiannual Financial Framework. The position called for a decentralised, inclusive and adaptable programme, with regional and local authorities recognised as strategic partners in its design, governance and implementation.

EARLALL highlighted several priorities: stronger regional engagement, capacity-building support for local actors, improved coordination between EU programmes, dedicated funding to reach learners facing barriers, and simpler administrative procedures. It also stressed the importance of maintaining initiatives such as Centres of Vocational Excellence to connect education and training with regional labour market needs.

In January 2026, EARLALL brought these priorities directly to the European Parliament’s stakeholder consultation on the future Erasmus+ programme for 2028–2034, chaired by rapporteur MEP Bogdan Zdrojewski. During the consultation, EARLALL presented proposed amendments to the draft Erasmus+ Regulation, calling for stronger recognition of regional and local authorities as strategic partners in the programme’s governance and implementation.

EARLALL’s contribution also emphasised territorial cohesion, more accessible funding and stronger support for regional education and training ecosystems. These proposals aimed to ensure that the future programme responds to the diverse needs of Europe’s regions and reaches learners and organisations that may face barriers to participation.

These priorities remain highly relevant as the legislative process moves forward. A stronger Erasmus+ should not only increase the number of opportunities available, but also ensure that regions, education and training providers and learners can access and benefit from them.

Ensuring that ambition translates into opportunities

The proposed budget increase is an important part of the discussion, particularly as the future programme is expected to cover a broader range of activities. However, the level of ambition must be matched by adequate and predictable resources to sustain and expand opportunities across all programme fields.

For EARLALL, accessibility is equally important. Smaller organisations and local actors need clear guidance, appropriate administrative support and the capacity to participate. Funding arrangements must also reflect the different circumstances of learners and regions, including those facing geographical or socio-economic barriers.

Regional and local authorities have an important role in connecting European priorities with local needs. They can bring together education and training providers, employers, public institutions and civil society to develop learning opportunities that respond to regional skills needs and support social inclusion.

Strengthening this territorial dimension can help ensure that Erasmus+ contributes not only to individual learning mobility, but also to organisational development, regional cooperation and the long-term capacity of education and training systems.

The next steps

Following Parliament’s vote, negotiations with EU governments will shape the final Erasmus+ regulation and its financial framework for 2028–2034. The outcome will determine how the programme’s objectives, budget and implementation arrangements are translated into practice.

EARLALL will continue to contribute to these discussions, advocating for a well-resourced, inclusive and regionally responsive Erasmus+ programme that supports lifelong learning, vocational education and training, skills development and cooperation across Europe.

The next programme offers an opportunity to build on Erasmus+’s achievements while addressing persistent barriers to participation. Ensuring that regional and local actors are recognised as key partners will be essential to making its opportunities accessible to more people, organisations and communities.

On 21 October, the EPALE Community Conference 2026 brought together adult learning professionals, policymakers, researchers and practitioners to discuss how skills and lifelong learning can contribute to a more inclusive, competitive and resilient Europe. Under the theme Shaping Europe through Skills, the two-day conference explored the role of adult education in supporting quality jobs, equal opportunities and democratic participation.

For EARLALL, these discussions highlight the importance of connecting European skills policies with regional needs and the realities of people, organisations and local communities. Regions play an important role in bringing together education and training providers, public authorities, employers and civil society to develop learning opportunities that respond to changing social and economic contexts.

Recognising skills and supporting fair opportunities

The first day focused on how European skills policies can support competitiveness and inclusion, with particular attention to the recognition and portability of skills across borders, as well as the need to help adults upskill and reskill in response to technological change.

Opening the conference, Sophie Beernaerts of the European Commission highlighted the importance of the EPALE community in bringing together knowledge, experience and practice. Experienced members can support newcomers, while organisations of different sizes and from different geographical contexts can learn from one another. This exchange is essential to making lifelong learning accessible to a wider range of adults.

The discussions also addressed European initiatives supporting basic skills, individual learning opportunities and vocational education and training. Effective guidance, flexible learning pathways and the removal of barriers to participation remain important to ensure that adults can access training that meets their needs.

The panel Skills without Borders – From Recognition to Opportunity examined how European cooperation can improve the recognition of skills and qualifications across countries. Ernesto Villalba-Garcia from Cedefop stressed that skills recognition is closely connected to fair mobility and wider social policies. Although European frameworks provide common reference points, national systems remain fragmented, making continued coordination necessary.

Digital credentials and shared standards offer opportunities to make skills more transparent and portable. However, people also need practical support to use their existing competences when moving between countries or entering new labour markets.

Mariavittoria Garlappi from the European Training Foundation highlighted the importance of cooperation between destination countries and countries of origin to address skills needs while avoiding brain drain. Partnerships involving public institutions, employers and vocational education and training providers can help develop relevant qualifications and create benefits for migrants and the countries involved.

These discussions underline the value of cooperation between European, national and regional actors. Regional skills ecosystems can help connect labour market needs with education and training provision, while ensuring that people have opportunities to build on their existing knowledge and experience.

Artificial intelligence and the need for continuous learning

Another central topic was the impact of artificial intelligence and automation on employment, skills needs and access to reskilling.

During the panel The Automation Paradox: AI, Inequality, and Access to Reskilling, Ada Zakrewska from the OECD highlighted the importance of understanding how workers and employers experience technological change. Research discussed during the session suggested that workers who participate in AI-related training tend to have more positive attitudes towards the technology.

Isaure Delaporte from the International Labour Organisation stressed that the impact of generative AI extends across many occupations. Technical skills remain important, but workers also need complementary competences, including critical thinking, judgement, social and emotional skills, and the ability to combine different forms of knowledge.

The discussion also highlighted the importance of looking beyond employment rates and wages when assessing the impact of skills development. Training should help people access better jobs and working conditions, rather than simply enabling them to adapt to changing demands.

For regions, this raises important questions about how to anticipate skills needs, support workers through labour market transitions and ensure that reskilling opportunities reach those who need them most. Cooperation between employers, training providers, public authorities and research organisations can help develop responses that reflect local circumstances while contributing to wider European objectives.

