Vertaista Vaille Project supports immigrant entrepreneurship, gives access to work and occupational education, and promotes bi-directional integration by organizing opportunities to meet entrepreneurs and integrated immigrants. The project was launched in the beginning of January 2017 and ends in May 2019. Turku University of Applied Sciences is responsible for the implementation of the project, funded by the European Social Fund, together with its partner organisations: University of Turku’s Brahea Centre and Southwest Finland Entrepreneurs.
During the project, besides various networking events, four intensive courses for unemployed immigrants who have completed integration training will be organised. After an intensive course, you will be able to take part in counselling sessions for four months with trainers and business mentors. Participants will be supported and supervised by immigrant peer tutors. The peers of the project are produced by Sondip. One of the main goals of the project is to encourage immigrants to enter into entrepreneurship and even to continue operating an existing business with the support of the former entrepreneur.
In addition to the trainers, the support network for participants in the course includes, among others, graduate students in various fields, business mentors and immigrant peer tutors who will receive induction training for their assignment. The peer groups discuss issues related to working life as well as the changes in life caused by immigration and consider ways of coping with them.