ENSIE had the opportunity to meet the team of EVA asbl at the #EUSocialForum!. Based in Liège, this #WISE works to support social and work integration by accompanying adults towards employment and greater autonomy.

EVA provides free training programmes, including professional orientation and French language courses, alongside social support services, helping people take a first step towards quality employment and integration into society.

After extensive discussions with EVA, we returned to our offices with reaffirmed insights regarding the role of Work Integration Social Enterprises (WISEs).

A component of a broader pathway: Coordination with VET providers, public employment services, and mainstream companies is essential to ensuring quality outcomes. EVA maintains continuous dialogue with these actors in order to identify relevant beneficiaries, create adapted opportunities, and bridge non-formal and informal learning with recognised qualifications capable of breaking the glass ceiling that prevents access to quality employment.

Much more than employment: Participating in EVA’s training programme means more than acquiring professional skills. It also involves rediscovering a place of belonging within a collective environment, where participants can rely on professionals who support the restoration of their connection to society. Alongside the development of basic and soft skills—often underestimated yet crucial—the programme helps participants unlock other capabilities and rebuild confidence.

Emerging challenges and widening gaps: Two beneficiary profiles are increasingly represented within the programme: individuals with medium to high levels of qualification, and individuals experiencing mental health vulnerabilities who lack adequate psychosocial support. Both trends reflect a progressively exclusionary labour market. In this context, WISEs demonstrate a strong capacity for innovation and adaptation, addressing gaps left by both the market and public services. However, it was emphasised that the time and effort required to provide tailored support—particularly in identifying and directing beneficiaries towards appropriate mental health professionals—remain difficult to measure and to have properly recognised by funders and public authorities. 

One remaining question, how much invisible work WISEs do to fill the gaps?