Our Projects
We develop refugee empowerment and refugee representation projects and co-design activities with refugees, other foreigners and Lithuanians in the fields of entrepreneurship, advocacy, integration and education, which address needs and challenges of refugees and benefit the society.
Project: Volunteers Everywhere
The international initiative Volunteers Everywhere aims to support the integration of refugees from Ukraine through a mobile application that connects volunteers with refugees. The project is funded by the European Union under the ESF+ Social Innovation+ initiative.
Project Summary
The project seeks to:
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Develop and launch a user-friendly mobile application called VolEver to facilitate volunteer assistance,
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Establish a network of trained volunteers,
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Improve access to linguistic, material, and practical support for refugees,
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Promote cross-sector collaboration and the sharing of best practices among participating partners.
Project Coordinator
Organisation for Aid to Refugees (Organizace pro pomoc uprchlíkům - OPU.cz)
Poděbradská 4, 190 00 Prague 9
Project Partners
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Halina Nieć Legal Aid Center (Poland)
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Refugee Council of Lithuania (Lithuania)
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Slovenska Filantropija (Slovenia)
Project Outputs
Updates on the project's outcomes and results will be published regularly on our website and social media channels.
This project is co-funded by the European Union.
*The views and opinions expressed on this website are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Social Fund Agency. Neither the European Union nor the grant provider can be held responsible for them.
Bridging the Financial Gap Project (Enhancing Access to Financial Support), Sep 2024 - April 2025
The Bridging the Financial Gap project focuses on overcoming the significant challenges that refugee entrepreneurs in Lithuania face when seeking business financing, particularly grants.
By analyzing both refugees' needs and the existing financial support ecosystem, the project aims to expand opportunities for refugee-led businesses.
The project will identify refugee entrepreneurs' barriers to accessing financial support and offer practical solutions. These include raising awareness of available financial options, strengthening support networks, and improving access to financial products and services tailored to refugees' unique needs. The initiative will take a multifaceted approach, conducting a needs assessment, analyzing the grant ecosystem, mapping key partners, and engaging with relevant institutions to develop actionable guidelines. These guidelines will equip refugees with the knowledge to access essential financial services for their businesses in Lithuania effectively.
This project is generously funded by Atviros Lietuvos Fondas (The Open Lithuania Foundation).
The Voices of Strength: Refugee Empowerment through Storytelling and Advocacy. (July 2024- April 2025)
This project aims to inspire and uplift refugees by providing them with the tools and skills necessary to share their personal stories effectively, fostering a deeper understanding of EU values and strengthening the voices of refugee communities.
Increased awareness of EU values among refugees, enhanced communication skills and stronger self-advocacy ultimately are the positive outcomes that we anticipate from this project. We hope to contribute to the successful integration and empowerment of refugees in their new communities.The project is funded by the EU through the Open Lithuania Foundation program "Verta". (www.olf.lt/en)
Addressing Ukraine Situation Response in Lithuania by Building Entrepreneurial Competencies and Digital Skills for Refugees (October 2023-October 2025)
The project funded by the U.S Embassy in Vilnius and targets the sustainable integration of Ukrainian refugees into Lithuanian society by equipping them with entrepreneurial competencies, cybersecurity and digital skills.
Through workshops, language courses, and networking events, refugees are provided with the necessary tools to establish businesses or become self-employed. With a significant focus on Ukrainian participants, the project aims to enhance their digital knowledge, cybersecurity awareness, and entrepreneurship skills, eventually facilitating their long-term integration into the socioeconomic fabric of Lithuania.
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Establishing Dialogue with Refugees & Authorities Project (July – December 2024)
This initiative, led by the Refugee Council of Lithuania, fosters dialogue between refugee communities and key stakeholders, including government representatives, NGOs, and local experts.
Through a series of structured meetings and discussions, the project addresses integration challenges, promotes mutual
understanding, and enhances refugee representation in decision-making processes.Additionally, training sessions in fundraising and impact communication strengthen organizational capacity. By creating a platform for engagement, the project builds sustainable connections and facilitates the successful integration of refugees into Lithuanian society.
Funded through support from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Capacity Building and Partnerships between Baltic and Nordic Countries
(June 2023- April 2024)
This initiative aimed to enhance the organizational capacity of refugee-led organizations in Lithuania and Latvia through strategic partnerships and knowledge exchange with Nordic counterparts.
By learning from established partners, the project aimed to improve program management, integration strategies, and overall organizational effectiveness. Special attention was given to the inclusion of Ukrainian refugees, with a focus on capacity-building activities and onsite visits in Finland and Sweden. The project was implemented thanks to the funding by Nordic Council of Ministers’ Grant Programme for Nordic-Baltic Non-Governmental Organizations’.
Talent Together
(February 2023- April 2024)
Funded by the Programme of The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Refugee-led Innovation Fund, this project was initiated to empower refugees through entrepreneurship and digital skills development.
Divided into two phases, Talent Together focused on outreach and research in its initial phase, followed by the design and activation of entrepreneurship programs. Through personalized services and dedicated spaces, refugees were provided with the necessary tools and networks to nurture their business ideas and skills. Additionally, the project aimed to change societal perceptions of refugees by highlighting their potential as entrepreneurs and contributors to the community.
Continuing the dialogue with refugee communities in Lithuania (June 2023- December 2023)
Funded through support from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the project’s main goal was to establish a self-sustainable refugee representation platform in Lithuania, fostering dialogue among refugees from diverse communities. By organizing a series of meetings, refugees collaborated on solutions for socio economic inclusion, expanded their networks, and shared experiences in an all inclusive and supporting environment. The project facilitated direct participation in decision-making processes, promoted effective integration, and empowered refugees to contribute to their own well-being.
Refugee Dialogue Project
(July 2022 - December 2022)
This project was funded by the UNHCR, and connected refugees from different communities: Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Syria, Belarus and Turkey. It made people realise that they are not alone and hopefully, brought the sense of belonging to the community of people from different backgrounds but with the same destiny, sharing similar difficulties.
Capacity Building Project (September 2022 - December 2022)
This project was funded by the UNHCR.
The Refugee Council of Lithuania is always looking for new ways to improve his own work and the quality of his projects. For this reason, we participated in several trainings with the UNHCR (The UN Refugee Agency) and others NGO in Europe as Next Step Hungary.
Communities' bridge Trainings about Refugee rights & Cultural diversity
The Refugee Council of Lithuania together with its partners Vilnius Archdiocese Caritas and Arts Agency Artscape implemented the Communities's bridge project.
The project was co-financed by the National Program for Asylum, Migration and Integration 2014–2020 and the state budget of the Republic of Lithuania.
This training cycle consists of 12 interactive training sessions in Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipeda, Rukla for refugees and other third countries’ nationals, activities’ organizers, project volunteers and students of Lithuanian universities. The training activities provide opportunities to learn about cultural diversity, to build intercultural dialogues and friendships. They will be better equipped for intercultural activities and will improve their cultural awareness and knowledge about human rights.
