Author: Jennifer Ziegler

Categories
Allgemein

New insights from the DIDACTIVE project!

Our latest research report explores how the concept of “agency” — and the emerging competence of acting with agency — is understood and applied across vocational education systems in Europe. By analyzing perspectives from partner countries including Italy, France, the Netherlands, Greece, Austria, and Croatia, the report lays the foundation for a shared definition of “agency competence” in adult learning.

What’s inside:

  • Cross-country analysis of agency in vocational contexts
  • Key dimensions of agency competence
  • Implications for inclusive training design and policy

This work is a cornerstone for developing tools that empower adults to take ownership of their learning and career decisions. Check out the englisch version now: Agency Competence – Research Report from the EU project DIDACTIVE

The report is available in all partner languages and can be accessed on the project website: didactiveproject.eu

Categories
Allgemein

Coaching, Mentoring, Learning: What UNITE Actually Offers – and Why It Works

In our first post, we introduced UNITE and the study visit that helped shape its design. This time, we want to go one level deeper: what does the project actually do, and why does it matter?

UNITE rests on three closely connected pillars. Coaching offers people who fled Ukraine dedicated, individual time to work through questions of professional orientation, to understand how the Austrian labour market functions, and to define concrete next steps. This is deliberately not a one-size-fits-all offer. The question guiding every coaching session is simple: what does this person need, right now? Research backs up this individualised approach: recent meta-analyses on career coaching show large positive effects on career-related outcomes and moderate to large effects on participants’ mental health, with individualised feedback consistently ranking among the strongest predictors of success.

Mentoring adds a different kind of support: guidance from people who already know the local context and can help reduce uncertainty — whether that means navigating public authorities, understanding workplace culture, or simply having someone to talk to who listens and helps make sense of a confusing new environment. International research on mentoring programmes for migrants shows just how effective this can be: across European and North American programmes, roughly half of mentees find employment matching their qualifications during or shortly after the programme, and a further third go on to further education or training.

The third pillar, learning activities, ranges from German-language cafés focused on everyday communication to workshops on digital skills and artificial intelligence that prepare participants for tomorrow’s world of work. Taken together, these three elements are not meant to run side by side — they are designed to reinforce one another. A coaching conversation might surface a language barrier that a language café then addresses; a mentoring relationship might build the confidence needed to take the next career step identified in coaching.

Why does this matter so much for the people UNITE supports? Many people who fled Ukraine arrive with strong professional backgrounds and qualifications, yet face real structural barriers to using them in a new country — from unrecognised diplomas to a labour market and language they are only beginning to understand. A standardised, one-course-fits-all approach simply cannot respond to such different starting points. UNITE is built around the opposite principle: the programme adapts to the person, not the other way around.

In our next post, we will share some early, practical lessons from the start of the Austrian pilot phase — including a challenge we did not fully anticipate: finding the people who could benefit most.

___________________________________________________________________________

Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Social Innovation Initiative. Neither the European Union nor the Social Innovation Initiative can be held responsible for them.

Categories
Allgemein

Be Inclusive! Stories That Inspire Change

Inclusion is more than a policy—it’s a mindset. The Be Inclusive! project brings to light the powerful journeys of individuals with disabilities and the employers who champion their potential. Through real-life stories, we explore how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Europe are embracing inclusive employment practices and transforming lives in the process.

From Christos, who found confidence and emotional strength through work, to Irina, whose employer arranged daily transport to support her needs—these stories reveal the human side of inclusion. Joe shares how his job helped him develop life-changing social skills, while Leila reminds us that what some see as “weakness” can actually be a source of unique strength and adaptability.

Employers also speak out. Benedikt emphasizes that inclusion means creating environments where everyone can contribute and feel supported—by leadership and peers alike. Zvone, proud of his work and far from retirement, shows that satisfaction and purpose go hand in hand.

These are just a few of the 12 stories collected by our project partners across Europe. Each one is a testament to the value of inclusive workplaces—not only for individuals, but for teams, organizations, and society at large. Get to know the stories in our 3rd newsletter or on www.be-inclusive.net

Categories
Allgemein

DIDACTIVE is gaining momentum!

In our second newsletter, we dive deeper into how the Erasmus+ funded DIDACTIVE project is redefining vocational education across Europe. With a strong focus on personal agency and digital skills, the initiative empowers adults with low qualifications to make autonomous, informed decisions about their careers.
What’s inside:

  • A user-centered training pathway
  • A toolkit for educators and career advisors
  • A shared understanding of “agency” in vocational contexts

Together with partners from six countries, DIDACTIVE is building inclusive systems that help individuals act with confidence and shape their professional futures.

Categories
Allgemein Project Updates

Introducing UNITE: A New EU Project Supporting Ukrainian Refugees Into Employment

Since February 2022, millions of people have fled Ukraine, arriving in
countries that offer safety but rarely the professional standing, network, or
sense of home they left behind. UNITE – Ukrainian Newcomer’s Integration
Towards Employment – is a new ESF+-funded project designed to close exactly
that gap. Over the coming months, our team at die Berater Unternehmensberatung
will be sharing regular updates from the project here on our blog, and we
wanted to start by introducing what UNITE is all about.

