vluchtelingenwerk vlaanderen

Name

vluchtelingenwerk vlaanderen

Legal name

Vluchtelingenwerk Vlaanderen vzw

Website

https://vluchtelingenwerk.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Refugee and Immigration Support Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Other Individual and Family Services (62419)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Migrant & Refugee Legal Aid and Documentation Services (BPADAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Immigrant & Refugee Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAG), Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance (BPAGAAAH), Refugee Reception & Registration (BPADAHAA)

Keywords

• Refugee legal aid
• Asylum support services
• Humanitarian assistance
• Migration advocacy
• Volunteer coordination

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussel

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Gifts: Individual donors contribute one-time or recurring donations. The organization runs donation campaigns and fundraising actions. Gift amounts of €15, €40, €75 are mentioned as examples of impact.
2. Government Grants and Subsidies: The organization receives funding from government bodies including the Flemish government for specific projects like the starterskit and regional coordination.
3. Shop Sales: The organization operates a webshop selling merchandise including educational materials such as the comic book on migration.
4. Membership Fees: Member organizations pay membership fees to be part of the Vluchtelingenwerk network.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Vluchtelingenwerk Vlaanderen provides free legal support, reception, and policy advocacy for refugees and asylum seekers in Flanders, Belgium. The organization operates direct service channels including Startpunt (reception/intake), Infolijn (information helpline), and Juridische Helpdesk (legal advice), serving approximately 10,000 people annually. Beyond direct services, it conducts policy work and lobbying on migration issues and coordinates a network of member organizations and volunteers.

Product overview

Vluchtelingenwerk Vlaanderen is a non-profit refugee support organization operating since 1987 with approximately 30 member organizations and numerous volunteers. The organization offers a comprehensive suite of services organized around five pillars: (1) Information and Reception - Startpunt (volunteer contact team for asylum seekers) and Infolijn (information line); (2) Legal Support - Juridische Helpdesk (serving ~10,000 people/year) and Materialendatabank (online legal resource database); (3) Policy & Advocacy - lobbying and campaigns for fairer migration policy; (4) Publications & Resources - including the Starterskit, Inspiratiegids, Toolkit Gastvrij Netwerk, migration comic book, and OCMW checklists; (5) Volunteer Support - Regional coordinators and practical guides. The organization also organizes the annual Refugee Walk and publishes multilingual policy analysis documents.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Startpunt Direct reception and intake service providing refugees and asylum seekers with first-line information, orientation, and guidance in Flanders.
• Juridische Helpdesk Free legal helpdesk providing advice and guidance on asylum procedures and refugee law to individuals in Flanders.
• Infolijn Telephone information helpline providing answers to questions from refugees, asylum seekers, and member organizations about rights, procedures, and services.
• Beleidswerk en Lobby Policy work and lobbying targeting Belgian and Flemish authorities to influence migration and asylum policy, including producing position papers such as brochures on the federal government agreement.
• Regionale Steunpunten Regional support points that coordinate local member organization activity and provide on-the-ground support across Flanders.
• Refugee Walk Awareness and fundraising walking event organized to support refugees and amplify the organization's message.
• Toolkit Gastvrij Netwerk Toolkit providing practical guidance for local host networks welcoming and supporting refugees in their communities.
• Checklist OCMW Practical checklist for OCMW (Public Centers for Social Welfare) staff on rights and procedures when supporting refugees.
• Inspiratiegids Inspiration guide developed for member organizations and partners working with refugees.
• Praktijkgids Practical guide for member organizations and partners supporting refugees on the ground.
• Starterskit Starter kit supporting new member organizations or partners getting started in refugee support work.
• Stripboek Migratie Comic book explaining migration and asylum procedures in an accessible visual format for a broad audience.

