Matrix joins PACE project in to support Ukrainian youth

Matrix is proud to be part of the groundbreaking new PACE project, and it was a real moment of momentum to see the initiative officially launch in Moldova. PACE (Promoting Access, Collaboration, and Empowerment) is an Erasmus+ project, co-funded by the EU, that brings together youth organisations from Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia, alongside Matrix, with a shared focus on supporting displaced Ukrainian young people through inclusion, skills development and stronger regional cooperation.

PACE will strengthen the capacity of youth organisations to deliver consistent, high-quality support for young people whose education and employment pathways have been disrupted by war and displacement.

This is where digital has a practical role: making learning easier to access, making collaboration simpler across borders, and building delivery structures that hold up in the real world. 

Why PACE matters for organisations of every size

Resilience is often discussed in policy terms, but at ground level it comes down to access: access to learning, trusted support, community networks, and realistic routes into work. When those routes are disrupted, young people can be pushed to the margins quickly.

Many SMEs recognise the knock-on effects. Skills gaps are not a headline, they are a hiring challenge, a productivity challenge, and sometimes a wellbeing challenge. Uneven access to training and digital tools affects the talent pipeline in every region, not only in the places making the news.

PACE tackles that challenge indirectly but powerfully, by supporting the organisations closest to young people. 

The launch in Moldova

The launch event and kick-off meeting in Moldova set the tone with shared intent, clear roles, and early agreement on how the consortium will deliver outputs across countries and contexts.

In any multi-partner project, momentum can slip when communication becomes fragmented, quality expectations drift, or decisions are delayed. The strong kick-off created shared working habits.

The PACE consortium

PACE stands out for the range of organisations involved, and that mix is one of the reasons it can achieve practical impact. Matrix will be working alongside youth and education organisations supporting displaced young people through non-formal education and skills programmes, academic partners bringing learning insight and local context, public sector stakeholders connected to national priorities, and media and private sector partners supporting reach and longer-term sustainability.

For Matrix, this kind of consortium work is where good digital delivery matters most. The job is not to create outputs that look good in isolation. It is to create systems and content that partners can actually use: accessible resources, clear workflows, consistent formats, and digital touchpoints that build trust.

It is also familiar territory for any growing business. The moment you collaborate across teams, countries or suppliers, you need shared standards that keep the work coherent. Without that, even strong ideas get lost in rework, duplication and missed opportunities.

What PACE will deliver

PACE delivers practical supports youth organisations can apply locally and reuse. It provides training for youth workers in trauma-informed support, digital inclusion, financial literacy and social entrepreneurship, backed by an open-access digital learning portal to host and localise resources so materials do not get lost in inboxes. 

Partner organisations will run programmes for displaced Ukrainian young people focused on non-formal education, career pathways and civic participation, while strengthening cross-border collaboration across Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia.

Matrix’s role in PACE

Matrix’s role is focused on delivery strength, quality, and long-term reach. In simple terms, we help the project run smoothly, communicate clearly, and leave behind digital assets that stay useful.

Our contribution spans three areas:

Digital platform delivery

Matrix supports the development and evolution of the PACE digital learning portal and main website The focus is on accessibility, usability and maintainability, so partners can publish resources and keep them organised without technical friction. This is the same mindset we bring to SME websites and platforms: build for real users, not ideal conditions.

Project management and quality assurance

Matrix is co-leading project management and quality assurance. That means setting up a practical review rhythm, agreeing standards and templates, and supporting partners with processes that keep outputs consistent. Quality assurance is not about bureaucracy. It is about protecting time, budgets and reputation by catching issues early.

Communications, dissemination and sustainability

Matrix leads the communications, dissemination and sustainability work. This covers the project’s web presence, content planning, partner-friendly updates, and an approach to keeping outputs discoverable beyond the launch period. It is the difference between a project that produces good work, and a project whose work is found, used, and built on.

What happens next

PACE now moves from launch mode into delivery mode: building out the portal, developing training resources, supporting partner organisations, and keeping the project visible through coordinated communications. We will share progress as resources go live.

For Matrix, the goal is to help partners deliver with confidence and consistency, then leave behind a digital foundation that supports ongoing use. Digital is most valuable when it reduces friction for real people doing real work. That is the thread running through PACE, and it is why we are proud to be involved.

For more information on the PACE project, visit paceforyouth.eu.