Erasmus+ and the impact of European cooperation on adult learning

On 22 October, the EPALE Belgium Conference continued the discussion by focusing on the impact of Erasmus+ on adult education and the future of the programme beyond 2027.

The keynote presentation by Marco Cecchinato, coordinator for the EPALE National Support Service Belgium (FR), introduced the RIA network’s shared findings from research examining how accessible and inclusive Erasmus+ is for adult education organisations and learners, as well as the effects of participation on individuals, staff and organisations. The study covered 21 countries and produced national reports and factsheets.

The findings highlighted the diversity of adult education across Europe and the important role of small civil society organisations, which often work directly with people facing barriers to learning and participation. In Belgium, these organisations make a significant contribution to adult education and generate important social impact.

One of the most striking findings was that 89% of the organisations surveyed stated that their project would not have happened without Erasmus+.

This illustrates how European cooperation can enable organisations to develop activities, strengthen their professional capacities and build partnerships that might otherwise be beyond their reach. The benefits extend beyond mobility, supporting organisational development and creating opportunities for personal, professional and civic growth.

The research also identified barriers that can limit participation, particularly for smaller organisations. Simplifying administrative procedures and increasing support for these organisations were among the recommendations discussed.

For regional and local actors, these findings reinforce the importance of ensuring that European programmes are accessible to a diverse range of learning providers. Supporting smaller organisations to participate in international cooperation can help strengthen local learning ecosystems and extend the benefits of European programmes to more learners and communities.

Looking towards the next generation of Erasmus+

The conference also considered the future of Erasmus+ within the wider European policy agenda. Wilhelm Vukovich from the European Commission outlined developments expected in the lead-up to the next programme generation, including work on education and vocational education and training policies and the EU’s long-term budget for 2028–2034.

Adult learning is particularly important for adults with lower qualifications, who face a higher risk of long-term unemployment and social exclusion. Upskilling and reskilling can support competitiveness, but their contribution also extends to social cohesion, democratic participation and active citizenship.

Erasmus+ therefore has a dual role: supporting skills development while giving people opportunities to experience European cooperation and engage with European values. The ambition is to make these experiences available throughout life, whether through school education, vocational training, adult learning, volunteering or further professional development.

The event also included the panel How Did Erasmus+ Change Your Life?, featuring project holders from Belgium’s three language communities. Their experiences brought the discussion closer to the organisations and people whose work is shaped by European cooperation.

These exchanges showed the value of connecting policy discussions with practical experience. For regions, European programmes can provide opportunities to exchange approaches, develop new partnerships and strengthen the capacity of organisations working with learners in different contexts.

The Erasmus+ project Pathways – Breaking the Cycle: Innovative Adult and Vocational Education for the Reintegration of People in Prison, which focuses on education in prisons, was presented yesterday to a delegation of regional representatives from Østfold, Norway, by Tangi De Rochefort and Fabienne Martin Goudet from Brittany Region, an EARLALL member.

The presentation put peer learning at the centre. Brittany Region is keen to learn from the Norwegian system, particularly because reoffending rates differ markedly between the two countries: they are high in France and lower in Norway, where education is seen as a key factor. In Norway, education in prisons is part of mainstream education, while this is not the case in France. This difference gave rise to a rich exchange on how education can support rehabilitation and reintegration.

The Østfold session follows another exchange held on Monday 19 October with colleagues from Borås Stad in Sweden. Pathways continues to attract growing interest among EARLALL members and partners, confirming the relevance of education in prisons as a theme for regional cooperation across Europe.

EARLALL was invited yesterday to present its work online to a group of regional representatives from Østfold, Norway. The region is exploring ways to strengthen its contacts with EARLALL, including the possibility of future membership, and the session offered an opportunity to learn more about the association and its network.

EARLALL Director Noelia Cantero gave an overview of the association’s priorities and outlook in the field of lifelong learning and vocational education and training. She presented how EARLALL brings together regional and local authorities to influence European policy, exchange practices, and develop joint projects, and invited the Østfold representatives to take part in the association’s upcoming activities.

A key part of the presentation focused on the cooperation activities already developed with EARLALL’s Norwegian members: Vestland County, the Trøndelag European Office and the Hamar Region. These examples illustrated the added value of working together at the European level and the different ways Norwegian regions are engaging with their peers across the continent. She also stressed the importance of European regional cooperation in times of crisis, when sharing experience and acting together across borders matters most.

Tangi De Rochefort and Fabienne Martin Goudet from the Brittany Region, also an EARLALL member, followed with an online presentation. They outlined the regional context in Brittany and introduced the Erasmus+ project Pathways – Breaking the Cycle: Innovative Adult and Vocational Education for the Reintegration of People in Prison, which focuses on education in prisons. The project sparked interest among the Østfold representatives and led to a discussion on how regions can learn from each other’s approaches.

EARLALL thanks the Østfold delegation for the invitation and the open exchange, and looks forward to continuing the dialogue in the coming months.

On 22 October 2026, EARLALL joined around 80 participants in the online GLAD webinar, “Local level active role in fostering Adult Learning and Education”, jointly organised by the European Training Foundation (ETF) and DVV International.

Bringing together researchers, policymakers and practitioners, the session explored how local authorities can make adult learning and education (ALE) more accessible, inclusive and responsive to community needs. Presentations combined findings from recent publications with experiences from Moldova, North Macedonia, Ukraine, Kosovo and Albania.

A central message emerged throughout the discussions: local responsibility for adult learning must be accompanied by clear mandates, adequate resources and sustained support from national authorities.

Local authorities as partners in adult learning

Opening the webinar, Siria Taurelli of ETF introduced its focus on participatory governance, skills development and the contribution of local authorities to increasing participation in adult learning.

The first panel, moderated by Maja Avramovska of DVV International, examined research on local governance and provision. Professor Heribert Hinzen, a DVV International expert, presented the 2026 expert paper Adult learning and education as a responsibility of local authorities, co-authored with Bettina Brand and Ruth Sarrazin.

