New series: 18… And Now What? Exploring the challenges facing young displaced people transitioning into adulthood
On the day of Hana’s* 18th birthday, she was evicted from the shelter — her belongings packed into bags, her future uncertain.
“I wondered when I was ever going to catch a break.”
Turning 18 is often celebrated as a milestone. It’s a time to dream big, embrace independence, and take those first steps into adulthood. But for Hana, and most unaccompanied minors in Greece, this birthday isn’t a hopeful beginning - it’s a deadline. And the question they’re left with isn’t what’s next? It’s: how will I survive?
“It feels like a jungle becoming an adult’’
Unaccompanied migrant child, Greece (1)
For the Canopy Collective, we know this must change. Through this new collaborative series, we aim to highlight the challenges displaced youth face turning 18 in Greece and advocate for policy reform that ensures a safer, more supported path into adulthood.
The situation for minors
Under Greek law and European frameworks, unaccompanied minors (children under the age of 18 without a parent or guardian) are entitled to a range of protections and support. This includes access to safe accommodation in dedicated shelters, the appointment of a legal guardian, education, healthcare, and protection from detention or deportation.
However, in practice, these rights are not always fully upheld. Access to education, mental health care, legal aid, and broader social support services is often inadequate due to a lack of resources (2). The situation has become even more strained as arrivals of unaccompanied minors to Greece have surged — doubling from 1,490 in 2023 to over 3,000 in 2024 (3).
So what happens when an already fragile support system disappears simply because a child turns 18?
Turning 18: From protection to precarity
Young people’s access to protections and support abruptly ends. They are no longer eligible to reside in shelters designated for minors, and any state-appointed guardianship ends without continued support.
This can feel like being pushed off a cliff without a parachute. Expected to become fully self-sufficient almost overnight, often without speaking Greek, young people are left to navigate an unfamiliar and complex system without guidance or resources. Most face limited access to safe housing, healthcare, education, and employment opportunities.
“When they turn 18, young people are told to ‘go away’. Now you have to rent your own apartment, find a job, find your food, and pay the bills.”
Eleftheria, Social Worker, Velos Youth
Although Greece’s refugee integration programme, HELIOS+, relaunched a few weeks ago (4), access to its services remains out of reach for most. Young people face steep entry barriers, such as securing a rental contract whilst unemployed. This blocks access to the support meant to help them.
The consequences
Refugee youth face significantly increased risks of isolation, forced labour, trafficking, and modern slavery. Many are forced into precarious work or homelessness, becoming trapped in a cycle of poverty and survival.
Young girls face a heightened risk of gender-based violence due to intersecting gender and socio-economic inequalities. Structural barriers, such as limited access to education, gendered expectations around caregiving, and discrimination in the labour market, leave them vulnerable to exploitation, low-paid informal work, or survival strategies like transactional sex.
With no clear path forward and countless challenges ahead, young boys and girls are left to navigate an uncertain future. And so the question we’re asking is: “18… and now what?”
Exploring the challenges
In the coming months, we’ll explore this question in depth. We’ll unpack the interconnected challenges facing displaced youth as they turn 18 in Greece—from legal obstacles and housing insecurity to education, employment, and health care barriers. To gain a holistic understanding of the current landscape, we will hear from young men and women who have navigated this transition and speak to experts and key stakeholders. Through these stories and insights, we aim to raise awareness, inspire solidarity, and advocate for more sustainable and inclusive policies.
“Treating 18 as the arbitrary end of care abandons children at the very moment they need stability and guidance the most. No young person should face adulthood alone - especially not after surviving displacement, trauma, and loss.”
Gabrielle Tay, Founder, Action for Women
Add your voice
Do you have a perspective, interest, or opinion on this issue that you would like to share as part of this series? If so, please get in touch with natasha@velosyouth.org. We welcome your thoughts and insights as we work toward a future where every young person can walk into adulthood with confidence, dignity, and opportunity.
*Name has been changed to protect identity.
The Canopy Collective is a grassroots initiative that Velos Youth, Action for Women, and Mazí Housing established in 2024. Together, we provide a centralised hub and safe space for displaced youth aged 16-30 in Athens, delivering integrated, holistic support. As the only centre in Greece offering such a wide range of coordinated services, we prioritise self-reliance and long-term stability. We believe that young people are experts in their own lives and empower them as agents of change, creating attainable and sustainable pathways to resilient futures.
Reference list
Council of Europe. (2023). From protection to adulthood: A compendium of promising practices supporting unaccompanied children in their transition to adulthood. Retrieved from https://rm.coe.int/compendium-transition-to-adulthood-fin/1680abcbb0
Chatzitheodoridis, C., & Katsiaficas, C. (2021). Housing and social policies for unaccompanied refugee minors in Greece. Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies, 19(4), 466–482. https://doi.org/10.1080/15562948.2021.1876966
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). (2025). Europe sea arrivals – Operational data portal. Retrieved from https://data.unhcr.org/en/situations/europe-sea-arrivals
International Organization for Migration (IOM). (n.d.). HELIOS integration project – Greece. Retrieved from https://greece.iom.int/el/helios
