Innovate, Integrate, Empower (IIE) – A Holistic Approach to Supporting Migrant Women

Welcome to Innovate, Integrate, Empower (IIE), an Erasmus+ Cooperation Partnership project dedicated to strengthening the integration, psychosocial wellbeing and empowerment of migrant women.

The project brings together partners from across Europe to develop practical tools, training and creative approaches that help migrant women participate fully in their communities and make informed choices about their lives.

About the Project

IIE takes a holistic approach. Rather than treating integration, wellbeing and empowerment as separate issues, the project recognises that they are closely connected: language barriers, employment difficulties, social isolation, emotional stress and limited access to services can reinforce one another.

At the same time, migrant women bring valuable skills, experience, cultural knowledge and resilience. The project builds on these strengths, working with women rather than simply for them.

Objectives

  • Promote the psychosocial wellbeing and resilience of migrant women

  • Support empowerment, self-confidence and personal agency

  • Reduce social isolation and strengthen community participation

  • Open pathways to employment and entrepreneurship

  • Equip educators, NGOs and support professionals with practical, culturally responsive tools

Why This Project

The project began with a transnational needs assessment involving 116 migrant women and 227 professionals who work with them. It highlighted recurring and interconnected challenges:

  • Language and communication barriers

  • Social isolation and limited support networks

  • Low self-confidence and emotional stress

  • Difficulty having qualifications and skills recognised

It also showed how diverse and highly skilled migrant women are. IIE responds with a person-centred, strengths-based approach that recognises both the barriers women face and the resources they already have.

Activities

The project is structured around five work packages:

  • Project management

  • Psychosocial Training and Rehabilitation Guide

  • Empowerment Through Support – a digital platform for entrepreneurship and employment opportunities

  • Creative Bridges – art-based social integration for migrant women

  • Promotion, roll-out and exploitation of the project results

Results

The project will deliver:

  • A Psychosocial Training and Rehabilitation Guide for educators, trainers, NGOs and community organisations

  • A digital platform supporting entrepreneurship and employment

  • Art-based methods and activities for integration and wellbeing

  • Improved wellbeing, confidence and social participation of migrant women

Welcome Home International contributes to all work packages and authored the guide's chapter on Social Integration, Belonging and Community Participation.

Partners

  • CPIA 1 Foggia "David Maria Sassoli" (Italy – Coordinator)

  • Welcome Home International (Belgium)

  • Aloha Learning Centre

  • Nokta Education, Culture and Research Association (Türkiye)

  • Deutsche Stickgilde e.V. (Germany)

Project Details

  • Programme: Erasmus+ KA220-ADU

  • Project Number: 2025-1-IT02-KA220-ADU-000351051

  • Duration: February 2026 – January 2028

Barbara Winn-HagelstamComment