Socio-economic integration and psychosocial support pathways for Ukrainian refugees in Italy and Poland, inspired by the European one-stop-shop model, implemented through community hubs offering integrated services such as employment support, professional coaching, mental health care, and training programmes.
WHAT WE DO
FOR WHOM AND WHERE
Ukrainian migrants and refugees, with particular attention to women and individuals with varying degrees of vulnerability, in Italy and Poland.
OBJECTIVES
The project aims to:
- Develop an integrated and replicable model to support the socio-economic inclusion and psychosocial well-being of Ukrainian refugees;
- Strengthen local support systems through personalized pathways of guidance, training, and psychological assistance;
- Promote collaboration among public, private, and third-sector actors to facilitate labour market integration and access to services;
- Provide information spaces and community hubs based on the European Union’s one-stop-shop model;
- Foster the dissemination of good practices at the European level, through transnational learning and dissemination activities.
Implemented in partnership with:
THE PROJECT JOURNEY: FROM RESEARCH TO PRACTICE AND ANALYSIS
SIP was developed as a step-by-step process, moving from research and needs assessment to testing, implementation and evaluation. The project first explored the needs, barriers and opportunities experienced by Ukrainian refugees in Italy and Poland, as well as existing support systems in both countries. These findings informed the design and testing of an integrated support model combining socio-economic inclusion and psychosocial support, which was then piloted and refined on the basis of participants’ experiences, professionals’ feedback and cross-country learning.
KNOWLEDGE AND RESOURCES FROM THE SIP EXPERIENCE
The resources below bring together the evidence, practical experience and lessons learned throughout the project. Drawing on research, field implementation in Italy and Poland, exchanges among professionals and partners, and feedback from participants and stakeholders, they translate the SIP experience into practical knowledge and recommendations that can support practitioners, organisations, institutions and policymakers working on refugee and migrant inclusion across Europe.
The SIP Executive Summary is a concise overview of the SIP model, its implementation, key results, findings and lessons learned. It summarises the project journey from research and context analysis to piloting, evaluation and replicability, providing an accessible entry point to the overall SIP experience.
The Comparative Report brings together the evidence and findings from the SIP model’s implementation in Italy and Poland, comparing the two contexts, the needs and barriers experienced by Ukrainian refugees, and the results of the pilot. It highlights what worked, key differences between the two countries, and the main implications for practice.
It is a practical guide for implementing, adapting, replicating and scaling up the SIP model. Based on research, pilot implementation, monitoring and evaluation, professional experience and stakeholder validation, it provides a step-by-step implementation pathway, professional roles, practical tools, good practices, common challenges and recommendations for adaptation to different contexts.
A concise set of policy recommendations for the integration of displaced Ukrainians in Italy and Poland, based on the evidence generated by SIP. It translates the project’s findings into recommendations for more predictable and coordinated integration systems, addressing interconnected areas such as housing, language learning, employment, healthcare and psychosocial support.
The Guide to Local Services for Socio-economic Integration and Wellbeing in Italy is a practical tool designed to support beneficiaries after the completion of SIP activities, helping them continue their personal and professional pathways independently. It provides accessible information on employment and training, health and psychosocial support, and services for specific or vulnerable situations, including practical guidance on how to access them.
The Guide to Local Services for Socio-economic Integration and Wellbeing in Poland is a practical tool designed to support beneficiaries after the completion of SIP activities, helping them continue their personal and professional pathways independently. It provides accessible information on employment and training, health and psychosocial support, and services for specific or vulnerable situations, including practical guidance on how to access them.
PRELIMINARY RESEARCH
The materials below present the preliminary research conducted by OBMF before the start of the project’s implementation activities. The research provides an in-depth picture of the main needs, resources and aspirations of Ukrainian women in Italy and Poland, combining desk research with fieldwork based on individual interviews and focus groups with both Ukrainian refugees and professionals working closely with them. The findings helped identify key challenges, opportunities and pathways towards greater autonomy and integration, providing the evidence base that informed the design and implementation of the SIP model.
The project is co-financed by the European Social Fund Agency (ESFA) under the Social Innovation Initiative.
The European Commission support for the production of this material does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors. The Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information.
