Europe-Wide Mapping of Refugee Skills, Needs and Opportunities Released as VOICE Project Concludes Work Package 2
The VOICE project (Vocational Opportunities and Integration for Refugee Community Empowerment), co-funded by the European Union under the Social Innovation Initiative, has successfully completed Work Package 2 (WP2) — the project’s core analytical phase dedicated to understanding the needs, skills and integration challenges of Ukrainian refugees across Europe.
All WP2 results are now publicly available on the VOICE OER Platform:
Mapping: https://www.voice-inclusion.eu/mapping.php
Repository: https://www.voice-inclusion.eu/repository.php
A Solid Evidence Base to Support Integration
WP2, coordinated by IHF asbl, delivered a multi-country assessment covering Spain, Poland, Italy and the EU level. This work included:
- Four national reports and an EU snapshot
- An Aggregated Report consolidating cross-country findings
- A Skills Gap Matrix identifying 12 key skill areas
- A Repository of 46 Social Innovation Initiatives
The analysis highlights recurring obstacles to labour-market integration — particularly language barriers, non-recognition of qualifications, digital literacy gaps, and gendered challenges, with women representing the majority of beneficiaries.
Despite these barriers, WP2 confirms that Ukrainian refugees form a highly educated and motivated group with strong potential to contribute to host economies when appropriate support is available.
Four Priority Areas Identified
Across all partner countries, the research consistently points to four priority training areas that will guide the next phases of VOICE:
- Language for Social Inclusion and Employability
- Applied Digital Skills for Work & Services
- Soft and Transversal Skills
- Entrepreneurial Competences
These pillars will form the foundation of the refreshed training curriculum to be developed in WP3, where partners will adapt and localise existing EU training materials into accessible, modular, multilingual resources.
Resources Available on an Open, Accessible Platform
The VOICE OER Platform — developed by Internet Web Solutions (IWS) — hosts all project results and is freely accessible in EN, ES, IT, PL and UA. The platform follows inclusive design principles and offers tools such as adjustable contrast, multilingual page reader, and dyslexia-friendly modes, supporting learners with diverse needs.
Next Steps
Building on the evidence generated in WP2, the consortium now moves into WP3 – Adapting and enhancing e-learning resources, followed by WP4 – Pilot testing with Ukrainian refugees in partner countries. These stages will turn WP2 findings into practical, learner-centred training solutions supporting employability, autonomy and long-term integration.
About VOICE – follow us
VOICE brings together seven partners from four countries committed to supporting the social and professional inclusion of Ukrainian refugees.
Project Website: www.voice-inclusion.eu
Email: voiceesfproject@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/voiceinclusion/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/voice-inclusion/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Voice_esf_project
