Start

About the project

Our Team

Main Results

News

EMPOWERHER

EmpowerHer Featured on the Erasmus+ Digitalisation in VET Padlet 🇪🇺

We are delighted to share that EmpowerHer – Enhancing Refugee Women’s Skills for the Hospitality Sector has been featured by the National Agency BIBB on its official Erasmus+ Digitalisation in VET Padlet, which presents innovative Erasmus+ KA2 projects from across Europe.

The Padlet highlights initiatives that advance digitalisation, innovation, and skills development in vocational education and training. Being featured is a strong recognition of EmpowerHer’s contribution to inclusive, future-oriented VET.

EmpowerHer brings together:

VR-based simulations that create immersive, practice-oriented learning experiences
AI-supported, profession-specific language training tailored to real workplace needs
Trauma-informed approaches that respond to the lived realities of refugee women

Through this combination, the project supports refugee women in building confidence, language competence, and vocational skills to enter and thrive in the hospitality sector. Core outcomes include a digital training toolkit, a profession-specific language training curriculum, and a peer mentorship model—bridging inclusion, education, and innovation.

Our sincere thanks go to Torsten Dunkel and the team at Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (NA BIBB) for highlighting the digital transformation work of Erasmus+ projects across Europe and for providing such a valuable platform for exchange and visibility.

EmpowerHer is proud to be part of this European community shaping the future of inclusive and innovative vocational education and training.

EMPOWERHER

EmpowerHer VR Training Videos Are Ready to Be Used

We are pleased to announce that the EmpowerHer Virtual Reality (VR) training videos are now fully developed and available for use on the PaneoVR platform.

The VR videos have been created to support refugee women with low formal qualifications and language levels from A1 to B1 in preparing for entry-level jobs in the hospitality sector. They combine practical vocational tasks with visual, language-supported learning, offering a safe and confidence-building training experience.

Four hospitality fields covered:

Housekeeping Assistant
Front Desk Assistant
Kitchen Assistant
Stock Management Assistant

Each VR scenario reflects real-life workplace routines and is designed for learners with little or no previous experience with digital tools or VR. The training focuses on step-by-step tasks, short written instructions, and visual interaction, making the content accessible and inclusive.

The VR videos are now ready to be:

used by VET providers and adult education centres
integrated into integration and employment programmes
demonstrated during training sessions, workshops, and dissemination events
explored by hospitality employers interested in inclusive onboarding approaches

To support smooth and low-threshold use, we have prepared a detailed step-by-step Guide explaining:

how to access the EmpowerHer VR videos in PaneoVR
where to find the video titles within the EmpowerHer project workspace
how trainers, learners, and external stakeholders can view and use the scenarios

EmpowerHer

EmpowerHer Train-the-Trainer LTT — Coming Soon

Dates: 1–3 September
Location: Vienna, Austria (host partner: BEST)
We’re happy to announce our upcoming Learning–Teaching–Training (LTT) sessions. Two trainers per
partner will gather to refine delivery of two key project results and align facilitation across the
consortium.
Who’s participating
 Gewerkstatt (Germany)
 EKPA (Greece)
 Egeria (Spain)
 BEST (Austria — host)
What we’ll work on
 Toolkit for VET Professionals — practical guidance for training delivery and learner support.
 Profession-specific language curriculum for refugee women with low or no skills (hospitality
tracks).
 VR in education — presentation and guided use of the VR videos developed within
EmpowerHer.

EmpowerHer

EmpowerHer Showcased During EMPL Mission Visit to Quaz, Bochum

Location: Quaz Integration and Language Center, Bochum
Date: May 27, 2025
Event: EMPL Mission to Ruhr, Germany (May 26–28, 2025)
Host: Gewerkstatt gGmbH
On May 27, 2025, the EmpowerHer project was presented to an official delegation of the European
Parliament’s Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) during their fact-finding mission to
the Ruhr area. The visit took place at Quaz, Gewerkstatt’s integration and training center in Bochum,
where EmpowerHer is currently being implemented.
The event highlighted how EmpowerHer is advancing the social and professional inclusion of refugee
women through profession-specific language learning, hospitality sector training, and VR-based
educational methods.

EmpowerHer

EmpowerHer at the Heart of Conference on “New European Impulses in Integration Work” – A Decade of Commitment

Date: May 27, 2025
Location: QUAZ Ruhr, Bochum, Germany
Event: “New European Impulses in Integration Work”
Hosted by: QUAZ/ QBS Gewerkstatt

On May 27, 2025, Gewerkstatt gGmbH hosted a major conference marking 10 years of dedicated work with refugees and migrants. Held at the Quaz Integration and Language Center in Bochum, the event brought together practitioners, educators, policymakers, and European project partners for a forward-looking exchange under the title “New European Impulses in Integration Work.”

