BLUE REFUGEE CENTER

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The Blue Refugee Center (BRC) opened its doors in 2016 to welcome vulnerable refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers in and around Thessaloniki. Since then, it has developed into one of the most well-known service hubs in Northern Greece.

Situated in a strategic location in western Thessaloniki, it offers a comprehensive set of support services through an open-door policy, covering the needs of the most vulnerable individuals. The overall aim is to support beneficiaries on their path to autonomy and social integration. While BRC continues to serve refugees and migrants, recently it has also extended its target population to include vulnerable Greek citizens.

So far, BRC has served over 13,500 individuals from over 80 countries of origin.

The services currently offered are:

  • Social service: The first point of contact with each beneficiary. The social service documents vulnerabilities and needs, provides information and psychosocial support, and connects beneficiaries to additional services within BRC or to external actors.
  • Legal service: Offers legal counseling and court representation to support beneficiaries with a wide range of legal issues, including asylum and migration cases, labor, civil, and penal issues, as well as other legal administrative cases. Tailored legal support is also provided to victims of violence.
  • Employability service: Supports individuals who are looking to (re-)integrate in the labor market, providing guidance through the job search process (skills identification, CV preparation), information about labor rights, matching with existing job opportunities, starting their own business, and access to skills development opportunities.
  • Accounting service: Provides support with a range of issues, including the submission of tax declarations, access to welfare benefits, and the issuance of unemployment cards, supporting beneficiaries to overcome administrative and integration challenges.
  • Female-Friendly Space: The FFS provides a space for women to get together and participate in empowerment activities that provide information on important topics such as gender-based violence and women’s health. Through the FFS, participating women are supported to create a strong network of mutual support.

A Child-Friendly Space (CFS) also operates in the Center, providing a safe space for children to play and engage in creative activities.

Interpretation in the main languages of the refugee and migrant population is provided to facilitate beneficiaries’ access to all services.

Throughout its operation, the BRC has been a community space, fostering a welcoming environment for volunteer organizations and other groups to meet and host activities and seminars, acting as a meeting point for Thessaloniki’s civil society.

Achievements and Stories from the BRC

  • BRC’s Employability Service organised and joined 6 Job Fairs, from 2019 to date, with more than 1000 people participants.

One of the beneficiaries of the Service, Saima Al Kinani, a refugee from Iraq, through the months of support she received from the Service’s experts, opened her own restaurant at the end of 2024! Read more: “A refugee woman from Iraq “feeds” her dream with Arabic cuisine!“

  • “Binta’s integration and empowerment journey”. Binta, from Sierra Leone, has been in Greece for six years. Binta is one of the approximately 1,800 people who have been supported by the “BRC Livelihoods” programme, implemented at the Blue Refugee Center in partnership with UNHCR. Through this she received assistance with her asylum claim, accessing social benefits, filing tax returns and liaising with services. In addition, through the very active business network established by the Service, the advisors helped her to get in touch with employers. She is currently working in the tourism industry and never stops setting new goals. She wants to finish school, get Greek citizenship and work as a nurse because, she says, she will have the opportunity to give back to others. “The help I have received from others makes me who I am today; a better person.”

“Binta’s journey of integration and empowerment guided by professional counselling“

“Refugees, migrants and asylum seekers find employment in Greek tourism“

  • “I am 16 years old from Afghanistan and today I live in Germany with my mother and my brothers and sisters. I escaped from my father when I was very young. I used to visit BRC for lessons, play and to spend my free time, as the house was too small. There, I immediately felt better. I used the computers, looking for my mother and actually found her one day! I can’t imagine what my life would have been like without my teacher and everyone at BRC. They all tried so hard for me, I am grateful to have met them and thank them so much.”

Volunteering at the Refugee Support Center

More than 170 volunteers from more than 15 countries have volunteered at the Blue Refugee Center.

CONTACT

Blue Refugee Center
25D Ioanni Koletti str., Thessaloniki
T. 2310555263, 2310555264
Email: thebluecenter@solidaritynow.org

*The Blue Refugee Center is currently supported by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, the Swiss-Greek Cooperation Programme in Greece in collaboration with the Ministry of Migration and Asylum, the Latsis Foundation, and the Kahane Foundation.