The paper highlights the different roles local authorities can play: enabling provision, supporting institutions, coordinating partners, managing services and advocating for adult learning. Drawing on examples from Cambodia, Ecuador, Moldova, Uganda and Germany’s adult education centres, known as Volkshochschulen, it explores how investment in local learning infrastructure can strengthen communities.

The presentation stressed that municipalities need both the capacity to respond to local needs and supportive national frameworks. Investment in adult learning was presented as a contribution to social cohesion, community resilience and preparedness for future change.

Connecting national policies with local opportunities

Lisa Rustico of ETF presented findings on adult learning systems and governance, highlighting the importance of the local level as the place where people encounter learning opportunities.

The discussion identified recurring challenges: fragmented responsibilities, limited coordination between institutions, unstable financing and unequal access to provision. National strategies do not automatically translate into accessible opportunities, particularly for adults in rural areas, people with low qualifications, older learners and displaced populations.

Participants underlined that decentralisation alone is insufficient. Transferring responsibilities without the necessary funding, staff and support can reinforce inequalities between communities. Effective implementation requires coordination across governance levels, alongside guidance and outreach that help adults find and access suitable learning.

Lessons from local practice

Country presentations illustrated both the potential of local initiatives and the obstacles they face.

In Moldova, the discussion explored practical vocational learning and micro-qualification programmes, including provision in Bălți. Cooperation between education providers, employment services and local businesses was highlighted as a way to connect learning with employment opportunities. Examples also demonstrated the role of training in supporting Ukrainian refugees’ integration.

In Ukraine, Snizhana Leu-Severynenko outlined a diverse adult learning landscape operating amid war and displacement. Pathways include vocational training for unemployed adults, training vouchers, entrepreneurship support, employer-funded upskilling, community adult learning centres and targeted vocational programmes. Short courses and locally organised provision can respond to immediate needs, but regional coverage, coordination, financing and recognition remain uneven.

In Kosovo, Vullnet Gusia presented experience from Peja, where cooperation between the municipality and civil society has helped connect adult learning with wider community development. The discussion highlighted the gap between policy ambitions and the opportunities people can access, alongside the importance of understanding residents’ learning needs.

In North Macedonia, the presentation addressed the validation of non-formal and informal learning and its potential to support adults with low qualifications. Outreach and awareness were identified as essential: establishing a system is only part of the task if potential learners do not know how to benefit from it.

In Albania, participants discussed the constraints facing municipalities, including limited decision-making capacity and funding, and the significant contribution of civil society organisations to adult learning provision.

Sustainable financing and cooperation across levels

Financing emerged as a persistent concern. Participants discussed how reliance on short-term projects can make it difficult to sustain provision, retain expertise and reach underserved groups. ETF also announced a study on suitable financing mechanisms for adult learning, with results expected in the first quarter of 2027.

The exchanges pointed towards an approach combining local initiative with national support for funding, quality and coordination. Partnerships between public authorities, education providers, employers and civil society can help identify needs and organise provision, but require clear responsibilities and continuity.

EARLALL’s perspective

For EARLALL, the discussion reinforced the importance of connecting local, regional, national and European levels. Networks can create opportunities for dialogue and peer learning, helping authorities exchange experience and adapt approaches to their own contexts.

EARLALL highlighted the value of building on existing regional and local lifelong learning partnerships to bring institutions and communities together. Such cooperation can help ensure that local needs inform wider strategies and that policy ambitions translate into meaningful learning opportunities.

The webinar offered a clear reminder: strengthening adult learning depends on giving local actors the resources, relationships and capacity to turn shared objectives into practice.

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On 19 October 2026, EARLALL contributed to a consultation exploring the links between climate learning and democratic citizenship. The session will inform guidance on education for democratic citizenship and a competence framework on its EU dimension, both commissioned by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC).

The discussion highlighted three practical considerations. First, learning should help people move from awareness of climate issues to understanding who takes decisions and how they can participate. Local issues such as transport or energy can provide starting points for exploring responsibilities at local, regional, national and European levels.

Second, educators need practical support to address controversial issues, assess digital information and connect learners’ experiences with the EU dimension. This includes helping learners evaluate evidence, discuss different perspectives and identify opportunities to contribute to public decisions.

Third, activities need to fit existing learning settings. Accessible materials, adaptable formats and manageable demands on educators’ time are important for putting citizenship education into practice, including in VET and adult learning.

These themes connect with EARLALL’s focus on democratic engagement, citizenship and social inclusion in lifelong learning. Regional and local authorities can help connect education providers, communities and decision-makers, making learning relevant to the challenges people experience in their daily lives.

EARLALL has also participated in consortia submitting Horizon Europe proposals addressing related themes. These include integrating civic and AI literacy into VET and adult learning, and investigating how digital and media literacy can translate into critical information practices and democratic participation. While these proposals are not yet funded projects, they reflect EARLALL’s interest in strengthening the contribution of lifelong learning to democratic participation.

On 14 October 2026, EARLALL co-organised the workshop “Rethinking Care Careers: Gender, Skills and Wellbeing for Stronger Regions” in Brussels as part of the European Week of Regions and Cities. The discussion connected European policy with regional practice, exploring how lifelong learning, fair working conditions and gender equality can strengthen the care workforce.

The workshop was organised by the Gender Equality Task Force for Lifelong Learning, a joint initiative of the European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA), EARLALL and EfVET. The Task Force monitors developments in the EU Gender Equality Strategy and promotes gender-balanced participation, equal rights and access to lifelong learning.

Opening and moderating the session, Gina Ebner, Head of Policy and Deputy Secretary General at EAEA, invited participants to consider how education and training can address the interconnected challenges of gender inequality, workforce shortages and mental health in care.

For EARLALL, the discussion highlighted the central role of regional and local authorities in connecting skills development with employment, equality and accessible care services. Making care careers attractive requires learning opportunities that lead to fair pay, safe workplaces and meaningful professional progression.

Linking better training with better jobs

Csaba Borboly, Member of the European Committee of the Regions and Vice-President of Harghita County Council, Romania, highlighted the difficulties regions face in attracting young people to care careers. Pay often fails to reflect the responsibilities involved, undermining both the attractiveness of the profession and the sustainability of regional services.

