Empowering Through Design: Reflections from a Service Design Course for Migrant Women

The article is written by the CeMeWE project designer Hilkka Lydén from Laurea University.

Our recent service design course brought together a diverse group of migrant women living currently in Finland, to explore how design thinking can be a powerful tool for social integration and personal growth. The feedback we received was both heartening and insightful.

Participants praised the practical, hands-on approach, highlighting how the blend of theory and real-world application helped them grasp complex concepts. Many appreciated learning new tools like Miro and Canva. The participants valued the opportunity to apply their knowledge in meaningful group projects. One participant shared:

“It was refreshing to see I can create something from scratch and that my insights were appreciated and valued.”

The diversity of the group was seen as both a challenge and a strength—bringing together different languages, skills, and perspectives created a rich learning environment. The course fostered a strong sense of community, with many noting how supportive and open-minded their teams and mentors were.

However, several participants noted that the course felt too short and intense, especially when scheduled overlapping national holidays. Suggestions for improvement included clearer communication about the expected workload, more time for project work, and earlier access to course materials.

Despite these challenges, the course received overwhelmingly positive ratings, with most participants saying they would recommend it to others. The experience not only built confidence in service design but also sparked a desire to continue working on the projects beyond the course.

Learning by developing

A unique feature of this course was that each team worked with a genuine client who provided a real-world design brief. These collaborations gave participants the opportunity to apply service design tools to authentic challenges and learn through practical development work.

Team 1: Tackling workshop attendance

One team partnered with the IMIB Network, which supports international talents in Finland. Their challenge was to understand why many participants signed up for entrepreneurship workshops but didn’t attend. Through user research, personas, journey mapping, and prototyping, the team developed solutions focused on clearer communication, stronger value propositions, and more inclusive onboarding. Their final pitch emphasized the importance of turning registrations into real engagement:

“Every no-show is a lost opportunity—not just for the person, but for the future ideas, jobs, or even a breakthrough they could’ve created.”

Team 2: Designing a meaningful closing event

Another team worked on planning the end-of-cycle event for the IMIB project. Their goal was to create an inclusive and engaging experience for international students, jobseekers, mentors, and SMEs. They conducted interviews, created detailed personas, and used empathy maps and value proposition canvases to guide their design.

Their final concept emphasized low-pressure, high-impact interactions, and celebrated mentoring through storytelling and showcases. Suggestions included poster sessions, CV photo booths, and circle networking with prompts.

As one participant noted,

“It’s really nice that there are many different activities to do. The poster session will create nice conversations!”

Team 3: Boosting company participation in work trials

The third team focused on increasing employer engagement in the Work Try-Out (Työkokeilu) programme, a Finnish initiative that helps jobseekers explore career paths through short-term placements. Despite its benefits, company participation remains low. The team identified lack of awareness and understanding as the main barrier.

They conducted interviews with jobseekers, employers, NGOs, and TE Office staff, and used service design tools to develop a comprehensive solution.

Their work culminated in a detailed service blueprint and an implementation plan aimed at making the program more visible, accessible, and appealing to companies.

Next course planned for the fall 2025

Even though the CeMeWE project is in it’s final year, we are organising two more on-line courses for the fall of 2025 due to high demand. The next service design course starts on 23.9. Registration will begin in August, so do follow our news to secure your spot on the course, if you are eligible for participation!