BNP Paribas Foundation Portugal announces the winning projects of the “Futuro com Sentido” initiative, with total support of €250,000.

• A support of €250,000: The Foundation will allocate this amount, distributed over two years, to promote the inclusion and employability of NEET youth (young people who are Not in Education, Employment, or Training).
• TESE (Faz-Te Forward): With €125,000 in funding, this project will empower 60 young people from the Lisbon and Porto Metropolitan areas, focusing on skill development and the transition to the labor market.
• Lifeshaker (Jobs Airport – Open Gates): Also supported with €125,000, this project will work with 270 young people from vulnerable communities in Monte da Caparica, promoting their empowerment and skill development in the field of entrepreneurship.

The BNP Paribas Foundation Portugal today announced the two winning organizations of the “Futuro com Sentido” (Future with Purpose) initiative, a program launched as part of its strategic commitment to promoting Social Inclusion through Employment. The initiative was specifically designed to support young people between the ages of 16 and 34 who are currently NEET or at risk of becoming NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training), facing an increased risk of social exclusion.

The initiative is particularly relevant within the national context, where more than 185,000 young people are not studying, working, or undergoing training, according to the latest data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE). Indeed, although the NEET youth rate stabilized at 8.7% in the first quarter of 2026, transition difficulties remain significant. Of the young people in this situation in the last quarter of 2025, only 18.4% managed to transition into employment in early 2026, and 15% entered education or training.

The selection of these organizations was based on precise eligibility criteria: they must be non-profit organizations legally established in Portugal, with at least two years of existence, and demonstrate proven experience working with NEET youth over the last three years. The selection process took place in several stages, including an initial assessment of applications, an in-depth analysis of criteria related to mission, implementation capacity, team experience, among others, followed by an interview phase and a final evaluation of the strategic alignment of both the association and the project with the Foundation’s objectives in this area. Additional information here

Beyond financial support, the “Futuro com Sentido” program distinguishes itself by establishing as comprehensive a collaboration as possible between the two selected organizations and, above all, with BNP Paribas Portugal. This includes the organization of skills-based volunteering by BNP Paribas Portugal employees, who will develop activities based on their areas of expertise in response to the needs of the selected associations and the young beneficiaries participating in the projects. There will also be the possibility of using BNP Paribas facilities, as well as the donation of IT and office equipment.

“At the BNP Paribas Foundation, we believe that employment is the most effective means of creating an inclusive society. To this end, empowering new generations through different forms of intervention is fundamental to creating more equitable opportunities that leave no one behind. The ‘Futuro com Sentido’ program was born from this desire to provide a concrete response with significant results in the lives of these young people, within a complex context where more solutions and larger-scale responses are lacking,” says Luciana Peres, President of the BNP Paribas Foundation Portugal. “By supporting these two projects, we are not only allocating financial resources; we are also mobilizing the skills of nearly 10,000 BNP Paribas Portugal employees, creating bridges between these young people and the world of work, in the hope of contributing to more ‘Futures with Purpose.’ This is the first edition of the program, and we trust that more will follow, aiming for an increasingly broad and lasting impact.”

The winning projects that will transform the future of these young people 

TESE – Associação para o Desenvolvimento | Project: Faz-Te Forward 

TESE is a Non-Governmental Development Organization (NGDO) with over 18 years of experience, founded with the mission of designing and implementing innovative and replicable solutions to combat poverty. Acting strongly in the field of social innovation, TESE seeks to build a world where all people have the resources and opportunities necessary to reach their potential and fulfill their life projects.

“It is a privilege for TESE to begin this partnership with the BNP Paribas Foundation Portugal. After more than 10 years of developing Faz-Te Forward, this selection represents the recognition of consistent work in youth employability, and the opportunity to take it further with a partner who shares the same conviction: that all young people have potential and deserve the space to develop it.”

Joana Mendonça, TESE Executive Director

The “Faz-Te Forward” project will operate in the Lisbon and Porto Metropolitan Areas, aiming to support 60 young people between the ages of 18 and 34 who are currently NEET or at risk of becoming so. Through a validated model, the program focuses on developing the personal and social skills essential for employability. Young people will have access to mentoring opportunities, workshops, contact with “role models,” and training in a work context, which will also include skills-based volunteering from the bank’s employees.

Lifeshaker – Associação | Project: Jobs Airport – Open Gates

The Lifeshaker Association’s mission is to create opportunities and break the cycles of poverty and social exclusion from childhood through adulthood. Since 2009, the organization has operated in Monte da Caparica (Almada), intervening in critical social housing areas where poverty conditions drastically limit the educational, social, and professional opportunities of the most vulnerable populations.

“Being one of the winners of Futuro com Sentido is much more than financial support; it is a vote of confidence in our ability to create real opportunities for young people facing significant barriers. This partnership with the BNP Paribas Foundation Portugal comes at a crucial moment for Lifeshaker, allowing us to consolidate our work in Almada and prove that investing in young people at the right time transforms individual paths, families, and the entire community.”

Tiago Aires, Impact Manager at Lifeshaker

Through the “Jobs Airport – Open Gates” project, focused on the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, the association aims to focus on creating tailor-made transition plans for residents of social housing (aged 16 to 34) and providing a range of practical tools, such as mentoring programs, mock interviews, company visits, short internships, and real-world work experience. Similar to TESE, participants will benefit from knowledge sharing with professional volunteers, mentors, and, in this specific case, also through contact with “business angels.”

Through “Futuro com Sentido,” the BNP Paribas Foundation Portugal reinforces its commitment to creating effective opportunities for young people who are NEET or at risk of becoming NEET, promoting their employability, community development, and social inclusion in Portugal.