Since the beginning of 2020, the Reach Out team, a mobile and multilingual team from Fedasil, has been actively reaching out to and informing migrants outside the regular reception network. These migrants have either applied for international protection (currently in process) or are living without legal status, often in precarious conditions.

In 2024, the Reach Out team has been in contact with 1.702 migrants in Flanders and in Brussels, providing approximately 1400 counselling sessions, mostly to isolated men but also women, families and sometimes even children. In Flanders, the team has mostly been in contact with Afghans, Palestinians, Syrians, Turks and Iraqis. In Brussels, the team focused on Burundians, Eritreans, Palestinians, Yemenis and Ethiopians. The majority of these migrants are seeking international protection. 

Given the ongoing reception crisis, the topic of "reception" was the most frequently discussed, accounting for around 35% of counselling sessions in Flanders and 53% in Brussels.

Looking ahead, the Reach Out team plans to expand its activities into Wallonia, furthering its efforts to support migrants in precarious situations across Belgium.

For further details, please read the press release from Fedasil (in French or in Dutch).