Empowering Young Refugees and Migrants: A Look Back at YBI’s SEER programme

Youth Business International (YBI), in collaboration with its network of members, is proud to announce the successful conclusion of the Seeking Economic Empowerment and Resilience for Refugees and Migrants (SEER) programme. Launched in partnership with Accenture and delivered across Germany, Ireland, Italy, and Sweden, this initiative has had a transformative impact, equipping over 1,700 young migrants and refugees (aged 18-35) with the skills, confidence, and opportunities to pursue entrepreneurship or secure employment​.

YBI collaborated with its member The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network (TERN) to develop an eight-module toolkit for YBI members that would provide them with the guidance to offer a range of support to young migrant and refugee entrepreneurs, selecting the modules that applied to their setting. Four YBI members who then delivered the SEER programme support – Inner City Enterprise (Ireland), KIZ (Germany), Microlab (Italy) and NyföretagarCentrum (Sweden) – to young migrants and refugees, incorporating the toolkit training and resources into their support services.

Programme Achievements

The programme has been instrumental in enabling YBI members to better address the unique challenges faced by young refugees and migrants, fostering their integration into host communities. Notable successes include:

• Empowering 1,700+ young individuals with training and mentorship.
• Supporting 435 participants in launching a sustainable business.
• Helping 247 participants to strengthen their business.
• Assisting 28 participants in securing employment.

Testimonials from Programme Participants

Maksym, owner of Courier Dienst, a participant from Germany supported by YBI member KIZ, shared:

“When you find yourself in a completely different environment, in another country, you encounter numerous questions that you cannot resolve. KIZ helped a lot. They provided me with everything I needed for business registration. Later, they explained how to manage accounting and how to pay taxes properly. Additionally, they provided motivation, helping me believe in myself.”

From Italy and supported by YBI member Microlab, another participant named Zarina, partner of Badacare, commented:

“There are many migrants who come to Italy and do not know how the Italian market works. Microlab helps by giving support through mentoring and enables people to start their project throughout Italy.”

Insights from Programme Facilitators

Programme delivery partners highlighted the positive impact of this initiative. Johan Mossberg, Communication Specialist from NyföretagarCentrum in Sweden stated:

“According to an OECD study, Sweden is ‘missing’ 157,000 entrepreneurs by not supporting women, young people and migrants and refugees to start their own business. The SEER Toolkit helps us to reach out, to engage, and to give these young people the chance and the opportunity to start their own businesses and that will in turn help the Swedish economy.”

Frédéric Kastner, Director of Social Innovation at TERN, has remarked on the relevance of the SEER Toolkit:

“Refugees and migrants have a unique perspective on the host economy and new country they’re living in. The collaboration between YBI and TERN is trying to help member organisations enhance their work with refugees and migrants. We have created resources that help practitioners directly improve mentoring, recruitment, training and further support for these audiences. We are hoping to foster a community of practice within the YBI membership of practitioners who will want to exchange insights on this topic.”

Legacy of the Programme

The programme has enhanced collaboration across YBI’s network in refining best practices for supporting disadvantaged youth through the SEER Toolkit and online training for YBI members via the YBI Learning Portal.

To sustain and amplify the impact of the programme, TERN and YBI have developed a comprehensive Toolkit for Refugee and Migrant Entrepreneurship Support. This resource consolidates best practices and actionable insights gleaned from TERN’s extensive experience in supporting migrant and refugee entrepreneurs.

YBI and TERN have hosted sessions for YBI members to discuss supporting refugees and migrants in their various local settings, including an in-person session at the Global Youth Entrepreneurship Summit 2024 in Kenya, and an online ‘Fail Fest’ webinar where fellow leaders and practitioners in refugee and migrant entrepreneurship can come together, share stories of both success and failure, and celebrate the lessons learned.

The toolkit is now available to YBI members via the YBI Learning Portal. It serves as a guide for organizations seeking to replicate or enhance their support for youth on the move​.

Looking Forward

The success of this initiative underscores the critical role of tailored support in empowering refugees and migrants to build sustainable businesses and bring their unique perspectives, skills and experiences to their host economies. This programme represents not just a conclusion but a stepping stone towards more inclusive entrepreneurship ecosystems across the globe.

In 2025, YBI will launch the second iteration of the SEER programme. The refugee extension programme will continue to support more young refugees and migrants across Europe with the skills, confidence, and opportunities to pursue entrepreneurship or secure employment​.