Economic Perspectives

Access to education, vocational training, and income-generating opportunities is essential to lift communities out of poverty.

Helvetas' Economic Portfolio in Eastern Europe aims to create sustainable systemic change that:

Increases employability by enhancing vocational skills, career guidance, and labor market intermediation.
Facilitates job creation through private sector engagement, entrepreneurship, and market systems development (MSD).
Improves income generation by promoting inclusive economic opportunities for youth, women, rural populations, and marginalized groups.

Our initiatives promote sustainable economic development by combining technical know-how with capacity building and strategic partnerships - ensuring that employment and income-generation pathways are accessible to those most often left behind.

Our Edge

Partnering with Helvetas means leveraging deep expertise, a commitment to innovation, and a long-term focus on sustainable development. We offer a proven, practical approach that delivers both immediate and lasting impact, particularly in youth employment and inclusive economic opportunities.

Expertise
With decades of experience and a team of highly skilled professionals, Helvetas brings solid knowledge and extensive experience to every project. The team consists of gender-balanced, highly professional, committed, and multilingual advisors with solid experience working in international development cooperation across the globe.

Innovation
We are at the forefront of inclusive and sustainable development with cutting-edge approaches and methodologies. Our innovative methods and development approaches are designed to address contemporary democratic challenges and drive institutional change, setting new standards for sustainability and efficiency.

Commitment
Helvetas nourishes long-term partnerships with development actors, which builds a trong track record in systems-level change, inclusion, and long-term sustainability. We are dedicated to equitable and impactful initiatives that benefit both people and their livelihoods.

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Key Strength and Value Propositions

The main working fields of the Economic Perspective portfolio in Eastern Europe are:

Bridging Skills Gaps for Future Employment: Helvetas is dedicated to addressing the skills gap in Eastern Europe by enhancing market-relevant vocational education and improving intermediation services for immediate labor market needs. In the short term, we support labor market intermediation, facilitating job placement and improving public-private employment services. In the long term, we focus on sustainable pathways by aligning formal education systems with market demands, integrating career counseling and promoting green skills for future industries.
Inclusive Market Systems Development: We transform local economies by fostering inclusive market systems that drive economic growth while providing opportunities for marginalized groups. Our initiatives focus on building systemic change in partnership with private, public, and civil society actors, ensuring that the benefits of growth reach rural populations, youth, and women. This approach creates both immediate job opportunities and long-term economic resilience.
Sustainable Economic Growth through Green Transition: Helvetas integrates the green transition into local economies by promoting sustainable practices and circular business models. We work with local actors to ensure that economic growth is environmentally responsible, positioning the region to lead in the green economy. This fosters an ecosystem that supports both social inclusion and environmental sustainability.
Strengthening Ecosystems for Youth Employment: Helvetas creates robust ecosystems that support youth employment by aligning education systems with market demands and providing pathways for digital, non-formal, and vocational training. We work with policymakers, educational institutions, and the private sector to upskill youth and ensure their economic participation in industries critical to the region's development.

«My language was German, my culture was Swiss. I was always punctual and a bit of a nerd.»

Erisa Spahiu, Job trainer at Speeex, moved from Bellach in Switzerland to Kosovo

Our Offerings

Partner with Helvetas to drive impactful projects, promote innovation, and build a reliable sustainability network through:

Design and implement large-scale economic development projects that enhance employability and create inclusive labor markets.
Promote innovation through market systems development, private sector engagement, and entrepreneurship support.
Develop and contextualize methodologies for sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
Strengthen partnerships between education systems, businesses, and labor market institutions to foster long-term job creation.
Manage knowledge by sharing experiences and insights to ensure effective, scalable, and sustainable solutions.