Startpunt

Startpunt is the volunteer team of Flanders Refugee Action that establishes direct contact with people on the move every day in Brussels.

Dutch

In our activities, we provide legal advice about the international protection procedure in Belgium in different languages and answer the questions of people on the move.

Pacheco 44

Every morning from Monday to Friday, Startpunt volunteers go in front of Pachèco 44, the first point of registration for international protection in Belgium. We provide basic information about the asylum procedure, explain what rights people in the procedure of international protection have, and answer the questions they have related to their procedures.

Reception Crisis

Since fall of 2022, single men asking international protection in Belgium have not been receiving a shelter by Fedasil, Federal Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers in Belgium.

Since the beginning of the reception crisis, we have been specifically focusing on assisting single men applicants to be able to reach practical and legal aid by dedicated NGOs, initiatives and volunteer lawyers and refer them to existing services in Brussels.

We believe that human rights are for everyone independent from their migration status.

Legal Helpdesk

Together with our partner organisations, we assist asylum seekers to reach out for free and official legal service.

Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoon, we open the doors of the Legal Helpdesk. Working in collaboration with our partner organizations and initiatives, we assign pro-bono lawyers to applicants seeking international protection. These applicants often face difficulties accessing legal representation due to the reception crisis. Our efforts aim to ensure that everyone, regardless of their circumstances, has access to the legal support they need, as the provision of free legal aid is their fundamental right.

Our team is there as volunteer translators in various languages. We make sure that all the applicants receive free and official legal aid.

Refugee Route

The Refugee Route is a city walk through the North Quarter of Brussels that aims to provide a better understanding of the Belgian asylum system, with information on the asylum procedure, the reception of asylum seekers and the concrete situation of people on the move.

Support Startpunt

Any gift and support for Startpunt, no matter how small, is welcome. For every donation from 40€, you will receive a tax certificate.

Make a donation for Startpunt

Join us!

If you are interested in joining and contributing to our team at Pacheco and Legal Help Desk, we warmly welcome you to get in touch with us.

To become a part of Startpunt, please reach out to Anamaria, our Volunteer Coordinator, via email. When contacting us, please include a list of the languages you speak fluently.

Email: @email

Currently, we have a particular need for volunteers proficient in Dari, Pashto, Kurdish, and Turkish to join our team.