PUENTE Project (Protecting Ukrainians Encouraging Non-formal Training and Education) has reached a key milestone with its final in-person meeting, held in Krakow, Poland, and generously hosted by Bonifraterska Fundacja Dobroczynna. Over two days of collaborative work, representatives from all partner organisations—coming from Spain, Portugal, Italy, Austria, Belgium and Poland—gathered to consolidate progress and finalise the main results of the project.
This meeting marked not only the conclusion of the face-to-face coordination phase, but also the transition into a new stage focused on dissemination, visibility, and international engagement.
Two days of collaboration to finalise impactful results
During the meeting, partners engaged in intensive working sessions aimed at finalising the project’s core outputs. A central achievement was the completion of the PUENTE training course, designed for adult educators, trainers, and social professionals working with Ukrainian refugees. This course integrates innovative non-formal education methodologies, with a strong emphasis on inclusive learning environments, intercultural understanding, and psychosocial support.
In addition, the consortium worked on refining several key documents that will soon be publicly available. These include a practical guide for Ukrainian refugees, providing accessible information to support their integration into host communities, and a methodological guide for educators, offering structured tools and best practices aligned with European standards.
Another important outcome is the development of an assessment tool to measure the level of inclusion of refugees. This tool is designed to support organisations in evaluating integration processes in a more structured and evidence-based way, ultimately contributing to improved interventions and long-term impact.
Together, these outputs reinforce the project’s commitment to promoting education as a driver of social and labour inclusion, supporting refugees in rebuilding their lives with autonomy and dignity .
Responding to the realities faced by Ukrainian refugees
Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in 2022, Europe has witnessed the arrival of millions of displaced people seeking safety and stability. While the European Union has taken important steps to ensure access to rights such as residence, healthcare, education, and employment, significant barriers to long-term inclusion persist.
PUENTE Project addresses these challenges by strengthening the capacities of educators and professionals who work directly with refugees. By promoting non-formal education as a flexible and inclusive tool, the project contributes to more effective learning processes and supports both social participation and emotional recovery .
Learning from practice: a visit to a centre committed to inclusion
A key highlight of the meeting was the visit to the facilities of Bonifraterska Fundacja Dobroczynna. This visit provided participants with a unique opportunity to experience first-hand the organisation’s work with people with disabilities, individuals with mental health conditions, and refugees, particularly those displaced from Ukraine.
During the visit, partners were able to explore not only the organisation’s therapeutic and educational programmes, but also its residential facilities for refugees, gaining a deeper understanding of the living conditions and support systems in place. These homes offer a safe and structured environment where refugees can begin rebuilding their lives, with access to basic needs, guidance, and integration pathways.
In addition, participants discovered one of the foundation’s most distinctive initiatives: its project involving animals as part of therapeutic and social inclusion activities. Through interactions with animals, beneficiaries engage in meaningful experiences that support emotional well-being, responsibility, and social skills—an approach that complements more traditional forms of support.
Moreover, the foundation has been actively supporting Ukrainian refugees by providing accommodation, food, hygiene products and access to employment opportunities, demonstrating a strong commitment to human rights, dignity, and equal opportunities.
Looking ahead: international events and wider impact
While the Krakow meeting marked the end of in-person gatherings, it also opened the door to the project’s next phase. In the coming months, PUENTE Project will organise a series of international events and multiplier activities, aimed at presenting its results and engaging a broader audience across Europe.
These events will bring together educators, policymakers, social organisations and other stakeholders, creating spaces for dialogue, knowledge exchange, and collaboration. They will play a crucial role in ensuring that the project’s outputs reach those who can benefit most from them, while also contributing to the broader debate on education and refugee inclusion .
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