Youth, Peace and Inclusion

 Main theme

Young refugees’ participation and decision-making

  Other relevant themes

Access to information and legal services, access to education

 Actors involved

 Aims

The Irish Refugee Council youth group aims to provide a space where newly arrived young asylum seekers and refugees in Ireland can support, guide, learn and mentor each other.

 Description

As most of the young people in the group arrive alone, the group has been a crucial point of information for different relevant services. Additionally, it provides a supportive space for encouragement and hope for those experiencing difficult living situations, such as emergency accommodation. The youth group meet every Wednesday, but also has smaller sessions periodically for members.

The young people have become largely autonomous, supporting each other independently from organised activities. For example, through their WhatsApp group, they get in touch with each other and hang out, spend time together and have fun. Some members are in earlier stages of integration having recently arrived in Ireland and others more established in the country, for example having completed/ completing master's degrees. There are two youth workers employed by the Irish Refugee Council to support the young people.

There is a range of informal peer support coming out of the group. For example, they have supported each other in accessing to third level education. In one instance, five young women wished to apply to an Irish university. However, they did not meet the criteria for the Irish government (SUSI) grant, which stipulated legal residency and to have lived in Ireland for three of the last five years. They were supported by another young person in the group and his established support network, who assisted them in engaging with the university directly. Through this, two young women secured scholarships through the university and the university waived the non-EU fee for the other two. Their peer then started a GoFundMe campaign to raise the funds for the full cost of fees for final three young women and succeeded in raising sufficient funding to ensure that two more of the girls could access the university programme. In total four accessed third-level education.  Unfortunately, as the university did not waive the non-EU fees, one young woman did not gain access to university, as the campaign could not cover her costs. It remains, however, an example of the innovative, creative ways that peer support can successfully, concretely lead to positive transition experiences.

 Results/ Outcomes

In total there are almost 200 young people engaged with the group. They provide continued practical and social supports to each other across Ireland in a range of ways.

 Links to further information

• https://www.irishrefugeecouncil.ie/

    Main theme

Access to information and legal advice/ assistance.

  Other relevant themes

Social services, accommodation, and welfare benefits, promote inclusion and integration, awareness-raising.
 

 Aims

To promote and develop an inclusive approach through integration and partnership of services and agencies working with children, young people and families that serve their needs and enable them to realise their potential.

 Description

Young People at Risk have a Ukrainian and International Protection Service (refugees/asylum applicants), employing one Community Link Worker who has lived experience. They support a large number of young people, with the majority refugees and asylum seekers. They aim to support these young people to link in with a range of different organisations and access local services and supports. They also provide workshops on human rights, accessing rights and workshops which focus on cultural barriers. For example, they have delivered a range of workshops which seek to improve relationships between young refugees and asylum seekers and the Irish police (An Garda Síochána). Many young people were found to have little trust in the police and a fear of them due to previous negative experiences in other countries. The workshops, for example, support to young people to share their own lived experiences and explain where their fear may stem from. The workshops also provide an important space for police to better understand the young people and their perspectives, and provide insights into how they can work to build a trusting relationship with them.

 Results/ Outcomes

Pending

 Links to further information

• https://www.ypar.ie/ypar-community-link-workers-supporting-ukrainian-refugees-and-ipas-families/

 Main theme

Awareness-raising

  Other relevant themes

Access to education, youth participation and decision-making, support for youth-led organisations, mental health
 

 Actors involved

Young migrants aged 16–25, members of Parliament supporting equal access campaigns, and the media.

 Aims

The organisation aims to fight for all young migrants in the UK to be treated equally and fairly, to end the hostile environment around immigration, and to ensure the barriers preventing full integration for migrants are removed.

 Description

The organisation has a number of key projects. The main projects include ‘Let Us Learn’ which is focused on achieving equal access to higher education for young migrants; ‘Chasing Status’ which advocates for an end to the UK’s hostile environment and calls for a shorter more affordable route to settlement for long-term young migrants; and the ‘Leadership Academy’ which is aimed at equipping and developing young changemakers to affect change in society. Let Us Learn Campaign,  for example, aimed to achieve equal access to higher education. The campaign was led entirely by young people who developed a 300+ community of changemakers.