He stressed that employers should provide training and give workers sufficient time to participate. However, training alone cannot resolve poor working conditions. Career guidance and learning opportunities must also be accessible where people live, including in less-developed regions.

Borboly outlined four recommendations:

  • Establish permanent regional care skills partnerships involving public authorities, care providers, education institutions and workers.
  • Provide targeted support to regions facing acute demographic pressures or staffing shortages.
  • Connect training with fair pay, safe working conditions and clear career pathways.
  • Measure results beyond participation, including completion rates, job placements, staff retention and wage improvements.

His contribution underlined the need to plan skills and employment policies together, with civil society, employers and care professionals involved in shaping responses that fit their communities.

Making mental health a workplace priority

Violaine Roggeri, Communications Officer at the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA), presented the agency’s approach to preventing psychosocial risks. Based in Bilbao, in the Basque Country, EU-OSHA supports safer and healthier workplaces across Europe.

She introduced the 2026–2028 Healthy Workplaces Campaign, “Together for mental health at work”, which promotes awareness and prevention of work-related psychosocial risks.

The figures discussed illustrated the scale of the challenge: 29% of workers reported stress, depression or anxiety caused or worsened by work during the previous 12 months, while more than four in ten reported severe time pressure. These findings are reflected in EU-OSHA’s OSH Pulse 2025 results.

Roggeri also cited estimates placing the cost of mental ill-health at €600 billion annually, equivalent to more than 4% of EU GDP, and indicating that every €1 invested in mental health measures can generate returns of up to €13. Yet stigma remains a barrier: according to the figures presented, fewer than 50% of workers feel comfortable disclosing mental health difficulties.

Psychosocial risks are not gender-neutral. Occupational segregation, unequal unpaid care responsibilities and unfavourable working conditions can contribute to poorer mental wellbeing among women. The discussion also highlighted risks affecting health and social care, education, agriculture, domestic work and construction, alongside workers in lower socioeconomic positions.

The response must address how work is organised. Roggeri advocated manageable workloads, psychosocial risk assessments, worker participation, manager training and organisational change. During the discussion, she clarified that the economic cost of mental ill-health should be understood as evidence of systemic shortcomings, rather than individual weakness.

Centre-Val de Loire: preventing gender-based violence through education

A regional example came from Zoé Dedobbeleer Carlier, CIDFF Eure-et-Loir, the Centre for Information on Women’s and Families’ Rights, who presented an initiative from Centre-Val de Loire (EARLALL member region).

Implemented during 2025–2026, the initiative formed part of a regional strategy adopted in 2023. It responded to findings attributed to France’s National Order of Nurses in 2024, indicating that 49% of nurses had experienced gender-based or sexual violence at work.

The project brought together two organisations with complementary expertise: Planning Familial, founded in 1956, which works on sexuality education and sexual and reproductive rights, and the CIDFF network, established in 1972, which supports women’s access to rights.

Training targeted both education teams and students. Educators participated in a six-hour training webinar, while students attended three-hour awareness sessions addressing gender stereotypes, consent, coercive control and support for victims.

The initiative reached approximately 1,000 students across 18 institutes, with an average satisfaction score of 4.58 out of 5. Its effects also extended beyond the sessions: one participating institution subsequently organised a full-day forum on the topic.

Dedobbeleer Carlier described resistance encountered during the training, including attempts to minimise violence. This reinforced the importance of addressing its systemic nature and strengthening education in a context of growing masculinist discourse. The region plans to extend the initiative into 2026–2027.

For EARLALL, this example demonstrates how regional strategies can translate gender equality objectives into practical learning experiences for future care professionals and their educators.

South Savo: connecting skills, pay and career progression

Arja Flinkman, CEO and Chief Principal of Etelä-Savon Koulutus Oy / South Savo Education Ltd, presented approaches developed in Finland to improve the attractiveness of health and social care careers amid demographic change.

Her contribution focused on making additional skills visible and rewarding them. A flexible salary model allows practical nurses to increase their earnings through further learning, including partial qualifications and micro-credentials.

Training was designed with employers and teachers around identified skills gaps, enabling staff to develop their competences while remaining in work. Short, targeted learning opportunities and “competence patches” supported modular progression and helped make acquired skills visible.

Flinkman also described changes to the allocation of professional tasks, with practical nurses taking on selected nursing duties and nurses assuming selected tasks previously undertaken by doctors, supported by negotiations involving employers and trade unions.

Workplace learning was central to the approach. During the discussion, she cited a figure of 40% for the workplace-learning component of Finnish VET, highlighting apprenticeship models that combine shorter periods of school-based education with learning on the job. Recognising prior learning and offering partial qualifications can further support people in combining work and study.

The initiatives also produced openly available videos and training materials, allowing organisations beyond the original project to benefit. Family-based care was presented as another entry route, combining contract-based care in a home setting with preparatory training, fair compensation and opportunities for progression.

Her message was that improving recruitment and retention requires cooperation across institutional boundaries. Education providers, employers and policymakers need to listen to one another and connect training decisions with the resources needed to improve care work.

Strengthening VET pathways and challenging stereotypes

Emilio Dogliani, Advocacy and Project Manager at EfVET, explored how vocational education and training can offer stronger career prospects in care.

He called for greater permeability between VET and higher education, enabling learners to move more easily between pathways and continue developing their careers. He also advocated updating the Council Recommendation on VET and including measurable targets for system integration in the forthcoming EU VET strategy.

Dogliani cited a perception gap: three in four EU citizens regard general education as more prestigious than vocational education. He argued that improving VET’s reputation requires investment in quality provision, guidance and visible opportunities for progression.

Gender segregation remains another challenge. While VET overall was described as male-dominated, care-related programmes remain predominantly female. An EU-wide guidance and counselling framework could help challenge stereotypes, encouraging girls to consider STEM and boys to explore care careers.

He also emphasised the importance of transversal competences, including critical thinking, a growth mindset and learning to learn. In care, these must be complemented by empathy, communication and compassion, developed through cooperation between education providers, families and the wider learning community.

