Building Dignified Futures: JRS Portugal’s Holistic Livelihoods Approach

Building Dignified Futures: JRS Portugal’s Holistic Livelihoods Approach 

In Portugal, JRS supports refugees and migrants through a multifaceted livelihood strategy that blends vocational training, language acquisition, legal support, and psychosocial care. Programs like “Corações que Cuidam” and the “Talents and Skills Academy” reflect a deep commitment to educational equity and employability, particularly for women, by leveraging strong partnerships with private employers, volunteers, and local authorities. 

At the core of JRS Portugal’s model is a practical, employment-oriented curriculum. Training spans eldercare, hospitality, cleaning, office administration, and store operations, and includes key modules on labor rights and workplace integration. These are complemented by intensive Portuguese classes, civic orientation, and workshops on leadership, teamwork, and digital literacy. 

Programs like the “Talents and Skills Academy,” delivered in collaboration with BNP Paribas, empower forcibly displaced people with job-readiness tools—including CV writing, job-search strategies, and confidence-building. Meanwhile, “Corações que Cuidam”—focused on caregiving roles—achieves an 85% employment rate, connecting graduates to eldercare institutions and reinforcing both skills and dignity in work. Despite persistent language barriers, childcare duties, and irregular documentation, participants report significant improvements in confidence, psychosocial well-being, and professional outlook. 

Most JRS Portugal participants live in or near Lisbon, aged 25 to 64, with educational backgrounds ranging from primary schooling to university attendance. Many have arrived in the last one to three years from Africa, Asia, and parts of Europe, and while many now hold or seek residence permits, they still face barriers like unrecognized diplomas, delayed credential validation, and a reliance on casual or low-wage jobs. 

Still, JRS’s volunteer-driven support system, paired with employment fairs, mentorships, and corporate engagement, is steadily changing that trajectory. Partners such as KEY Training and Consulting and Compassio deliver culturally sensitive courses in IT, finance, self-care, and empathy, while BNP Paribas’s multi-year engagement through the Talent and Skills Academy provides displaced participants with training in language, digital skills, and finance. Though formal market analyses are still being developed, the CSR-driven model, informed by participant feedback, is already generating measurable outcomes and sustainable progress. 

As demand grows, JRS Portugal is looking to expand Portuguese-language offerings, refine short “micro-courses,” and increase financial support for those in full-time study—helping participants prioritize learning over informal survival jobs and moving them toward meaningful, long-term employment. 

A Story of Success: Trifina’s Joyful Impact 

When Trifina, 32, left Guinea-Bissau for Portugal, she carried with her a quiet determination to build a better life. Just over a year later, she proudly holds a diploma from the WorkUp project by JRS Academy and a stable job in elderly care at a home in Calvário. 

After completing Basic Elderly Care training, Trifina quickly put her prior experience to use. Within a month, she had adapted to the new environment—and begun to shine. “I often sing and dance with the residents. They ask me to as soon as I arrive,” she says, smiling. Her dedication, warmth, and energy uplift not only the elderly she cares for, but also everyone around her. 

With JRS Portugal’s training, guidance, and placement support, Trifina turned potential into opportunity, creating a livelihood that brings both security and meaning—for herself and for those she serves.

Read more about the Livelihood project here: https://jrseurope.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/06/LIVELIHOOD-REPORT-2025-2.pdf.