Highlights of the Day

Opening & Retrospective:
The event opened with a warm Get Together, guided tours of the Quaz facilities, and a reflection by Werner Fuhrmann, Managing Director of Gewerkstatt, who provided a retrospective on integration work since 2015—covering key programs such as Fast Lane, the Förderzentrum, and the establishment of Quaz itself.

EmpowerHer

EmpowerHer to Be Showcased at Conference on Integration and Innovation

Date: May 27, 2025
Location: QUAZ Ruhr, Bochum, Germany
Event: “New European Impulses in Integration Work”
Hosted by: QUAZ/ QBS Gewerkstatt

We are excited to announce that EmpowerHer will be featured at the upcoming conference “New European Impulses in Integration Work”, held on May 27, 2025, at QUAZ Ruhr in Bochum, Germany. The event marks 10 years of dedicated work with refugees and migrants by QBS Gewerkstatt/Quaz and will bring together professionals from across Europe to exchange ideas, share experiences, and explore innovative approaches to integration.

EmpowerHer Workshop: Innovation in Action

As part of the conference program, EmpowerHer will be presented in a hands-on workshop. Titled
“Qualification through Virtual Reality – The EmpowerHer Example”,
the session will introduce participants to our innovative use of Virtual Reality (VR) in vocational education and training.

The workshop will showcase how EmpowerHer uses immersive learning to support refugee women as they prepare for employment in the hospitality sector. Attendees will learn about our approach, tools, and early outcomes, including the development of VR training videos, profession-specific language modules, and interactive learning materials designed for both learners and VET professionals.

About the Conference

This one-day event includes keynote presentations, international insights, parallel workshops, and a panel discussion with experts from public institutions, employment services, and the private sector. It offers a platform to reflect on progress made in the field of refugee integration and to explore new ideas shaping the future of inclusive education and labour market access.

Practical Information

Venue: QUAZ Ruhr, Somborner Str. 84, 44894 Bochum, Germany
Time: From 13:00 (main program runs 14:00–16:30)
Registration: Email fuhrmann@gewerkstatt.de

EmpowerHer

2nd Transnational Partner Meeting,Thessaloniki, Greece

Date: March 10–11, 2025
Location: Thessaloniki, Greece
Hosted by: Ekpedeftiki Paremvasi KDVM S.A.
Format: Hybrid (in-person and online)

The second transnational partner meeting of the EmpowerHer project was successfully held in Thessaloniki, Greece. The meeting was hosted by Ekpedeftiki Paremvasi KDVM S.A., with partners from Germany, Greece, and Spain attending in person, and partners from Austria joining online. This hybrid format enabled full participation and ensured inclusive collaboration across all partner organizations.

Meeting Overview

Training Toolkit for VET Professionals
The partnership reviewed the content and structure of the training toolkit, which is being developed to support vocational education and training professionals working with refugee women in the hospitality sector. A key feature of the toolkit will be virtual reality (VR) videos, offering immersive, profession-specific scenarios to enhance practical training.

Profession-Specific Language Curriculum
Partners shared updates on the language training component, which is designed to provide targeted linguistic support for refugee women entering roles such as kitchen assistant, housekeeping staff, front desk operator, and logistics assistant. The curriculum integrates workplace language and communication practices, tailored to each profession.

Peer-to-Peer Learning and Mentorship
Discussions also covered the initial structure for the peer-to-peer learning and mentorship model, which will encourage mutual support, cultural orientation, and leadership development among participants.

Planning Ahead
The consortium finalized plans for a combined Learning, Teaching and Training Activity (LTTA) in Austria in September 2025. This event will bring together trainers from all partner countries for hands-on training and collaborative development. The third transnational partner meeting will follow immediately after the LTTA.

Below are photos from the Thessaloniki meeting, highlighting the collaborative spirit and commitment of the EmpowerHer team—both on site and online.

EmpowerHer

Kick-Off Meeting Held in Bochum, Germany

On October 3–4, 2024, the EmpowerHer project officially launched with its kick-off meeting in Bochum, Germany, hosted by QBS Gewerkstatt. Representatives from all four partner organizations came together to discuss the project’s goals, assign roles, and plan upcoming tasks.

Key topics included finalizing templates for PR1 and PR2 deliverables, planning dissemination strategies, and setting timelines for reports and activities. The meeting marked the beginning of a collaborative effort to empower refugee women through language training, vocational education, and peer-to-peer mentorship.

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 Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.