Turning discussion into regional action

The interactive discussion brought together the policy and practical dimensions of making care careers more attractive. Participants highlighted fair pay, safe workplaces, flexible working hours, childcare support, clear career pathways and effective anti-harassment policies with confidential reporting procedures.

Encouraging men to enter care professions and share unpaid care responsibilities was identified as part of a broader effort to challenge the devaluation of care as “women’s work”. Gender equality scorecards were suggested as a way for regions to compare progress and exchange practices.

Participants also discussed mentoring, technology and assistive tools as ways to support the workforce. These measures need to accompany improvements in working conditions: career promotion alone cannot compensate for excessive workloads or inadequate pay.

Funding responsibilities extend across governance levels. National governments shape employment rules and finance public services; regional and local authorities coordinate training, partnerships and care provision; and EU funding, including the European Social Fund, can support investment in people. The discussion also raised concerns about the place of social investment in the future Multiannual Financial Framework and the importance of protecting support for the ESF and Erasmus+.

For EARLALL, the workshop reinforced the value of bringing regional experience into European policy discussions. The examples from Centre-Val de Loire and South Savo showed how lifelong learning can support safer workplaces, challenge gender stereotypes and create clearer routes into and through care careers. Regional and local authorities have a crucial role in connecting these efforts so that skills development improves both workers’ prospects and the care available in their communities.

On 13 October 2026, EARLALL and the Trøndelag European Office brought together European policymakers, regional representatives and practitioners in Brussels for “No Talent Left Behind: Building Inclusive Labour Markets through Regional Skills Strategies”, a workshop held as a side event of the European Week of Regions and Cities 2026.

The workshop explored how regions can mobilise untapped talent in response to demographic change, labour shortages and changing skills needs. Discussions considered how lifelong learning and tailored guidance can help people access employment, while addressing the barriers that training alone cannot resolve.

Strong regions need inclusive labour markets

Opening the workshop, Noelia Cantero, Director of EARLALL, connected the event to the European Week’s theme, stressing that strong regional ecosystems must be inclusive and involve all territories. She thanked the Trøndelag European Office for co-organising the discussion.

Håvard Tangvik, Director of the Trøndelag European Office, highlighted that both organisations were marking their 25th anniversaries and welcomed Trøndelag’s membership of EARLALL. He emphasised the importance of retaining talent and creating opportunities for everyone to contribute to the labour market.

Madeleine Jonsson, EARLALL President and Chair of the Environment and Regional Development Committee in Region Västra Götaland, Sweden, asked how regions could better recognise and mobilise the potential of people currently outside employment. As demographic and technological changes reshape regional economies, successful responses depend on cooperation between public authorities, employers and education providers.

She highlighted the importance of guidance alongside skills development, helping people identify opportunities and overcome the barriers preventing their participation.

A European perspective: making opportunities accessible

Diana Spiridon, from the European Commission’s DG for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, delivered the keynote, “From skills policy to inclusive labour markets: the European perspective”.

Her contribution emphasised that many people’s talents remain unrecognised. Expanding training provision must go hand in hand with helping people access it, particularly those who lack confidence, face practical obstacles or are unaware of the opportunities available.

Diana connected these challenges to the European Commission’s Union of Skills, which aims to strengthen basic skills, support upskilling and reskilling, and respond to the different needs of people and places. She highlighted the importance of skills intelligence to identify who is missing from the system, alongside Individual Learning Accounts, quality guidance and the validation of skills acquired through formal and non-formal learning.

She also referred to the European Skills Guarantee, which aims to help workers at risk of unemployment move into new jobs through reskilling and upskilling, and highlighted the role of the Pact for Skills and Regional Skills Partnerships in connecting employers, education and training providers, and public authorities. A central message was that effective skills policies must reflect local realities, with regional partnerships helping connect people to learning opportunities and labour-market needs.

The personal experience behind the policy discussion

Anna Ponomarenko, founder of Beercrackers, brought a personal perspective to the workshop, sharing her journey from Ukraine to Belgium and her experience of building opportunities through entrepreneurship.

She described the difficulties of finding a place in the labour market, including being considered overqualified for a role after having her qualifications recognised. Her experience illustrated how formal recognition alone may not lead to suitable employment. Her contribution also highlighted the importance of access to advice and supportive professional networks, enabling people with entrepreneurial ideas to understand how to put them into practice.

Regional approaches to skills and inclusion

The session “From Skills to Inclusion: What Does a Regional Strategy Look Like in Practice?” presented approaches from Trøndelag, Schaerbeek and Baden-Württemberg.

Geir Gran and Bjørn Leo Finanger, Senior Advisers at Trøndelag County Authority, Norway, explained how the region connects employers’ skills needs with opportunities for people outside employment or without completed qualifications.

Their approach brings together employers, NAV—the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration—and the county authority. Employers identify workforce needs and provide workplace learning opportunities, while public partners support participants and facilitate education. The aim is to create a pathway towards recognised qualifications and employment.

They also presented a decentralised nursing education initiative involving Nord University and local study centres. This approach responds to healthcare workforce needs while making education more accessible in rural areas.

Christophe Marthoz, Senior Adviser for Partnerships and Projects in the Department of Social Emancipation at CPAS de Schaerbeek, Brussels, explained why employment support must begin with an understanding of a person’s wider circumstances.

Housing difficulties, debt and other immediate concerns can prevent people from engaging in training or looking for work. CPAS therefore combines social support with tailored pathways towards vocational integration. Once greater stability is in place, participants can build confidence, define career goals and access training and job-search support.

He also presented employment under Article 60 as a route combining a work contract with coaching and support, helping participants move towards greater independence and further employment.

Andrea Bernert-Bürkle, Head of EU Projects at the adult education association Volkshochschulverband Baden-Württemberg, Germany, focused on skills development for people with a migration background.

She described a regional context in which industrial restructuring, particularly in the automotive sector, sits alongside demand for workers in healthcare, education and other occupations. Addressing these needs requires guidance and training that reflect each individual’s experience and ambitions.