We Belong also invests in young people’s mental well-being and provides countless opportunities for participation in society at large. Training is offered to young people through their bespoke leadership program and a safe space for emotional growth is fostered in a community of people with shared and collective experiences, for example through regular one-to-one meetings with an outreach officer.

 Results/ Outcomes

Overall, the organisation has worked with over 1,300 young migrants, aged 16-25, providing information, support and guidance. They have mobilised over 300 young people to commit to social change by providing the tools and the platform for them to speak out about injustice. We Belong has also provided grants to assist young people, developed a CPD-accredited leadership programme and raised awareness through campaign videos, reports and the media.

The Let Us Learn Campaign, in particular, clearly demonstrates the possibilities of successful awareness campaigns run by young changemakers. This campaign succeeded in overturning government policy preventing over 2,000 long-term migrants from accessing student loans. After successfully changing government policy for student loans and ensuring equal access to higher education, the young people recognised that they had the power to create social change and have a positive impact on society.

 Links to further information

• https://www.webelong.org.uk/

 Main theme

Access to information and legal advice/ assistance.

  Other relevant themes

Promote inclusion and integration

 Actors involved

The group collaborates with many youth organisations to reach new communities and regions.  It also works with different civil society organisations, for example, the Youth Social Rights Network and I-Participate NGO, as well as the third level institutions Arthur V. Mauro Institute for Peace and Justice at St. Paul’s College, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada and a global network One Young World.     

 Aims

The platform aims to provide a safe space for refugees, migrants, and displaced people to tell their stories, find their inner strength in the process, and inspire the world with their resilience.

 Description

At Waves to Home, the power of storytelling is believed to change how displaced persons see themselves and their experiences, and ultimately, change their lives. They have run a range of different activities including, the 2025 storytelling seminar for “Reframing Personal and Collective Stories and Strengthening Democratic Resilience” in Norway.

They have also developed practices and tools, such as “The Stories We Tell Ourselves”. This particular practice is an interactive non-formal educational practice organised by Waves to Home that invites youth on a transformative journey to explore the narratives that shape their lives and the world around them. Through interactive exercises and guided reflections, participants examine the stories they tell themselves about their past, present, and future. They discover how these narratives can either inspire and empower them as humans or limit their potential. By embracing the role of the hero in their own stories, participants learn how to rewrite their narratives, unlock their full potential and become catalysts for positive change in their lives and communities. This practice empowers participants to harness the power of storytelling to create a happier, more meaningful, and more impactful world. This tool offers a safe space for young people to process their experiences, recognise their inner strength, and reclaim agency over their narratives. By engaging in self-reflection and storytelling, participants can transform limiting beliefs into empowering stories, helping them navigate challenges and rebuild their identities with confidence. It also fosters connection, innovation, empathy, and resilience, equipping young refugees with skills to inspire themselves and others while creating a sense of purpose and belonging in their new communities.

 Results/ Outcomes

They have reached approximately 500 forcibly displaced youth from all genders aged between 16 to 30 years old and youth workers.

 Links to further information

• https://www.wavestohome.org
• https://www.instagram.com/waves.to.home/
• https://www.instagram.com/p/DDhkM3DIvzg/?igsh=MWs3cjFzNmVxejM4ZQ==

    Main theme

Life projects

  Other relevant themes

Employment, access to education, access to information and legal services

 Actors involved

Velos Youth works with a diverse group of partners to provide quality services to young people, including joint projects and activities, visits and exchanges, advocacy, and interagency referrals of young people.

 Aims

Velos Youth aims to support young people at the margins to build lives integrated with local society.

