What Convivial asbl does

Convivial asbl is a Belgian non-profit association headquartered in Forest, Brussels, founded in 1994 by Marie-Noëlle de Schoutheete and Florida Mukeshimana to support refugee integration through mutual listening and reciprocal engagement. The organization operates through two legal entities (Convivium asbl and Convivialités asbl), both recognized as Social and Democratic Enterprises by the Brussels-Capital Region, and serves refugees and other legally resident foreign-origin newcomers (primo-arrivants) across nine interconnected service lines: BAPA reception and mandatory welcome parcours, psychosocial social services, housing assistance, material aid, socio-professional guidance, the Vivre Ensemble social cohesion program, carpentry pre-training, awareness campaigns, and the One Stop Shop employment-orientation project. Since receiving its Bureau d'Accueil pour Primo-Arrivants (BAPA) agrément in June 2019, it has delivered the Brussels mandatory welcome programme in 12 or more languages through a team of ~88 paid staff and 26 integration contractors drawn from 26 nationalities.

The underlying operating model is a publicly subsidized human services platform rather than a technology product. Service delivery occurs at two physical locations (Forest and Anderlecht) plus outreach, with walk-in registration desks, scheduled appointments, and home visits. Convivial is funded primarily by Belgian regional and community government subsidies — Cocom (€2,241,000 for BAPA in 2025), COCOF (€65,000), and the Brussels-Capital Region for its social enterprise arms — supplemented by European Union project co-financing (notably Ma Place en Belgique, €1,403,620 EU share; refugee support €283,522; work-based training €114,982.56), Actiris and FSE+ support for One Stop Shop, individual donations via Koalect, material donations, and in-kind contributions such as Sibelga's free Forest premises since 2001. All services to beneficiaries are provided free of charge.

Scale evidence for 2024 includes 1,753 new registrations, 1,545 social service dossiers covering 2,897 persons, 970 housing cases covering 2,062 persons, 711 families receiving material aid, and 60% of One Stop Shop participants successfully oriented to employment, training, or entrepreneurship. The organization collaborates with approximately 15 Brussels Public Centers for Social Welfare on Article 60 insertion contracts and with property partners Logement Pour Tous and CIRE on rental guarantees, reflecting a dense Brussels-only ecosystem with no current geographic expansion beyond the Brussels-Capital Region.

Name

Convivial asbl

Legal name

Convivium asbl

Website

https://convivial.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Convivial asbl is a Brussels-based non-profit, founded 1994, that delivers free multilingual integration services — including reception, housing, material aid, socio-professional guidance, and training — to refugees and legally resident newcomers across two locations, funded mainly by regional and EU public subsidies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Refugee Integration and Social Welfare Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Educational Services (611), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Emergency and Other Relief Services (62423)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Integration & Inclusion Services (Housing, Education, Employment) (BPADAHAI), Refugee & Migrant Integration Enterprises (Livelihoods, Services) (BPAGALAN), Refugee & Humanitarian Newcomer Orientation (Resettlement Support) (EDAAADAI), Immigrant/Integration Language Programs (ESL/ESOL, Civics-Integrated) (EDAMAFAK), Immigrant & Refugee Workforce Integration Programs (EDAAAOAJ), Immigrant & Refugee Community Education (Integration/Navigation) (EDAAAFAH)

Keywords

• Refugee integration services
• Social welfare services
• Housing assistance programs
• Language training courses
• Psychosocial support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Forest (Bruxelles)

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government Subsidies: Primary funding from public institutions including Cocom (€2,241,000 in 2025), COCOF (€65,000 in 2025 for social cohesion project), Brussels-Capital Region for social enterprise activities (€191,613.04 for Convivium, €54,746.58 for Convivialité), and EU co-financing through various programs
2. Individual Donations: Financial donations from individuals via online platform (Koalect) and bank transfer
3. Material Donations: Collection and distribution of furniture, clothing, and household items donated by individuals and businesses
4. Project-based EU Funding: European co-financing for specific projects including Ma Place en Belgique (€1,403,620 EU co-financing of €2,366,428 total), refugee support projects (€283,522 EU of €493,464), work-based training (€114,982.56 EU of €285,707.99)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Convivial asbl provides free, multilingual social integration services for refugees and newcomers in Brussels, including psychosocial support, housing assistance, material aid, French/Dutch language training coordination, socio-professional guidance, carpentry vocational training, citizenship education, and intercultural community activities. Services are delivered through two physical BAPA offices in Forest and Anderlecht and supplemented by EU-co-funded projects (Ma Place en Belgique, One Stop Shop) targeting professional and civic integration.

