In the latest episode of the Inclusive Voices – Skills for Inclusion Podcast, I was joined by Saro Nakashian, an inclusion consultant with over three decades of experience working at the intersection of skills, employment, entrepreneurship and social impact in Palestine.
Our conversation explored what inclusion really means when systems are constrained, labour markets are fragile, and uncertainty is part of everyday life. What quickly became clear is that many of the assumptions that underpin skills and employment programmes in more stable contexts simply do not hold in places like the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem — and that adapting to this reality is not optional, but essential.
For Saro, inclusion is fundamentally about equity rather than equality. Delivering the same programme, funding or stipend to everyone does not create fairness when geography, regulation, cost of living and mobility restrictions differ so sharply. True inclusion requires programmes that are designed around people’s lived realities — even when this increases complexity or cost.
A recurring theme throughout the episode was the importance of going to people, rather than expecting people to come to programmes. In fragile contexts, centralised delivery models often exclude those with the least access. Saro described how working through local NGOs, community organisations and ministry offices allows programmes to reach marginalised communities, particularly women and young people living far from urban centres. Inclusion, in this sense, is as much about where and how training is delivered as what is delivered.
Employer engagement also emerged as a critical success factor. Even in unstable economies, employers play a vital role in shaping relevant skills pathways. Saro shared examples of programmes co-designed with employers — sometimes even before businesses were operational — ensuring training aligned directly with real labour market demand. These partnerships not only improved employment outcomes but also built trust and shared ownership across the system.
Flexibility, however, is what truly defines delivery in fragile contexts. Fixed timetables, rigid attendance rules and inflexible milestones often fail in environments affected by curfews, conflict or sudden disruption. Instead, Saro described highly responsive models where training schedules were adapted in real time, participants were personally supported, and delivery adjusted to ensure safety and continuity. Inclusion, here, becomes an active and ongoing practice rather than a static design principle.
The discussion also explored entrepreneurship, often promoted as a solution where job creation is limited. While entrepreneurship can offer real opportunity, Saro cautioned against poorly designed programmes that overlook access to markets, finance, connectivity or payment systems. Without these, entrepreneurship risks shifting responsibility onto young people without giving them the tools to succeed. Effective support must therefore extend beyond training to include the wider enabling environment.
Perhaps the most powerful reflection came when Saro spoke about leadership. After more than 30 years in the field, his central lesson was simple: participation matters most. Sustainable inclusion is achieved when people — particularly women and marginalised youth — are trusted to shape their own pathways, contribute to programme design, and take ownership of solutions. They know their needs better than any external actor ever could.
This episode is a reminder that inclusion is not a theory or a donor requirement. It is a daily, practical commitment shaped by context, constraint and courage. The lessons shared by Saro Nakashian resonate far beyond Palestine and offer valuable guidance for anyone working to build skills and employment systems that genuinely reach those furthest from opportunity.