 Description

The organisation works with young people to help them reimagine their futures and take the next steps towards achieving their goals and aspirations. They provide a place where children and youth on the move can come together to understand and practice both difference and unity. Engaging with hundreds of young people each year, Velos Youth offer a range of services and support to access services delivered by partner organisations. Their services include English classes, legal support, hot food, shower and laundry facilities, social services and social space, and support to find a job and develop a career. They have an open-door policy to their centre for anyone aged 16- 25 to come be supported, feel safe, connect with others, access to WIFI and laptops, or just find a quiet place to do homework or spend some time. They also provide workshops and activities in a monthly programme.

 Results/ Outcomes

Hundreds of young people on the move are supported every year through their different programmes. In 2024, 155 young people were supported by a livelihood officer, with support particularly focusing on seeking employment and administrative documents. In total, 47 young people were supported to find a job that year. A total of 140 young people were supported by the English language educator in the same  year, with 25 empowered to find employment in Athens and many gaining excellent scores in the related examinations. They have also supported young people in securing accommodation in the area.

 Links to further information

• https://velosyouth.org/

    Main theme

Life projects

  Other relevant themes

Access to information and legal advice, access to health care and psychological support, promote inclusion and integration

 Actors involved

Support from the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA), schools

 Aims

The Mentoring Project aims to support unaccompanied minors in Greece during their transition to adulthood through mentorship.

 Description

Centrally, the Mentoring project seeks to foster trusting relationships with mentors who are themselves former unaccompanied minors. These mentors, directly employed by the Ministry of Migration and Asylum, serve as role models and advocates, helping minors navigate challenges such as integration, education, and mental well-being. Mentors regularly visit accommodation facilities across Greece, engage with unaccompanied minors, and provide emotional and practical support. Additionally, various activities to support their wellbeing are conducted including, for instance, sports, arts, outdoor activities, group discussions, and mental health interventions. The mentoring program also creates a feedback loop, where insights from mentors and mentees inform the Ministry’s policies and programs for unaccompanied minors.

 Results/ Outcomes

The programme has reached over 1385 unaccompanied minors since 2021. In 2023 alone, the project hosted 68 activities and conducted 46 on-site visits to accommodation centres for minors.

Additionally, the mentors’ lived experiences and support have proven to be motivational forces, offering hope and helping minors envision a better future in Greece. Their peer-driven support addresses the unique needs of unaccompanied minors in transit contexts, like Greece, where many refugees might feel transient. It demonstrates the benefits of collaboration between governmental authorities and international organisations including strengthening program implementation and sustainability.

“I believe the project can be really motivating because unaccompanied minors can see others who had similar experiences succeeding here. If they see people with their own background, sometimes it can help them to have a vision in the country, and not move on or lose their time.” (Mentor quote).

 Links to further information

• https://migration.gov.gr/en/grammateies/geniki-grammateia-evaloton-politon-kai-thesmikis-prostasias/

 Main theme

Access to information and legal advice/ assistance.

  Other relevant themes

Promote inclusion and integration, awareness-raising

 Aims

To guarantee practical access to rights and effective protection against arbitrary deprivation of rights.

 Description

The Foundation for Access to Rights (FAR) in Bulgaria provides critical legal support to unaccompanied minors and other vulnerable refugees and migrants, helping them navigate complex legal systems and ensuring access to rights. FAR’s services include legal aid such as individualised support from lawyers, assistance with asylum applications, appeals of denied applications, and representation in court. Services also include legal assistance for those whose international protection applications are not registered or who face pressure to return to their country of origin and referrals to additional support services.

The program, DEFEND: Preparing a New Generation of Young Defenders of Fundamental Rights, funded by the EEA Financial Mechanism, focused on training future lawyers in refugee and migration law. This project offers theoretical training, covering national and international refugee and migration law through 12 thematic lectures; practical experience through hands-on involvement in real cases, and awareness building through educational video creation and articles on legal issues.

