Their training reaches a wide range of people, including women changing careers, mothers, caregivers, and migrants - and it has had a significant impact.

Escola de Impacto ‘Impact School’

Escola de Impacto (Impact School), an initiative developed by not-for-profit Fundação Ageas, was created to promote employability and entrepreneurship in Portugal. Fundação Ageas was founded in 1998 and is a corporate foundation that is part of the Grupo Ageas Portugal universe.

This practical platform provides training programmes designed to meet societal needs, respond to the current job market, and combat social exclusion. The platform initially launched three key programs: Inspira-te, Relança-te, and Descodifica-te.

Inspira-te (Inspire Yourself)

Inspira-te supports individuals in vulnerable situations, helping them develop their capabilities, set employability goals, and prepare for reintegration into the job market. 

Whether through support with job searches or developing entrepreneurship, Inspira-te empowers participants to rebuild their careers. In its three years of execution, the programme supported 120 applications, 58 participants, and 24 projects.

Relança-te (Relaunch Yourself)

Relança-te is a training programme for micro-entrepreneurs, promoting projects with social, environmental, and financial aims. The programme offers training in management, financial literacy, and digital skills through a practical and collaborative approach, with challenge support and inspiration along the way. 

Now in its fifth edition, Relança-te has seen over 500 applications and helped 200 participants, with 95 projects promoted, 42 incubated, and more than 50 projects currently in development.

Descodifica-te (Decode Yourself)

Descodifica-te is designed to help women in career transition, such as mothers, and caregivers who want to enter the digital economy. The programme teaches no-code tools (a method of creating software, such as websites and apps, using visual drag-and-drop interfaces instead of code), enabling participants to start new careers. 

With two editions now completed, Descodifica-te has received over 250 registrations and has supported 114 participants, successfully training 73 women.

Future initiatives

In 2024, Grupo Ageas Portugal will launch a new programme aimed at training people in vulnerable situations, such as refugees and migrants, in Portugal as plumbers, helping to integrate them into their new homes. This initiative underscores the platform’s ongoing commitment to social inclusion and support for diverse communities.

Impact

The Escola de Impacto programmes have made significant strides in promoting social inclusion and economic empowerment in Portugal. By addressing specific needs and providing practical skills, these training programmes have helped hundreds of individuals improve their employability and entrepreneurial skills and have had an impact on the mental health and wellbeing of programme participants.

Conclusion

Grupo Ageas Portugal’s Escola de Impacto shows what can be achieved through targeted intervention, training and support, and the relationship between social purpose and wellbeing.

Through impactful training programs, the initiative has successfully addressed societal needs, combated social exclusion, and fostered economic empowerment for diverse - and sometimes overlooked - groups, who are often in risk categories for poor mental health.

We applaud their work in highlighting how corporate social responsibility initiatives can create lasting positive change in communities, and the role businesses can play as a cornerstone of society.