WISE - Integrating Wellbeing and Employment for Ukrainian Refugee Women

For many women from Ukraine displaced across Europe, everyday life is shaped by a difficult “waiting dilemma”: whether to invest in building a future in the host country or to remain oriented toward returning home. This prolonged uncertainty, combined with care responsibilities and the psychological impact of displacement, often limits access to stable employment and long-term economic inclusion. Even when women have strong professional backgrounds, their skills and experience are frequently difficult to translate into the language of local labour markets.

The WISE project was developed in response to this challenge. Led by International Rescue Committee (IRC) Italy, the project brings together employment support and mental health and psychosocial services in a single, integrated model. Funded by European Social Fund Plus social innovation initiative, WISE aims to improve the social and labour-market inclusion of 200 employable refugee women and their dependents. Building upon the successful evidence-based  Women and Girls Safe Spaces methodology developed by the IRC, this model is being adapted into Holistic Support Centres (HSCs) in Milan, Rome, Turin, and Sofia. These centres are implemented by IRC Italy and the Animus Association Foundation, with specialized support from a consortium that includes Centro Penc, Laboratorio di Gruppoanalisi, the European network EARLALL, and SkillLab.

A central barrier for refugees entering new labour markets is not a lack of skills, but a lack of recognition. Diplomas, informal work and years of experience often remain invisible if they cannot be clearly articulated to local employers. Within WISE, SkillLab addresses this gap by embedding its skills-based approach into the holistic support model. Through an AI-powered skills profiling tool, women are supported to recognise, capture and communicate their skills, including non-formal and informal experience, and to match them to concrete occupations.

SkillLab’s solution has been localised for Italy and Bulgaria to reflect regional labour-market demand and occupational profiles. This ensures that career exploration is grounded in real opportunities on the ground, helping women make informed decisions that are relevant both in their host countries. By aligning individual capabilities with labour-market needs, the approach strengthens both employability and confidence.

Since the project launched in April 2025, the consortium has moved quickly from design to delivery. The holistic support model has been adapted based on local needs assessments, frontline staff have been trained, and the digital infrastructure is now actively supporting service delivery in Italy and Bulgaria. WISE is currently focused on providing integrated support directly to participants, combining psychosocial wellbeing services with practical, skills-based employment guidance. The project offers concrete insights into how skills-first approaches, supported by technology, can strengthen social innovation and improve labour-market integration outcomes for displaced women.

For ongoing updates, milestones and insights from the project, you can explore the WISE project newsletters.