The Sun Project was another project led by FAR that aimed to promote the rights of unaccompanied and separated refugee and migrant children. Targeting those working with, or involved in caring for, these young people, it sought to provide knowledge about these children/ young people’s rights and demonstrate how these rights are translated into the everyday work and practice with them. A range of activities and outputs resulted from the project, including training needs assessment, the identification of good practices, mentorship programmes and study exchange visits, a training handbook, curriculum development, training and related events. For the Sun Project, a map of best practices was also created on initiatives related to the protection of unaccompanied and separated children in the project countries.

 Results/ Outcomes

Overall, FAR have reached over 15,600 diverse beneficiaries across their different programmes. In regard to the Sun Project in particular, project partners trained a total of 260 professionals and practitioners.

 Links to further information

• https://www.farbg.eu/index.php/en
• https://www.farbg.eu/en/projects/SUN-project

 Main theme

Leisure and recreation

 Aims

Through open-sea swimming as a medium to build solidarity, the project aims to teach essential swimming skills and promote cross-cultural understanding.

 Description

The swim groups foster the development of social networks and relationship-building between local Irish residents and individuals from diverse nationalities. This program is particularly impactful as it addresses barriers to integration, offering participants not only swimming lessons but also a safe and welcoming environment to form friendships and build community. Its success highlights the power of sports and leisure activities in community integration and resilience building.

 Results/ Outcomes

In each swim group, approximately 12-18 people are reached.

 Links to further information

• https://swimireland.ie/2024/07/08/diving-deeper-into-integration-sanctuary-swimmers-making-a-splash-across-ireland-for-the-third-year-in-a-row/

 Main theme

Developing legal frameworks

  Other relevant themes

Employment

 Aims

The reform aimed to reduce vulnerabilities of young migrants by seeking to prevent young people from becoming undocumented when they turn 18 and providing additional extended support.

 Description

First, the reform facilitates access to residence and work permits for unaccompanied minors. This includes those who arrived as children and are between 18 and 23 years old. It also simplifies bureaucratic procedures, making it easier for these young people to obtain the necessary documentation and permits. Second, these young people can access extended support, with stays in transitional shelters until they are 21. Finally, from the age of 16, unaccompanied minors are allowed to work, which helps them gain financial independence and integrate into society.

 Results/ Outcomes

While there can always be room for improvement, for example, tackling regional differences in the implementation of the law, overall, the reform which was very welcomed by Spanish civil society has had a positive impact. This is demonstrated by almost 17,000 young people obtaining residence permits within the first year.

Additionally, this law is being adapted and learned from in other contexts, such as Greece.

 Further information

• https://www.inclusion.gob.es/
• https://migration.gov.gr/helios-junior-gia-2-000-paidia-ena-akomi-protoporiako-programma-gia-toys-asynodeytoys-anilikoys/

    Main theme

Promote inclusion and integration

  Other relevant themes

Access to education, actions to ensure all-inclusive approaches, access to education, access to employment, mentorship and support peer education

 Actors involved

The project is co-funded by the European Union and local partners. It operates across diverse regional partnerships, including schools, municipalities, NGOs, and other civil society actors.
 

 Aims

Through a combination of education, vocational training, civic engagement, arts, and sports, the programme aims to foster equal opportunities and community integration.
 

 Description

The Programa Escolhas is a model of inclusive practice which addresses complex needs with a structured, sustainable, and person-centred approach to integration.  The programme targets children, young people, and families from socioeconomically vulnerable backgrounds, with a focus on those at high risk of social exclusion, particularly refugees. Its governance seeks to encourage tailored, locally relevant actions through a model that blends local autonomy and a centralisation of strategy.

Each project cycle (two to three years) includes dedicated support plans for refugees. These include life-history assessments, personal life-project planning, psychological screening, and educational integration. As part of Programa Escolhas, the U CAN project developed several supports related to integration and access to higher education, such as scholarship opportunities and a mentorship network. The mentorship network, for instance, provides young people with personal and academic support from different mentors who have higher education.

Intercultural resources and activities are available and considered essential for the programme and have assisted in fostering belonging, linguistic acquisition, and intercultural dialogue. These have included, for example, multilingual welcome kits, cultural celebrations, cooperative games, and inclusive sports and nutrition programmes.
 

