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International leadership training 22-24 october 2025

The SHE-UNET project recently hosted an international leadership training in Vallentuna, Sweden, bringing together passionate leaders from Sweden, the Netherlands, and Italy to strengthen support for Ukrainian women and refugees across Europe. The event, funded by the European Social Fund, focused on empowerment, integration, and collaboration.

Over three days, participants engaged in workshops and discussions aimed at providing practical tools for leaders of organizations working with Ukrainian women. The training emphasized resilience, strategic thinking, and the importance of building networks. "Leadership isn't about having all the answers — it's about empowering others and creating spaces for shared growth," said one participant.

The program was organized by Vallentuna Kommun, and partners including Netwerkpro, Centro per lo Sviluppo Creativo Danilo Dolci ETS.

Beyond professional development, attendees experienced Swedish culture, including the tradition of fika — a moment for coffee and connection. The event concluded with participants receiving certificates of participation, symbolizing their commitment to building bridges between countries and communities.

Projects like SHE-UNET highlight the power of collaboration in creating real impact for women seeking new opportunities and integration in Europe. As one organizer noted: "When passionate people unite, share knowledge, and work together, change becomes possible."

Over three days, participants engaged in workshops and discussions aimed at providing practical tools for leaders of organizations working with Ukrainian women. The training emphasized resilience, strategic thinking, and the importance of building networks.

"Leadership isn't about having all the answers — it's about building networks, sharing experiences, and empowering others to lead alongside you," said one participant, reflecting on the program's core message.

Another attendee highlighted the cultural exchange:

"It was fascinating to learn more about Swedish culture — and especially to experience fika, the beautiful tradition of pausing for coffee, connection, and reflection."

Organizers praised the collaborative spirit:

"Seeing so many passionate professionals from different countries come together for one shared goal was incredibly motivating," said a member of the Vallentuna Kommun team.

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 European Social Fund Agency. Neither the European Union nor the Granting Authority can be held responsible for them. 

"Pillars of Power" Training in Palermo (21–22 April 2026)

Empowerment Skills Framework "Pillars of Power" Training in Palermo (21–22 April 2026)

We are pleased to share the successful completion of Phase 3 of the SHE-UNET project, held in Palermo, Italy on 21–22 April 2026. The transnational training brought together partners and participants from Sweden, the Netherlands, and Italy, with a shared focus on strengthening empowerment, integration, and sustainable opportunity pathways for Ukrainian women and refugees across Europe.

The program was organized by Netwerkpro, Centro per lo Sviluppo Creativo Danilo Dolci ETS and Vallentuna Municipality and co-funded by the European Social Fund.

A Train-the-Trainers Empowerment Model

The training formed part of the European Train-the-Trainers within the project framework. Fifteen trainees from partner organisations took part in an intensive two-day program designed to equip them with practical tools and methods for local implementation and further dissemination.

Experienced trainers from Netwerkpro, who contributed to the development of the methodology, led the sessions.

A central principle of the model is sustainability and multiplication: trained staff are encouraged to pass on their knowledge within and beyond their organisations, particularly among 60 Ukrainian women with a Ukrainian background. In this way, the methodology becomes a living system of shared learning and practice across Europe.

Empowerment Skills Framework – Core Modules

The training is structured around practical empowerment modules that support both personal development and labour market readiness:

• Hope – building positive thinking and future orientation
• Identity – strengthening self-awareness and personal grounding
• Safety – developing strategies for everyday stability and coping
• Belonging – strengthening relationships, community ties, and support networks
• Resilience – understanding stress and building inner strength
• Working with Talent – identifying and developing individual strengths
• Personal Goals – defining direction and motivation
• CV and labour market connections – translating experience into employability and building employer networks

Participants are supported through group learning, peer exchange, and structured reflection, while also building practical experience and confidence in real-world contexts. 

Mentorship and networking play a key role in strengthening inclusion and expanding access to opportunities.