Product overview

Convivial asbl is a Belgian non-profit organization (founded 1994) that provides a comprehensive ecosystem of social integration services for refugees and legal newcomers in Brussels. The organization operates through nine interconnected services: BAPA (reception and orientation), Social Services (psychosocial support), Housing, Material Assistance, Socio-Professional Guidance, Living Together (social cohesion), Carpentry Training, and Awareness Campaigns. These services work collaboratively to guide beneficiaries from arrival through full integration into Belgian society, addressing needs ranging from basic material requirements to professional development and intercultural exchange.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BAPA (Bureau d'Accueil pour Primo-Arrivants) Official reception and orientation office for newly arrived foreign-origin persons in Brussels, providing social assessments, language evaluations, 60-hour citizenship training modules, and coordination of French/Dutch language courses up to CEFR level A2.
• Service Social (Social Worker) Psychosocial support service for refugees and newcomers offering active listening, administrative assistance, legal aid referrals, mental health referrals, and family reunification support.
• Service Logement (Housing) Housing assistance service helping refugees find sustainable accommodation, providing information on tenant rights, mediation services, rental guarantee loans, and transit/solidarity housing solutions in partnership with Logement Pour Tous and CIRE.
• Aide Matérielle (Material Assistance) Material aid service providing refugees with furniture, clothing, household items, and food parcels to meet basic needs upon arrival in Belgium.
• Guidance Socio-Professionnelle Socio-professional guidance service offering individual and group support for career development, job search assistance, diploma equivalency help, and digital skills coaching for refugees and newcomers.
• Vivre Ensemble (Living Together) Social cohesion program featuring conversation tables, cross-cultural encounters, and socio-cultural activities that bring together refugees and local Belgian residents.
• Préformation Menuiserie (Carpentry Training) Work-based training workshop in carpentry offering 480 hours of practical training over 16 weeks, combined with French and basic math refresher courses for job seekers.
• Sensibilisation (Awareness Campaigns) Educational awareness program 'Asile Pas à Pas' offering interactive sessions to inform citizens, companies, schools, and institutions about refugee realities, migration journeys, and asylum procedures.
• One Stop Shop Co-funded project providing comprehensive support for primo-arrivants including exploratory modules, career planning, and personalized coaching in multiple languages to facilitate professional integration.
• Ma Place en Belgique EU-co-funded project offering citizenship courses in multiple languages and complementary activities focused on professional projects, digital inclusion, and socio-cultural participation for non-European primo-arrivants.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,753 new registrations processed in 2024
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered major, support and core.

• SibelgamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2001, Sibelga provides premises in Forest free of charge. This is a significant in-kind partnership supporting Convivial's operations.
• SETIS (Service d'Interprétariat Social)supportStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial interpretation services used when Convivial's multilingual team needs additional language support beyond their existing 20+ languages.
• Logement Pour ToussupportStrategic or Co-development PartnerProperty management partner offering rental guarantees, rent collection, lease registration, and damage coverage for landlords renting to refugees through Convivial.
• CIRE (Coordination et Initiatives pour Réfugiés et Étrangers)supportStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for rental guarantees in blocked accounts, collaborating with Convivial on housing solutions.
• Brussels CPAS Network (15 CPAS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with approximately 15 Brussels Public Centers for Social Welfare for insertion contracts (Article 60), providing work experience opportunities for refugees.
• Language Training OperatorssupportStrategic or Co-development PartnerExternal specialist partners providing French and Dutch language training up to CEFR level A2, coordinated through BAPA based on beneficiary needs and location.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• France Terre d'Asile: Major French refugee support NGO providing reception, legal aid, and integration services for asylum seekers. Comparable to Convivial because both operate as NGO specialists delivering multi-service integration support in a francophone European context with similar refugee origin populations.
• Vluchtelingenwerk Nederland (Dutch Council for Refugees): Dutch national refugee support organization providing legal aid, integration support, and shelter coordination. Comparable to Convivial because both are NGO refugee integration specialists within their respective Benelux welfare systems, with similar BAPA-equivalent welcome programme roles.
• CAW (Centrum Algemeen Welzijnswerk): Flemish network of social welfare centers providing psychosocial support, housing assistance, and integration services. Comparable to Convivial because both deliver similar welfare and integration services to newcomers in Belgium, though CAW operates across Flanders while Convivial is Brussels-based.

Broad incumbents

• Caritas International Belgium: Belgian federation of social welfare and humanitarian organizations supporting vulnerable populations including refugees. Comparable to Convivial because both deliver social assistance and integration services in Belgium and rely on a mix of public funding and donations.
• Croix-Rouge de Belgique (Belgian Red Cross): Major Belgian humanitarian organization providing shelter, material aid, and integration support. Comparable to Convivial because both deliver direct social services to refugees, including material aid and psychosocial support, with multilingual staff and Brussels-based operations.
• OXFAM-Solidarité: Belgian francophone Oxfam affiliate working on social justice, migration, and inequality. Comparable to Convivial because both are francophone Belgian NGOs providing integration support and advocacy for refugee and migrant populations.
• Fedasil (Federal Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers): Belgian federal agency responsible for the reception of asylum seekers across Belgium. Comparable to Convivial because both serve refugee/newcomer populations and operate within the same Belgian reception and integration ecosystem, though Fedasil operates at federal scale while Convivial is Brussels-region and NGO-led.

Direct peers

• Bon (Bond van Buitenlandse Huispersoneel en Vluchtelingenwerking) / Vluchtelingenwerk Belgium: Belgian national refugee support organization providing legal aid, psychosocial support, and integration assistance. Comparable to Convivial because both are Belgium-rooted refugee NGOs delivering multi-language reception and integration services funded through public and EU grants.
• CIRE (Coordination et Initiatives pour Réfugiés et Étrangers): Brussels-based refugee and migrant support NGO providing legal aid, documentation, and integration support. Comparable to Convivial because both are Brussels-rooted NGOs serving the same refugee populations, already collaborating on rental guarantees (per Convivial partnership data).
• Logement Pour Tous: Brussels-based housing association supporting refugees and vulnerable populations with rental mediation and guarantees. Comparable to Convivial because both operate in the same Brussels refugee housing ecosystem and are already formal partners (Convivial refers beneficiaries to Logement Pour Tous for rental guarantees).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Convivial-103654935134879
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/convivial-asbl
• Instagraminstagram.com/convivial.be/?hl=fr

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Convivial asbl