Examples included language learning, orientation courses and opportunities to reflect on existing skills, as well as support for recognising overseas qualifications and using AI-assisted skills assessment. Her central message was that skills development is highly individual: effective support must identify what enables each person to progress.

When skills alone are not enough

In the concluding discussion, moderated by Alicia Gaban, Communication and Project Manager at EARLALL, speakers considered the essential elements of an inclusive regional skills strategy.

Motivation and access to the right support emerged as recurring themes. Participants also highlighted pressure on social services and the need for employers to take greater responsibility for developing and retaining their workforce.

The exchange raised a broader question about how to support people who may remain outside employment. Labour-market inclusion must sit alongside wider social inclusion, recognising different circumstances and the changing nature of work.

Entrepreneurship, mobility and accessible training for migrants and refugees were also discussed as ways to widen opportunities. Speakers called for systems that help people navigate available support and take practical steps towards their goals.

Closing the workshop, Alicia brought the discussion back to a shared message: talent and skills are already present, but barriers continue to prevent people from using them. She invited participants to continue exchanging experiences through EARLALL’s regional network.

The 24th European Week of Regions and Cities opened in Brussels on 12 October 2026, bringing together nearly 5,000 participants for three days of discussions under the motto “Strong Regions, Strong Europe”. Organised by the European Commission in partnership with the European Committee of the Regions, the event focuses on the future of cohesion policy, regional competitiveness and people’s opportunities to thrive in the places they call home.

RESOURCES:

  • Presentation, see here.
  • Photo album on Flickr, see here.

EARLALL joined project partners and stakeholders in Budva and Kotor on 6-8 October 2026 for three days of exchange hosted by the Centre for Vocational Education of Montenegro.

The programme focused on inclusion, diversity and excellence in education, combining regional practice presentations, institutional visits and workshops. Participants explored how schools can respond to different learning needs and what support teachers require to make inclusion part of everyday teaching.

Understanding Montenegro’s education reforms

Magdalena Jovanović, Senior Adviser for Public Relations at the Centre for Vocational Education, moderated the opening seminar. Aleksandra Lalević, Director of the Centre, welcomed participants and emphasised equal access to education, support for diverse learners and the development of teachers’ skills.

Jelena Bojović, Head of the Department for International Cooperation and Projects, introduced Montenegro’s education system and reform priorities. Her presentation outlined the Education Reform Strategy 2025–2035 and Curriculum Reform 2026–2027, which prioritise competence-based learning, practical skills and flexible educational pathways. In vocational education and training, priorities include closer cooperation with employers, work-based learning and recognition of prior learning.

Vjera Mitrović-Radošević, Advisor on Quality of Inclusive Education, presented support for learners with disabilities, Roma and Egyptian communities, children in rural areas and migrant children facing language barriers. More than 800 people have obtained the teaching assistant qualification, according to the presentation. Roma and Egyptian Social Inclusion Assistants also help families overcome communication, transport and other barriers to participation.

Vladislav Koprivica, Head of the Department for Quality, Research and Continuing Professional Development of Teachers, explained how self-evaluation and external evaluation support school improvement. Inclusive education standards examine adapted teaching, accessible facilities, supportive learning environments and individual education and transition plans.

Regional approaches to inclusion

The regional exchange showed how individual support can be organised through schools, communities and regional authorities.

Małgorzata Jachyra-Mazepa, Director of the John Paul II School and Education Complex in Lubaczów, Poland, presented “Youth Educational Centre – a chance for change”. The approach combines individual assessment, vocational education and community participation for boys placed in the centre by court order. Preparation for independent living includes managing a budget, accessing services and preparing for employment. Reported results included fewer critical incidents and improved vocational examination outcomes.

The Slovenian example explored cooperation between a municipality and an education institution to employ an intercultural mediator supporting children from Albanian migrant backgrounds.

Melita Jeremić, School Pedagogue and Coordinator for Teaching Assistants at Sračinec Primary School, presented Varaždin County’s (EARLALL member) inclusive education model in Croatia. Originating in an EU-funded initiative in 2014/15, the current project supports 146 students through 145 assistants and intermediaries across 34 schools. Assistance covers academic, social, emotional, physical and organisational needs, supported by a 250-hour training programme and cooperation with parents.

Helen Arus, representing the Estonian Quality Agency for Education, HAKA, introduced Rakvere Vocational School and its experience of peer review through the Erasmus+ CHOICES project. A review of student counselling identified dedicated staff and a learner-centred culture as strengths, while recommending clearer responsibilities, better communication and more visible support services.

From Denmark, Lisbeth Hvid Christensen, Headmaster, and Anette Degn Larsen, Head of Learning and Development, presented an approach based on dialogue, structured cooperation and multilingual learning in vocational education. They also discussed challenges, including disruption caused by staff changes and difficulties sustaining skills under assessment pressure.

Nieves Maria Moreno Martinez, Technical Officer at Murcia’s Directorate-General for Attention to Diversity, presented the INCLU-YOU programme and Resource Centres for Inclusive Education. These connect the identification of barriers with specialist advice, mentoring and practical classroom support.

Marija Đurišić, a member of the DTRD-ECA project management team at the University of Montenegro, introduced work to record and recognise extracurricular activities as part of students’ academic experience, including links with study programmes and ECTS credits.

Visiting schools in Budva and Kotor

At Danilo Kiš Secondary School in Budva, participants were welcomed by Mr Vuković, the school’s Principal. The school serves 1,058 students and offers 11 vocational programmes alongside general secondary education. The visit included specialised equipment used in tourism programmes and discussion of teachers’ professional development and cooperation with schools in neighbouring countries.

The second day took participants to the Maritime High School in Kotor, where the school leadership and quality manager introduced nautical studies, maritime engineering and logistics. Discussions covered professional certification, career progression and simulation-based training, including the resources needed to maintain relevant training facilities.

At the Maritime Faculty of the University of Montenegro, Professor Danilo Nikolić and Assistant Professor Maja Škurić presented lifelong learning programmes responding to developments in the maritime sector. Examples addressed energy-efficient ship operations, alternative fuels and propulsion, and the yachting and cruise industry. The visit also explored cooperation with ship operators and European initiatives in maritime environmental education.

