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Belgium

Every year, Belgium takes in around 3,000 unaccompanied foreign minors, often from regions affected by conflict and humanitarian crises. These particularly vulnerable young people have frequently experienced trauma linked to violence, abuse, exploitation and separation from their families. On arrival, they face many challenges: administrative uncertainty, language barriers, difficulties integrating and a loss of bearings. These obstacles undermine their mental health, their psychosocial development, their social inclusion and their education and career paths.

The project aims to strengthen the psychosocial support offered to unaccompanied foreign minors living in reception centres in Belgium. It draws on the expertise WAPA International has gained from several humanitarian and post-conflict settings. In close collaboration with Fedasil, its implementation will be tailored to Belgian context.

Reception centres — OC Dilbeek and Overijse

Local partner: Fedasil

Four young people, seen from behind, stretching during an activity in a reception centre

Seeking funding

places available per cycle
15
age of the beneficiaries
14–17 years

Every child taken in receives specialised therapeutic support designed to strengthen their self-esteem, resilience and independence, as well as to help them build their life plan.

Mental health

  • Developing psychosocial skills through art and sports therapies
  • A group approach that is sensitive to trauma and cultural specificities
  • Strengthening individual psychological follow-up

Knowledge management

  • Training for Fedasil teams
  • Transfer of methods
  • Sharing knowledge and assessing needs on the ground with Fedasil teams
A room full of pupils during an awareness-raising session

Awareness-raising

Interactive sessions for 400 pupils a year, from primary school to higher education, helping them better understand children’s rights and the impact of armed conflict, whilst developing empathy, critical thinking and the ability to debate.

Passers-by in front of a statue of a child soldier in Brussels

Advocacy

WAPA works with Belgian, European and international authorities to prevent the recruitment and exploitation of children in conflict, as well as to strengthen their protection.

Our advocacy also focuses on the protection of child survivors of sexual violence, children born of rape and displaced children.

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