 Results/ Outcomes

The Programme celebrated 20 years in 2020 with demonstrable results in different areas of integration, including education and training. In the first 20 years, it covered 650 projects and approximately 400,000 participants. Examples of results of projects can be seen from the first two editions of U CAN. In total, 66 mentors were involved and 96 scholarships were granted during these editions. Additionally, almost all (94) scholarship students achieving strong results most of their subjects.
 

 Links to further information

• https://national-policies.eacea.ec.europa.eu/youthwiki/chapters/portugal/44-inclusive-programmes-for-young-people
• https://www2.gov.pt/en/noticias/governo-aprova-renovacao-do-programa-escolhas-para-2021-e-2022
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25585487/
• https://european-social-fund-plus.ec.europa.eu/en/projects/empowering-youth-escolhas-programmes-fight-against-social-exclusion-santarem

 Main theme

Non-discrimination and protection

  Other relevant themes

Participation and decision-making

 Actors involved

Memberships include the Nordic Baltic Network of Organisations Working with Refugees with Disabilities and the UNHCR Global Network of Disabilities. They are partners with the UNHCR in Nordic States and the UNHCR Headquarters.

 Aims

The aim is to empower newcomers with disabilities in Sweden and increase awareness of the conditions for asylum seekers and refugees with disabilities.

 Description

Newcomers with disabilities in Sweden was founded originally to break isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic through online meetings, which developed into face-to-face meetings post-pandemic. The organisation runs a peer support group which includes newcomers with disabilities, where peers share their experiences to help others. The in-person meetings run every second week in Stockholm with approximately 15-20 participants per meeting. They are informal meetings where members get to know each other, support each other and develop social relationships and a community. The organisation has a youth department and is currently planning to develop a youth network in Sweden for those who are undocumented.

Additionally, they represent newcomers from Sweden with disabilities internationally. Their work has been included within the Nordic Baltic Network of Organisations Working with Refugees with Disabilities, where they share and compare integration experiences and good practices. They have also participated in UNHCR’s Global Refugee Forum in Geneva with two refugee representatives.

 Results/ Outcomes

They have approximately 20 people attending their group meetings regularly. Newcomers with Disabilities in Sweden have been instrumental in supporting and advising the development of a UNHCR Global Network of Disabilities. In this network, newcomers act as a secretariat.

 Links to further information

• https://newcomerswithdisabilities.se/

 Main theme

Access to information and legal advice

  Other relevant themes

Employment

 Actors involved

Operational partner of UNHCR

 Aims

Nansen aims to provide and make accessible legal expertise on international protection.

 Description

While not specifically focused on young people, Nansen specialises in providing legal advice and assistance on asylum rights and employment, ensuring that all refugees understand and assert their rights in Belgium. Through detailed guidance on Belgian labour laws, pathways to obtaining work permits and asylum support, Nansen empowers refugees to navigate complex bureaucratic systems. Their approach also includes interdisciplinary expertise, combining legal, psychological, and linguistic resources to address the diverse challenges that refugees face. Moreover, the organisation has dedicated support to victims of torture, expertise in the field of statelessness and conducts visits to detention centres to support the needs of those seeking international protection.

 Results/ Outcomes

Pending

 Links to further information

• https://nansen-refugee.be/en/

 Main theme

Access to health care and psychological support

  Other relevant themes

 Employment, access to education, youth participation and decision-making

 Actors involved

Partnerships include Medical Volunteers International, Sistech, GivMed, Africa Advocacy Foundation, Ithaca, Documatism, Vana Ba Afrika, Steps and Velos Youth.

 Aims

Through the Mi-Health HIV Partnership, Open Paths Athens aims to improve access to health services for refugees, migrants and their relatives of different origins, focusing on HIV/AIDS.