Digital learning and professional development

On the final day, Mileva Lučić, a teacher at the Vaso Aligrudić Secondary Electrical Engineering School in Podgorica, presented digital services and classroom tools supporting teaching and learning. Examples included accessible content, feedback tools and translation for learners facing language barriers. She also addressed the importance of checking AI-generated materials and protecting students’ personal data.

Professor Tatjana Novović, Full Professor at the University of Montenegro’s Faculty of Philosophy, presented inclusive education and teacher development initiatives, including FOSFIM and CRED4TEACH. CRED4TEACH is developing short online programmes and micro-credentials for teachers in Albania, Montenegro and Ukraine, alongside frameworks for their recognition.

Workshops explored practical responses to different learning paces, language barriers, additional support needs and unequal digital access. Participants highlighted the need for planning time, leadership support and specialist advice. One proposal was to establish school-based digital labs where teachers could test learning activities with guidance from digital mentors.

EARLALL connects the exchange with European tools

EARLALL introduced SELFIE and SCAFFOLD as European tools relevant to schools and educators. Participants discussed their visibility, connections with national approaches and how their use and impact are evaluated. The Estonian partner’s reference to Digital Mirror prompted reflection on how regions can make better use of existing resources.

Across the discussions, a consistent message emerged: effective inclusion requires coordinated support for learners and teachers, while digital tools should respond to a clear educational need.

Continuing the regional exchange

The visit provided partners with approaches to examine with their regional stakeholders, taking account of local needs, resources and evidence of results.

During the third Steering Committee meeting, chaired by the Region of Murcia, LeadEx’s lead partner, partners approved the next semester’s focus on innovation in education and digitalisation. The next LeadEx seminar and study visit will take place in Denmark on 20-22 April 2027.

On 12 October 2026, EARLALL participated in “When Culture is at Risk: Safeguarding Heritage and Empowering Creative Voices in Wartime”, a seminar organised by its member Region Västra Götaland, Sweden. Held at Nordic House in Brussels during the European Week of Regions and Cities 2026, the event brought together museum professionals and cultural practitioners to discuss the protection of heritage and artistic expression, with a particular focus on Ukraine.

Opening the seminar, Alex Bergström, President of the Cultural Affairs Committee in Region Västra Götaland, emphasised that Ukraine is defending its people, history and culture, and that this defence matters to Europe as a whole.

Safeguarding heritage through documentation and cooperation

Moderating the first session, Anders Wikström, Museum Development Officer at Region Västra Götaland, highlighted the connection between conflict and identity, and the mobilisation of cultural institutions to protect heritage.

Anastasiia Cherednychenko, Historian, Museologist, Chair of ICOM Ukraine, shared her experience of evacuating museum collections and working under exceptionally difficult conditions, including electricity shortages. She explained the challenges of establishing the full extent of losses and tracing objects removed from occupied territories.

Her contribution underlined the importance of digitisation alongside paper records. Detailed inventories, photographs and descriptions can help identify missing objects and establish their ownership. She also thanked Region Västra Götaland for its support through a residency in which she had participated.

Mariusz Wiśniewski, Chief Specialist in the Division for Restitution of Cultural Goods at Poland’s Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, drew on Poland’s experience of wartime cultural losses and restitution. He stressed the importance of putting international legal commitments into practice and strengthening cooperation between countries. Tracing an object’s provenance, or history of ownership, requires specialist knowledge and reliable documentation. Sharing expertise across borders is therefore essential.

Maria Dahlström, Curator at Sweden’s National Museums of World Culture, discussed repatriation, illicit trafficking and the need for greater public awareness. She highlighted the value of cooperation between museums, customs authorities, police, religious institutions, libraries and archives.

She also introduced ICOM’s Emergency Red List of Cultural Objects at Risk – Ukraine, a resource that identifies categories of vulnerable objects to help prevent their illicit trade. It is a tool for recognising objects at risk, rather than an inventory of stolen items. Her contribution encouraged greater scrutiny of the origins of cultural objects and caution when purchasing antiquities.

Supporting creative voices and documenting wartime experience

The second session, moderated by Camilla Larsson, Program Manager, Gothenburg Film Festival, explored filmmaking and residencies in wartime.

Ukrainian film director Olya Chernykh, an artist-in-residence at the festival in 2024, discussed The Illusion of a Quiet Night. Filmed during a single night in July 2025, the documentary brings together footage from across Ukraine to portray people’s experiences of living through war.

The discussion also addressed the documentary community’s role in preserving evidence. One example was the Ukraine War Archive, developed by NGO Docudays, which collects and preserves material documenting the war for use by researchers and investigators.

The role of regional support

Since 2022, Region Västra Götaland has funded around thirty temporary residencies for artists, including filmmakers, and museum professionals from Ukraine. These stays offer a respite from the war, access to professional networks and support tailored to participants’ interests and needs.

For EARLALL, the seminar highlighted the importance of professional learning and cooperation across borders in safeguarding culture. The experiences shared demonstrated how regions can support cultural professionals, sustain creative work and help preserve knowledge and heritage for future generations.

On 8 October, Cedefop launched its Regional Skills Ecosystems Index (RESET) at the European Committee of the Regions in Brussels, during European Skills & VET Week 2026. The event, titled “Europe’s skills revolution starts in its regions”, presented for the first time a new skills intelligence tool covering 244 NUTS2 regions. RESET makes visible what national averages hide: two regions in the same country can face very different skills realities. Cedefop will make it freely available on its website.

EARLALL was glad to take part in the panel debate. We congratulated Cedefop and welcomed RESET, and we were happy to have followed it since its preparatory phase in 2025.

Stronger and more inclusive ecosystems

Our message was simple. Europe needs not only stronger regional skills ecosystems, but also more inclusive ones. The idea is not new: regional skills ecosystems have always been at the core of EARLALL’s work. What matters now is making them work, and making them useful for the people living in all territories, rural and outermost regions included. That is also what a tool like RESET should help regions to do, which is why it must be built with them and connected to the Pact for Skills and Smart Specialisation strategies rather than run alongside them. We also noted that the European Skills High Level Board, which calls for stronger regional and sectoral skills ecosystems (SPARKs), still has no regional representative.

