Between 21 and 23 April, the SUPPORT project hosted a Training for Trainers in Brussels, bringing together 24 national trainers from Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Norway, Spain, and Romania.

The training was led by Synkroon (Belgium) and marked an important milestone in strengthening the capacity to deliver high‑quality Supported Employment (SE) at national level. 

The training followed a “train‑the‑trainers” approach, a key strategy for scaling learning initiatives while ensuring consistency and quality across regions. National trainers were carefully selected from the project partnership based on their expertise in Supported Employment and their proven ability to disseminate knowledge effectively. The overarching objective was to establish a strong network of well‑equipped trainers capable of delivering SUPPORT training modules in their respective countries, thus ensuring wide reach and lasting impact. 

A central focus of the workshop was to familiarise trainers with the SUPPORT training modules and to deepen their understanding of the Supported Employment model. Through a combination of practical exercises and real‑life scenarios, participants strengthened their skills in instructional techniques, content delivery, and responding to the needs of diverse target groups, including long‑term unemployed people with disabilities. This experience‑based methodology ensured that trainers are well prepared to translate theory into effective training practice. 

An important component of the training was the opportunity for participants to adapt the training content to national and regional contexts. Trainers worked together to explore how Supported Employment principles and methodologies can be tailored to specific regional needs, barriers, and opportunities. This adaptation process will be guided by the national implementation plans, ensuring that future training activities are relevant, impactful, and aligned with local labour market realities. Peer exchange and collaborative dialogue played a key role in sharing strategies and insights from different countries. 

In addition to the intensive training programme, participants were informed about the ongoing support that will be available as they begin delivering training at national level. This will help address challenges and maintain consistent training quality across all participating countries. 

Next steps include the localisation of the SUPPORT Training Toolkit in each country and the implementation of national training modules in June. These sessions will actively involve service providers, employment agencies, and employers from the open labour market, who will play a critical role in offering employment opportunities to long‑term unemployed people with disabilities. 

Click here for more information about the SUPPORT project.