 Description

Through support with expert consultation, knowledge, advice and partnerships with different community-based services, such as educational centres, employment programs, and shelters, Open Athens creates individualised pathways to success. Their work includes a specialist empowerment programme for women aged 18+ who have experienced traumatic events, the ‘Mi-Health HIV partnership’ centred on improving access to health services for those with migrant backgrounds and policy and advocacy related to improving health equality. They additionally provide counselling and psychotherapy to those experiencing difficulties with their sexuality, sexual health, and relationships, as well as HIV care and support, sexual health advice and training, and community-tailored support. With a focus on holistic support and knowledge-sharing, it promotes self-reliance and long-term stability and enhances integration into society of those that they engage with.

 Results/ Outcomes

Pending

 Links to further information

• https://www.openpathsathens.org/who-we-are

  Main theme

Young refugee’s participation and decision-making

  Other relevant themes

Social services, accommodation, and welfare benefits, access to health care and psychological support, access to information and legal advice

 Actors involved

Partnership with Stockholm Municipality to support young adults securing a residence permit in accordance with the Upper Secondary School Act

 Aims

Stockholms Stadsmission aims to assist young people up to 25 years old with migration background in re-entering the welfare system and provide support to prevent their exclusion through social and legal counselling.

 Description

Young people with a migration background who transition into adulthood as undocumented lose all support from social services once they turn 18 years old if they don’t have a residence permit. In collaboration with the young person, the organisation assesses their situation and provides information about their rights and possibilities based on their specific circumstances. The project also seeks to empower the young people supported, respecting their autonomy in deciding their goals. For example,  young people are supported to assert their rights and equipped with the tools to make informed decisions. The staff act as facilitators and help them explore their situation and find solutions based on their individual needs.

Additionally, the organisation seeks to enhance young people’s well-being by offering a safe space, fostering social interaction, and organising activities. The project offers a safe space where young people can meet, fulfil basic needs, engage in activities, and receive individualised support. This is complemented by providing for basic needs, offering supportive conversations, and facilitating access to healthcare services. They are supported to explore different paths for durable solutions, assisted with claiming their social rights, and provided with guidance on navigating social services, healthcare, legal matters, and education. Central to the project is the continuous work involving young people in reviewing and shaping activities. This is done, among other things, by the staff listening to the needs of the youth, for example, through surveys and group meetings where the young people share desired improvements. There are monthly group meetings together with young people where the current activities offered are reviewed, and the young people can provide suggestions and opinions. By offering participants a forum to share their thoughts and opinions on changes in the activities, the organisation and services continuously evolve for the better. By being listened to and having the opportunity to test and implement their own ideas or suggestions, the project aims to contribute to increasing their empowerment. A youth-driven and youth-founded advocacy group is also supported to organise to change the situation for undocumented youths in Sweden. The organisation acts as a facilitator, supporting these young people and sharing resources with the group to ease the work. This involves being a door opener, sharing power, knowledge, and other resources.

 Results/ Outcomes

 The overall strength of the project is a holistic approach which seeks to promote overall well-being and long-term, durable outcomes. Approximately 500 young people have been supported through this project.

 Links to further information

• https://www.stadsmissionen.se/motesplats-city

 Main theme

Access to health care and psychological support

  Other relevant themes

Promote inclusion and integration, awareness-raising

 Actors involved

Council of Europe Youth Department, VYRE, EYMH

 Aims

This study session aimed to increase mental health literacy of refugee and migrant youth, people working with them, and to advocate for the enjoyment of the right to mental health for these groups.

 Description

The study session was co-designed by youth organisations run by those with lived experience of migration. The session supported young migrants and youth workers working in the field of migration, refugees and mental health to learn about (mental) health and its legal framework. Key strengths of this initiative included the rights-based and peer-inclusive learning environment. This environment facilitated participants to discuss challenges to accessing mental health support, as well as cultural sensitivity and inclusion in the context of refugees and mental health. Importantly, there was a focus on culturally sensitive psychosocial support and the empowerment of refugee youth and practitioners to exchange good practices and co-create mental health awareness campaigns. The participants also had the opportunity to have a meaningful exchange with Special Representative of the Secretary General on Migration and Refugees – Ms Leyla Kayacik. During which, they raised their concerns and questions relevant to the topic at hand and learned about the Council of Europe work in the field of migration and refugees.