One of the key outcomes of the training is that knowledge does not remain static—it becomes something participants carry forward.
Each trainer leaves the program not only with theoretical understanding, but with a practical "luggage" of methods, exercises, and tools that can be immediately applied and shared.

This approach ensures that empowerment is not confined to the training room, but continuously travels with the trainers into communities, organisations, and everyday support work.

The Palermo training created a strong collaborative learning environment where participants gained practical tools, shared experiences, and built European networks of practice.

Each trained participant is now equipped to cascade the methodology further, with the goal of reaching and empowering at least 60 women in their local contexts.

The long-term objective of SHE -NET is to strengthen women's agency in migration and integration processes by supporting them to:

• rediscover skills and identity
• build confidence and resilience
• connect to networks and opportunities
• take active steps toward education and employment

Next Step

The next phase of the project will focus on local training sessions for Ukrainian women in Sweden, Italy, and the Netherlands. The project will conclude with a final conference later this year, where partners will present experiences, results, and lessons learned from the collaboration.

If you share something online about the training or the project, please:

1. Mention the SHE UNET project and its aim to support and empower Ukrainian women who fled the war
2. Use the hashtags #SHEUNET #ESFplus #SocialInnovationPlus #EUfunds
3. Tag the following organisations:

o Social Innovation+ Initiative
o Centro per lo Sviluppo Creativo Danilo Dolci ETS
o Netwerkpro
o Vallentuna Kommun

Summary of the Implementation of the Pillars of Power Programme

Group Programme for Ukrainian Women – Spring 2026
Between 29 April and 17 June 2026, the Pillars of Power Programme was delivered to a group of Ukrainian women. The programme consisted of eight group sessions and aimed to strengthen the participants' mental well-being, empowerment, resilience, hope for the future, and sense of social belonging. Through a solution-focused and health-promoting approach, participants were supported in recognising their personal strengths, building self-confidence, and expanding their social networks.

The programme was based on the Pillars of Power methodology and was continuously adapted to meet the specific needs and circumstances of the participants. Each session combined theory, reflection, group discussions, practical exercises, and movement-based activities. To create a calm, safe, and supportive learning environment, every session began with a short movement or breathing exercise designed to increase presence, relaxation, and group cohesion. Participants worked individually, in pairs, and in the full group, encouraging active participation and gradually building trust and confidence.

Throughout the programme, participants explored themes including hope and positive thinking, identity, safety and healthy boundaries, relationships and social support, stress management and resilience, values and personal strengths, as well as personal goal setting and future planning. They reflected on their strengths and resources, practised setting healthy boundaries, identified ways to build supportive social networks, and learned practical strategies for managing stress and promoting recovery. The programme concluded with participants developing personal goals and practising a short personal presentation ("personal pitch") to strengthen their self-confidence and communication skills.

To increase relevance and engagement, the original methodology was complemented with additional facilitator-developed activities, films, reflection exercises, and interactive discussions. These included four-corner exercises on boundary setting, social network mapping, activities exploring positive and negative stress, grounding and mindfulness exercises, the Miracle Question, the story of the Two Wolves, and the SMART goal-setting model. These adaptations encouraged meaningful dialogue, active participation, and made the programme content easier to relate to participants' everyday experiences.

As the programme progressed, the group developed into a safe and supportive environment where participants shared experiences, encouraged one another, and formed meaningful relationships. Reflections following each session indicated increased self-awareness, strengthened self-confidence, and greater recognition of personal strengths and opportunities. Many participants also reported gaining practical tools to manage stress, establish healthy boundaries, and take small but meaningful steps towards achieving their personal goals.

Overall, the Pillars of Power Programme proved to be a highly appreciated and valuable intervention, successfully combining psychosocial support, personal development, and community building. By focusing on both individual strengths and social connectedness, the programme contributed to increased resilience, hope for the future, active participation, and confidence in the participants' own abilities. The experiences and lessons learned during the implementation provide a strong foundation for further development and future delivery of the programme.