UNITE brings together partner organisations from Sweden, Poland,
Germany, and Austria, each contributing local expertise while working from a
shared methodology. The project combines three elements — coaching, mentoring,
and learning activities — to support people who fled Ukraine in finding their
footing in a new labour market. As the Austrian partner, die Berater brings
years of experience in career orientation and coaching to the table, adapting
an approach that has already shown strong results elsewhere to the specific
realities of the Austrian labour market and social system.

In May 2026, all four project partners travelled to Copenhagen for a
study visit to Væksthuset, a Danish institution that combines labour market
training, facilitator competence development, and research under one roof.
Danish research and practice make a compelling case for how integration support
can be made more effective: rather than addressing language learning, labour
market preparation, health, and civic orientation one after another, treating
them together — as interconnected parts of the same process — has proven far
more successful than a purely sequential approach.

The visit gave our team, together with colleagues from Sweden, Poland,
and Germany, direct insight into a model that has already supported many people
successfully into employment and education. We spent the days observing
sessions, discussing methodology with facilitators, and exchanging ideas on how
these insights can be translated into each partner country’s own context —
because what works in Copenhagen cannot simply be copied elsewhere; it needs to
be adapted to different labour markets, different institutions, and different
starting points.

These inspiring insights are now being built into an innovative
integration programme for people who fled Ukraine, tailored specifically to the
Austrian context. The programme is set to start this autumn, and we are already
looking forward to sharing more about its content, and about the people it will
support, in the coming months.

Stay tuned for our next post, where we will look more closely at what
coaching, mentoring, and learning activities actually look like within UNITE —
and why combining all three matters so much.



____________________________________________________________

Co-funded by the European
Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and
do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Social Innovation
Initiative. Neither the European Union nor the Social Innovation Initiative can
be held responsible for them.

Categories
Allgemein

Be Inclusive! Newsletter #2 Practical Tools for Inclusive Employment

The Be Inclusive! project will produce eight insightful micro-learning videos to support inclusive hiring and workplace practices in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Each video tackles a key topic relevant to employers, HR professionals, and educators, including:

  1. Recruitment strategies
  2. “Hire smart, build a Pro” – finding the right fit
  3. Creating an inclusive work environment
  4. Pitfalls and hurdles in the company, with colleagues and/or superiors
  5. Challenges for managers and the organization
  6. Developing potential and skills through training
  7. Advantages of hiring people with disabilities
  8. Typical prejudices and attitudes

These short, engaging videos offer practical advice and real-world perspectives to help break down barriers and foster equal opportunities.

Check out our 2nd newsletter now.

Categories
Allgemein

Empowering adults through vocational education — that’s the mission of DIDACTIVE!


Running from October 2024 to October 2026, DIDACTIVE is a European initiative focused on strengthening digital skills and personal agency in vocational training. The project supports adults with low qualifications by helping them make informed, autonomous decisions about their careers.

What’s happening in the project right now

  • Developing training and assessment methods
  • Creating toolkits for educators and career advisors
  • Raising awareness about the importance of agency in education systems

Together with partners from Italy, France, the Netherlands, Greece, Austria, and Croatia, DIDACTIVE is building inclusive pathways to employment and lifelong learning.

Check out our FLYER and our project website www.didactiveproject.eu

Categories
Allgemein

DIDACTIVE’s Mission: Empowering adults through vocational education!

Running from October 2024 to October 2026, DIDACTIVE is a European initiative focused on strengthening digital skills and personal agency in vocational training. The project supports adults with low qualifications by helping them make informed, autonomous decisions about their careers.

What’s happening:

  1. Developing training and assessment methods
  2. Creating toolkits for educators and career advisors
  3. Raising awareness about the importance of agency in education systems

Together with partners from Italy, France, the Netherlands, Greece, Austria, and Croatia, DIDACTIVE is building inclusive pathways to employment and lifelong learning. All lates news on the new DIDACTIVE Flyer. 

Categories
Allgemein

Exciting news from the EU-funded DIDACTIVE project!

We’re proud to launch DIDACTIVE — an Erasmus+ initiative aimed at empowering individuals in vocational education across Europe. By breaking down barriers and promoting inclusive learning environments, DIDACTIVE helps adults take charge of their personal and professional growth.
Highlights from our kickoff in Vienna:

  • Defining “agency” as a key competence
  • Building an integrated training framework
  • Shaping a strong communication strategy

We will continue our work by developing and testing innovative training models that equip people with the skills and confidence to act with greater agency in shaping their careers and professional goals.

Find all updates in our first DIDACTIVE Newsletter.

Check out our project website www.didactiveproject.eu to get more info. 

bridges to europe is the platform for EU projects of die Berater® Unternehmensberatung.

Quicklinks

Legal Notice

Find Us

die Berater®
Unternehmensberatungs GmbH
Wipplingerstraße 32/24-26
A-1010 Vienna
Tel.: +43 1 532 45 45-0
Mail: bridgestoeurope@dieberater.com

Facebook Linkedin Icon-phone-call1 Envelope

Copyright © 2025 bridges to europe Powered by: RÖMA