 Results/ Outcomes

This initiative brought together 33 young refugees, migrants, and youth practitioners to strengthen understanding of mental health challenges and promote peer-led strategies across Europe. Overall, the participants described having a safe intercultural learning space which supported them to learn in good conditions. There was a multiplier effect of the study session, with participants overall reporting they would implement some of the things they learned during this study session into their daily lives. Many underlined, for instance, that they would implement the methods and tools gained from this study session in their local contexts.

 Links to further information

• https://eymh.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/FINAL-REPORT-VYRE-EYMH-study-session-2022.pdf
• https://www.coe.int/en/web/youth/-/managing-mental-health-as-a-refugee-asylum-seeker-and-migrant

  Main theme

  Other relevant themes

Promote inclusion and integration, awareness-raising

 Actors involved

 Aims

 Description

 Results/ Outcomes

 Links to further information

 Main theme

Promote inclusion and integration

  Other relevant themes

Leisure and recreation

 Actors involved

Young people from long-time and newly arrived communities, including those with migration backgrounds

 Aims

By addressing stereotypes about migration and creating opportunities for shared experiences, the program facilitates cultural integration and social cohesion in Lille and its surrounding areas.

 Description

Initiated in 2017, L’Autre, C’est Moi! was a youth-led project leveraging improvisational theatre to foster dialogue and connection between long-time residents and newcomers, including individuals with migration experiences. The key activities of the programme include theatrical workshops and public performances. The project used PEACEPROV facilitation, which is a multidisciplinary approach combining peace and conflict theory with improvisational theatre and emphasises art as a tool for personal and social transformation.

 Results/ Outcomes

The project succeeded in building bridges between long-term and newly arrived residents, fostering mutual understanding and respect. It also provided a welcoming space for participants to grow, express themselves, and share their stories. Overall, L’Autre, C’est Moi! demonstrates how creative arts can be a transformative tool for social inclusion and cohesion, offering a model that blends innovative methodologies with community engagement for creating inclusive youth spaces.

 Links to further information

• https://www.facebook.com/deepfrance/?locale=fr_FR  

 Main theme

Social services, accommodation, and welfare benefits

  Other relevant themes

Access to education, employment, life projects

 Actors involved

Kopin works with a range of international, national and European partners including, for example, JRS Malta, the Integra Foundation, Aditus and the Malta Refugee Council. They are supported by the Global Whole Being Fund and private donors.

 Aims

Amongst other goals, Kopin aim to contribute to the alleviation of global poverty and social injustice by providing services to vulnerable populations in Malta.

 Description

Kopin have provided diverse outreach, educational and emergency assistance services to asylum seekers and refugees, and particularly to unaccompanied minors, youth in transition to adulthood and young adults. This comprehensive support includes outreach and needs assessments, the provision of basic needs such as essentials (clothing, food, hygiene products), information on services, cultural guidance, educational and employment supports, health/ addiction referrals and supporting refugees to find shelters. They also provide legal and advocacy services in collaboration with different partners, such as JRS Malta and the Malta Refugee Council, including regarding campaigns on child and youth rights.

Kopin also is focused on monitoring political processes and engaging in policy dialogue with decision-makers to influence the debate on Maltese and European policies related to development, migration and children’s rights.

The organisation has run several projects relevant to young refugees’ transition to adulthood. For example, the Education Support Programme aimed at improving access to education and training for refugee and migrant children and young people. The program offered several packages to support access or continuation of primary/ secondary/third-level education or improve employability. They also provided support for tuition and fees for English language courses and other training, as well as for educational materials, laptops and tablets, examination fees and mentorship and guidance.

 Results/ Outcomes

The organisation has partnered with over 100 institutions in Malta, across Europe and in Ethiopia, ranging from NGOs to ministries, local authorities, universities and international organisations.

