As a safe space for young people, Velos Youth aims to support those who visit us holistically. For many, we are a “home away from home” and a place to escape. However, we recognise how important support and guidance on material and procedural matters is too!

Our Youth Work team aims to provide the support each individual needs! Through our referral system and by utilising our collaborations and recognising the diversity of services provided across Athens, we connect every young person to the service he/she needs and support their progress and communication after they have been referred.

Some of the most common needs involve finding education and employment opportunities, legal and medical support, and access to basic needs such as clothes and shoes.

When it comes to education, we support young people in setting learning goals and guide them to find available courses, communicate with educators, use learning resources, and more. Similar support is provided for young adults who are seeking employment. We direct them to our partners who can give them advice on finding available work opportunities, writing a CV, preparing for an interview and obtaining the necessary legal documentation to be eligible to work in Greece.

Additionally, here young people can get easy access to legal information and guidance on where to get more specialised legal support. They can also be assisted in booking medical appointments and in finding appropriate locations to meet their medical needs. We have also welcomed individuals with legal and medical expertise in our space!

Our team aims to stay knowledgable and up to date to accurately support each young person, and as we have grown these past few months we hope to do an even better job for whoever comes to this ‘home’.

Conversation of two young people visiting Velos Youth:

First young person: “These people they are just so great, they help me. I have so many problems outside of here, but I come here and they help me so much.” 

Second young person: “I was exactly like this two years ago, and they helped me too! Now I have a job, I’m in school and I stay in an apartment.” 

16 year old from Afghanistan

“[Youth worker] is the reason that my family reunification was successful, because he made sure I had a lawyer and social worker. He guided me every step of the way.”