SafeSpaces International Webinar: A Landmark Success for Refugee Integration and Vocational Empowerment

On 22nd June 2026, the Safe Spaces consortium organised an International Webinar where project partners and stakeholders celebrated a significant milestone in the mission to integrate unaccompanied minors and youth on the move. he event, which brought together a global audience of educational providers, VET (Vocational Education and Training) actors, and migrant-sector experts, served as a powerful platform for sharing the innovative SafeSpaces methodology.

A Comprehensive Agenda for Inclusion

The webinar, moderated by the project coordinator, followed a structure designed to provide both high-level insights and practical tools.  Key segments included:

  • The SafeSpaces Vision: The coordinator highlighted that the project addresses the critical gap between protection systems, educational providers, and labour market actors for youth aged 15 to 25t. The goal is to move these resilient young people from vulnerability toward autonomy.
  • The Digital Platform: Daria Volosach (Yyouth) provided a walkthrough of the project’s digital membership platform, which features 12 flexible, interrelated modules available in English, Spanish, Greek, and Bulgarian. The platform includes self-reflection tools and real-life case studies to assist practitioners in providing tailored support:/.
  • Methodological Framework: Gina and Maria from Velos Youth presented a six-step framework for establishing physical safe spaces: 1) Needs Analysis, 2) Design, 3) Policies/Ethos, 4) Team Building, 5) Partnerships, and 6) Daily Operations.


The second half of the webinar featured two landmark keynote presentations that provided concrete examples of inclusive practices:

  • Silvia Ganassi (Mundus): Presented case studies on using storytelling and digital mapping as tools for empowerment. She emphasized that « information protects, » sharing how participatory workshops in Ghana and Senegal helped youth make informed decisions about migration.
  • Federico Tubiello (APRO Formazione): Shared the « APRO Experience » from Italy, detailing « Module One, » a pathway that combines Italian literacy with vocational orientation for newly arrived migrants.b. He also introduced the « NOI » (New Roots) network, a territorial cooperation model that connects schools, families, and intercultural mediators.


A central takeaway from the session was the « trust-first » approach, emphasizing that relationship-building must remain at the centre of all formal assessment procedures. Participants learned that flexible, participatory programming significantly increases engagement and ownership among displaced youth