Empowering Youth Workers: Leaders4Future Capacity Building Mobility in Greece

From the 13th to the 15th of May 2026, the Leaders4Future consortium gathered in the historic centre of Athens for an intensive Capacity Building Mobility. Hosted by our Greek partner, ReadLab, this three-day event immersed our partnership in practical mentoring techniques and gender-sensitive approaches to support young women in their entrepreneurial journeys.

Our Objectives

The primary goal of the mobility was to equip our consortium’s youth workers with the practical tools, coaching skills, and gender-sensitive methodologies needed to effectively guide and empower young female entrepreneurs. We aimed to bridge theoretical knowledge with practical application, validating our training materials and preparing participants to successfully launch and manage the upcoming local “Support Points” in their respective countries.

The Participants

The mobility engaged a dedicated delegation of 21 youth workers, comprising three representatives from each of our seven partner organisations across Spain, Norway, Greece, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Albania. The group included youth workers, mentors, non-formal educators, and NGO staff, all of whom were awarded a Europass Certificate upon completion to validate their newly acquired skills.

The Visit

The immersive three-day agenda combined hands-on workshops, field visits, and deep dives into the local ecosystem:

• Incubation and Social Impact at Impact Hub: Participants explored Impact Hub Athens, learning how the incubator supports start-ups focusing on climate action, rural innovation, and equitable societies, including innovative initiatives combating gender-based violence.
• Supporting Vulnerable Groups at the Job Centre: The delegation visited the Municipality of Athens Job Centre, gaining insights into how EU-funded services provide free employment, legal, and psychological counselling to vulnerable citizens, including migrants and refugees.
• Mentoring Techniques Workshop: Through dynamic role-playing and simulations led by a non-formal learning expert, youth workers practiced tailoring their coaching to address the specific entrepreneurial and psychological challenges faced by young women.
• Women’s Empowerment at WEN Hub: Spending a day at the Women Empowerment Network Hub, participants explored personalised job counselling programmes and engaged in a powerful dialogue with a migrant woman entrepreneur, highlighting the bureaucratic and systemic hurdles of founding a business in a new country.
• Academic Networking and Structural Barriers: Hosted by the Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB) and the Bodossaki Foundation (Social Dynamo), the group tackled civil society capacity building, funding strategies, and the structural “networking paradox” that hinders women’s professional development.

Key Themes Explored

Throughout the visit, several critical themes emerged that will shape the future of our project:

• The necessity of creating clear, accessible, and uncomplicated local Support Points where young women know exactly where to seek guidance and what kind of support is offered.
• The importance of building strategic partnerships with established local NGOs and networks to create successful, far-reaching mentoring initiatives.
• The critical need for inclusive dissemination and ongoing organisational sustainability, ensuring that support reaches vulnerable women and lasts beyond the project’s lifespan.

Looking Ahead: Launching the Support Points

Moving forward, our 21 certified youth workers will act as multipliers, returning to their local communities to implement their action plans. In June 2026, they will officially launch the Leaders4Future Support Points across the seven partner countries. These hubs will operate continuously, offering tailored workshops, individual mentoring, and skills assessments to empower hundreds of young women entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into reality.