Quantifiable outcome

• Legal helpdesk supports 10,000 people annually who would otherwise have no access to their rights
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gastvrij Netwerk vzwcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on volunteer support networks and practical guides for volunteers working with refugees. Jointly developed the Starterkit for volunteers and Inspiratiegids for supporting vulnerable refugee families. Gastvrij Netwerk supports volunteer organizations at local level.
• Caritas InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on policy recommendations for Ukrainian displaced persons regarding reception, inclusion, and future. Both organizations advocate for sustainable policies for refugees.
• ORBIT vzwcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on policy recommendations for Ukrainian displaced persons. ORBIT works on refugee support and integration, collaborating on joint recommendations to policymakers.
• Ukrainian VoicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner in advocating for Ukrainian displaced persons' rights. Represents the voice of Ukrainian refugees in Belgium.
• Move CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational coalition of NGOs (Vluchtelingenwerk Vlaanderen, Caritas International, CIRÉ, Jesuit Refugee Service Belgium) conducting accredited visits to closed detention centers. Goal is to end detention of migrants for administrative reasons.
• CIRÉcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of Move Coalition conducting visits to closed detention centers to ensure detainees have access to their rights.
• Jesuit Refugee Service BelgiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of Move Coalition providing spiritual and social support to refugees and asylum seekers, including visits to detention centers.
• 11.11.11minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on paper about pushbacks at European borders. Joint policy advocacy on migration and refugee rights at EU level.
• Coalitie Iedereen BeschermdcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition that organized studiedag on social work as human rights profession. Brings together social workers, unions, civil society organizations, academics, and human rights organizations.
• Thomas More Hogeschool, Campus Sint-AndriesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHost institution for the studiedag 'Social Work as Human Rights Profession' organized by Coalitie Iedereen Beschermd.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Vluchtelingenwerk Nederland: Dutch sister organization providing legal aid, advocacy, and shelter support for refugees and asylum seekers in the Netherlands; same operating model, mission, and service mix (legal helpdesk, policy work, volunteer network), differing only by country.
• CIRÉ (Coordination et Initiatives pour Réfugiés et Étrangers): Belgian francophone umbrella coordinating NGOs on refugee and migrant rights; Move Coalition partner with Vluchtelingenwerk on detention visits; comparable legal-advocacy and information-line services.
• Caritas International Belgium: Belgian humanitarian organization providing reception, legal advice, and integration support for asylum seekers and refugees; active Move Coalition and Ukrainian policy partner of Vluchtelingenwerk.
• Jesuit Refugee Service Belgium: Provides spiritual and social accompaniment to refugees and asylum seekers in Belgium, including detention visits; Move Coalition partner with comparable service footprint.
• ORBIT vzw: Belgian NGO focused on refugee support and integration; joint policy work with Vluchtelingenwerk on Ukrainian displacement and broader refugee rights.
• Gastvrij Netwerk vzw: Belgian network supporting local volunteer organizations hosting and welcoming refugees; co-develops tools (Starterkit, Inspiratiegids) with Vluchtelingenwerk and shares the volunteer-coordination model.

Broad incumbents

• Fedasil (Federal Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers): Belgian federal government agency responsible for reception and material support of asylum seekers; a much larger institutional incumbent that overlaps with Vluchtelingenwerk's Startpunt and Infolijn functions as part of a broader mandate.
• 11.11.11: Belgian federation of development NGOs coordinating public campaigns and policy advocacy; Vluchtelingenwerk has collaborated with 11.11.11 on EU pushback policy papers.
• Myria (Federal Migration Centre): Belgian independent public body producing migration data, legal analyses, and reports; comparable informational and policy-monitoring function to Vluchtelingenwerk's policy work, though government-funded.
• European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE): Pan-European alliance of 100+ NGOs working on asylum and refugee rights; broader geographic mandate but overlapping advocacy, legal-aid, and policy research functions.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xbsky.app/profile/vluchtelingenwerk.bsky.social
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/VluchtelingenwerkVL
• Facebookfacebook.com/VluchtelingenwerkVlaanderen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vluchtelingenwerk-vlaanderen
• Instagraminstagram.com/vluchtelingenwerkvl

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 vluchtelingenwerk vlaanderen