 Links to further information

 https://kopin.org/portfolio-items/outreach-asylum-seekers-refugees/?portfolioCats=31

  Actors involved

 Aims

 Description

 Results/ Outcomes

 Links to further information

 Main theme

Social services, accommodation, and welfare benefits 

  Other relevant themes

Access to education, psychological support, employment, financial support, life projects

 Actors involved

The programme is implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in collaboration with experienced implementation partners.

 Aims

The project aims to support the integration of former unaccompanied minors into Greek society and their transition from previous accommodation facilities to independent living.

 Description

The program seeks to strengthen recent Greek legislation, which links the residency of former unaccompanied minors to education. Under the new law, these young people can access a ten-year residence permit if they complete three years of secondary education by the age of 23. While referrals and registrations of beneficiaries in the project ceased at the end of January 2026, the project continues for those already enrolled. The project provides up to 18 months of accommodation, support and counselling services which aim to support the young people with independent living. Individual integration plans and related supports (e.g. referrals to language courses, vocational programmes, job search supports, etc.) are also developed and monitored to support integration into the workplace and society. Finally, a monthly financial allowance is provided to cover the young people’s basic needs.

 Results/ Outcomes

The project aims to reach over 2000 former unaccompanied minors. The project is ongoing, therefore public available results are pending.

 Links to further information

• https://greece.iom.int/helios-junior

 Main theme

Access to health care and psychological support

  Other relevant themes

Promote inclusion and integration, access to education, leisure and recreation, and employment

 Actors involved

The organisation of Young Economists in Georgia are involved with the programme. It operates within the Ukraine Crisis Response Programme and is funded by World Vision International and Aktion Deutschland Hilft (ADH).

 Aims

Happy Space aims to provide a non-formal space for Ukrainian refugees to feel understood, valued, and safe.

 Description

Happy Space offers a range of activities and services for Ukrainian children, young people and their families in the areas of informal education and psychosocial support. These include, for example, youth clubs, language classes, music and other creative activities, art therapy, workshops and mental health workshops. Operating in Tbilisi and Batumi, the Happy Space programme provides a welcoming environment for psychosocial, cultural, and non-formal education activities. The programme’s impact is evident in its ability to bridge gaps in formal education while addressing mental health and social inclusion.

 Results/ Outcomes

As of end of May 2025, over 6000 individuals have engaged with the different services and psychosocial support provided by the programme.

 Links to further information

• https://worldvision.ge/en/22
• https://www.wvi.org/stories/georgia/happy-space-creating-safe-place-ukrainian-children-and-families-georgia

 Main theme

Awareness-raising

  Other relevant themes

Promote inclusion and integration
 

 Actors involved

Ben and Jerry’s.

 Aims

The aim was to increase public awareness of the rights of all young people who identify as unaccompanied minors in France.

 Description

Utopia 56 mobilised support from Ben & Jerry’s, among others, to initiate an awareness campaign about the rights of all young people who declare themselves to be unaccompanied minors to the French authorities.  Through social media campaigns and influencer partnerships, the campaign highlighted the challenges faced by unaccompanied minors in France, particularly in accessing rights and resources, and sought to shift public perceptions.

The campaign was divided into two phases: one online which centred on children’s rights alongside the French Council of Associations for Children’s Rights and numerous other organisations. The second phase  was conducted both online and, on the streets, supported by Ben & Jerry’s and sought to amplify the voices of young people and volunteers. The partnership also encouraged solidarity with young refugees, promoting understanding and advocacy.

 Results/ Outcomes

By mobilising popular figures and brands, the initiative’s reach increased, engaging audiences in discussions about migration and inclusion. The campaign approach was effective in using both digital platforms and influential voices to bring attention to key issues affecting refugee populations, creating a broader impact in the push for policy change and social acceptance.

 Links to further information

• https://www.instagram.com/benjerryfr/p/C0jX5dQINFj/
• https://utopia56.org/enfant-avant-migrant/