On 26 February, DUO for a JOB and YouConnect brought together business leaders, human resources professionals and local actors in Ghent around a clear ambition: to make mentoring a real lever for employment for young people with an immigration background.
A central question guided the discussions: how can businesses, through mentoring and concrete partnerships, contribute to creating more professional opportunities for young newcomers?
Business support is essential
“Dignified work for all is a strong conviction for us. That is why we are committed to an inclusive labour market, explains Birgit De Smedt from YouConnect. Mentoring to employment is a sustainable solution that benefits everyone: young people, businesses and society.”
An inclusive labour market is an added value for both businesses and society. When everyone has access to opportunities, the economy as a whole is strengthened.
During the event, companies were able to discover in concrete terms how they can make a difference
âś… As an employer : by offering opportunities to young people with diverse profiles.
âś… As a mentor : by encouraging their employees to share their knowledge and experience on a voluntary basis.
✅ As a partner : by financially supporting DUO for a JOB as part of their “Corporate Social Responsibility” objectives
A unique funding model
“The support of companies like YouConnect is essential to continue to strengthen our impact in East Flanders”, underlines Isabelle Poppe, director of DUO Oost-Vlaanderen.
DUO for a JOB does not derive any direct income from its support for young people and operates according to a unique hybrid financing model: 60% public funding and 40% private support.
Murad launched his career thanks to a mentor
During the evening, a duo also shared their testimony. Marleen and Murad shared how mentoring has profoundly transformed Murad's job search.
At 16, Murad fled Chechnya to join Belgium. He studied law and graduated, but was then met with a succession of rejections: “I didn't have a network.”
Thanks to his mentor Marleen, he rediscovered his strengths and regained self-confidence: “Marleen was always talking about 'we'. It made me feel that I should not fight for my future alone. It really made a difference.”
He thus landed an internship in a law firm, where he still works today. “Without Marleen, I would not be where I am today.”
How mentoring works for young people and for society
Since 2013, DUO for a JOB has been connecting young people with immigration backgrounds with experienced volunteer mentors over 50 years old. For six months, they work intensively together around a concrete objective: sustainable integration into the labour market.
The results speak for themselves: 70% of accompanied young people get a job, an internship or a training course.
The value of mentoring
Mentoring toward employment not only promotes a more inclusive job market: it also generates real economic value.
âś… It increases the youth employment rate
âś… It reduces the societal cost of long-term unemployment
âś… Diversified businesses are more innovative and more successful
Mentoring therefore creates much more than access to employment. It builds relationships between generations, strengthens businesses, and contributes to building a more inclusive society.
A warm and inspiring evening
We remember from this evening a strong commitment, great connections and a concrete ambition for change.
Thank you to everyone present and to the partners who are committed to a job market where talent comes first, regardless of origin.
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