We named five obstacles that hold ecosystems back:

  • Fragmentation of skills policy across education, employment, economic development and cohesion.
  • Limited capacity and short-term funding, while ecosystems run on trust that takes years to build.
  • Different cultures among education, employment and business.
  • Weak guidance and anticipation. Adults struggle to find their way through the training offer, and learners are lost at every transition.
  • Too few exchanges between regions.

Each of these also affects inclusion. Smaller and rural regions, SMEs and adult learners are the ones most likely to be left without intermediaries, intelligence or guidance. An ecosystem is only strong if they have a seat at the table.

What works, from our network

Our members show the way. Baden-Württemberg’s Alliance for Lifelong Learning has given adults a recognisable point of entry through state-wide guidance and a digital campus. Brittany’s employment-training-inclusion committees let the region and local actors work from the same evidence. In the Basque Country, Tknika’s monitoring nodes bring technology trends into vocational curricula, and between 2018 and 2024 ICT jobs linked to vocational training grew by almost 64%, against about 7% for the whole labour market. Västra Götaland, Trento, Tuscany, Vestland, as well as our partner Fingal County, offer different structures with the same ingredients: a trusted intermediary, employers as real partners, guidance that keeps learners in the system, a link to regional economic priorities and a long enough horizon.

EARLALL’s Regional Skills Partnership for lifelong learning mobility, whose proposal has been approved, will build on this logic. It will offer training and capacity building on EU upskilling and reskilling tools and help partners fine-tune their skills strategies.

Lifelong learning as Europe’s infrastructure

Asked what we hope to see in five years, we said that lifelong learning should be treated not as an education policy but as proper infrastructure for Europe. That means an inclusive skills partnership in every region, rural and outermost ones included, with SMEs and adult learners at the table. It also means accessible career guidance for every adult, regional skills intelligence that quickly informs what training is offered, progress towards the EU target of 60% adult participation in learning each year, and stable multi-annual funding. RESET can be the yardstick if it captures governance and cooperation as well as outputs, shows learner journeys through transitions, and is used by regions in their own planning. Numbers matter, but so does the trust of the people in the ecosystem.

Evolution, not revolution

The event’s title spoke of a revolution. We would like to see a faster evolution: one in which people can follow the change and feel part of it. The revolution Europe needs is in how we cooperate across levels of government. For people, the future of work should not be something to fear. Humans are adaptable and curious, and every talent is needed.

9 October 2026 – The European Erasmus+ project PATHWAYS – Breaking the Cycle: Innovative Adult and Vocational Education for the Reintegration of People in Prison was officially launched during its first online partner meeting on 9 October 2026, bringing together organisations and regional stakeholders from across Europe to strengthen adult education for people in prison and those under criminal justice supervision.

The project aims to improve access to inclusive, flexible and high-quality learning opportunities by identifying effective practices, strengthening cooperation between education providers and prison authorities, and supporting the development of sustainable education and training pathways. By fostering knowledge exchange and professional development, PATHWAYS seeks to contribute to better educational continuity, improved employment prospects and successful reintegration into society.

Building stronger prison education systems through European cooperation

Prison education systems across Europe face a range of challenges, including fragmented provision, unequal access to learning opportunities and difficulties ensuring continuity of education. PATHWAYS addresses these challenges by bringing together partners from different European regions to share experiences, identify promising approaches and explore how successful practices can be adapted to different institutional and regional contexts.

Over its 36-month implementation period, the project will bring together research, peer learning, capacity building and practical implementation through five work packages:

  • Project management and coordination
  • Mapping prison education ecosystems: gathering information on existing systems, identifying needs and documenting effective practices across participating regions.
  • Peer learning and capacity building: supporting the exchange of experiences and strengthening the competences of prison educators and other relevant stakeholders.
  • Regional implementation plans and practical tools: translating project findings into actionable resources and approaches that can be applied in diverse prison education settings.
  • Communication and knowledge transfer: sharing project results, fostering a European Community of Practice and promoting the long-term uptake of successful approaches.

From mapping needs to practical solutions

The project’s first meeting marked the beginning of this collaborative process. Partners introduced their organisations and roles, reviewed the project structure and discussed the coordination, communication and research activities that will guide the initial phase of implementation.

A key priority is the mapping of prison education systems and the collection of comparable information across participating regions. Through a dedicated data collection tool and local stakeholder workshops, partners will examine existing provision, identify challenges and gather insights to inform the development of practical solutions.

Supporting educators and creating lasting impact

At the heart of PATHWAYS is the recognition that education plays a vital role in personal development, social inclusion and successful reintegration. Equipping educators with practical tools, strengthening links between education providers and prison authorities, and improving access to relevant learning opportunities can help create more coherent and effective pathways for people in prison.

Expected results include a comparative European analysis of prison education, an online repository of effective practices, a practical toolkit for prison educators, regional implementation plans and policy recommendations. The project will also foster a European Community of Practice, enabling professionals and institutions to continue exchanging knowledge and experience.

By combining evidence-based approaches with regional cooperation and practical implementation, PATHWAYS aims to support prison education systems that are more inclusive, adaptable and sustainable.

Looking ahead

Following the launch meeting, partners will begin the initial mapping and data collection activities, refine the project’s communication and dissemination arrangements, and coordinate the next stages of implementation. Dedicated working meetings and local stakeholder workshops will help ensure that the project responds to the needs and realities of the participating regions.

Through this shared European effort, PATHWAYS seeks to turn knowledge and collaboration into meaningful improvements in prison education, helping ensure that learning opportunities remain accessible and that educational pathways can support people both during imprisonment and after release.

About PATHWAYS

PATHWAYS is a European Erasmus+ cooperation project focused on strengthening adult education for people in prison and those under criminal justice supervision. Through research, the exchange of effective practices, professional development, practical tools and regional cooperation, the project aims to improve the quality and continuity of prison education and support sustainable pathways towards education, employment and social reintegration.