On 24 February 2026, YMCA participated in the Brussels dialogue Pathways Forward: Talent on the Move, focused on labour mobility, youth migration and skills shortages across Europe, organised by the Migration Youth & Children Platform.
A clear reality framed the discussion: Europe faces structural labour gaps, while many young migrants and refugees remain excluded from the workforce due to language barriers, non-recognition of qualifications, limited access to training and complex migration systems.
The narrative is slowly shifting from migration management to skills mobility and economic contribution. This shift is directly relevant to YMCA Europe’s priorities.
Guests & Speakers
The dialogue brought together representatives from multilateral institutions, governments and youth-led platforms working on migration and labour mobility.
Contributions included youth representation linked to the UN migration processes, institutional perspectives from the Government of Canada, expertise connected to migrant-led organisation capacity building, and policy input from the World Bank on improving labour mobility pathways between countries of origin and destination.
The diversity of actors reflected a growing recognition that migration, skills development and labour markets require cross-sector coordination rather than isolated interventions.
YMCA`s position
Across the continent, many YMCAs work daily with migrants and refugee groups. In and for Ukraine, the movement continues to combine humanitarian response with employability pathways, digital skills development and community integration. Support is not limited to individuals. It extends to families and shared community spaces where inclusion becomes practical, not theoretical.
YMCA Europe’s positioning is clear: integration must be holistic and digital.
Language learning, housing stability, professional recognition and access to training are interconnected. Without digital access and digital literacy, young migrants are structurally disadvantaged in education, employment and certification pathways.
National & local YMCAs are already implementing ecosystem models that connect young people to skills, employers and communities. This community-based infrastructure allows mobility to translate into meaningful work and long-term participation in society.
Possible Follow-Up Actions
For YMCA Europe, next steps include strengthening connections with youth representatives engaged in global migration processes, exploring collaboration with organisations supporting migrant-led initiatives, and assessing the potential for dialogue with institutional actors working on skills mobility frameworks.
Internally, this also means sharpening YMCA Europe’s advocacy angle on digital inclusion in migration policy, ensuring that community-based digital hubs, employability pathways and youth-focused integration models are positioned as scalable solutions within upcoming IMRF 2026 discussions.
Migration Youth & Children Platform (MYCP) is a global youth-led network and advocacy organization focused on migration and the rights of children and young people on the move. It acts as a bridge between young migrants, youth-led organizations, and international policymaking spaces, especially within the United Nations system.
