Advance Justice for Refugees and Migrants in Greece

Learn refugee and asylum law while partnering with local legal organizations and leading educational workshops for unaccompanied refugee minors in Athens.

Why Global Brigades

"Inspire, mobilize, and collaborate with communities to achieve their own health and economic goals."

Student-lead movement

University Chapters

Student volunteers

Community members served

Year-round local staff

Legal Empowerment extends our holistic model into access to justice from donations, pairing passionate students with local legal professionals.

Join an International Network

Global Brigades has worked with more than 100 universities over the past 20+ years, and partners with the UNDP, Kiva, the World Bank and some of the world's biggest development agencies.

Penn Home

Recognized by and partnered with:

Our Sustainable Legal Empowerment Model


1

Student Chapters

Education, preparation, moot trials, and awareness.

2

Local Legal Partners

Local legal organizations provide legal representation while introducing students to asylum procedures, migration law, and refugee rights.

3

Refugee Support

Students lead educational workshops for unaccompanied refugee minors while partner organizations continue providing legal services.

4

Year-Round Follow-Up

Continuous case management by local professionals.

 

Note: Throughout the week, students learn directly from legal professionals working in refugee law while engaging in educational programming with unaccompanied refugee minors. Rather than providing legal services themselves, volunteers deepen their understanding of international human rights and migration law while supporting community education initiatives. Students do not replace licensed attorneys. You will work under local professional guidance.

Your Role During Brigade

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Lead educational workshops for unaccompanied refugee minors
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Learn refugee and European asylum law
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Reflect on ethical and trauma-informed advocacy
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Participate in the Farmakonissi moot court simulation
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Explore asylum procedures and migration policy
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Visit leading refugee legal organizations
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Experience Global Brigades' holistic development model

Career and Leadership Outcomes

For pre-law and public-interest students

Why Greece

Athens is a major hub with critical needs for refugee and migrant communities, shelters, and local legal partners. Students gain firsthand exposure to one of Europe's most important refugee legal systems while learning how legal organizations advocate for asylum seekers and migrants.

The Legal Access Challenge

Asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants face significant barriers to navigating complex legal systems and securing their rights.

  • =
    Limited access to legal representation
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    Complex and changing asylum processes
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    Language and documentation barriers
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    Long delays and legal uncertainty
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    Detention and deportation risks
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    Barriers to family reunification

Greece

Supporting increase access to the universal right to justice for refugee and asylum seekers.

With a focus on human rights education and partnered with the Greek Council for Refugees, volunteers will provide practical legal education that complements the legal empowerment mission of increasing access to the right to asylum. Volunteers have a firsthand look at how Global Brigades works alongside and supports the refugee community in Athens, Greece.

Donations Goals

$1,680

Avg. airfare $1,480

Lodging Facilities

Global Brigades does an annual safety review of all lodging facility partners each year. Lodging facilities provide pillows, bedsheets and towels. Facilities have showers, toilets and sinks with running water (no hot water) as well as filtered clean drinking water dispensers onsite. 24-hour security is provided at all facilities. Conditions are most similar to a comfortable summer camp, with dormitory-style sleeping and shared bathrooms.

Engineering Brigades are assigned to lodging facilities based on proximity to the partner community they will be working with.

Hotel y Club Morazan

Hotel y Club Morazan sits along the Pan-American highway in the south of Honduras. It is located in the town of San Lorenzo – a fairly large town in Honduras – in the department of Valle. Although this facility does function as a hotel when students are not present, all compound rules that apply at our other compounds apply here as well, including that all students must stay on hotel premises at all times unless accompanied by staff members. Here, brigaders can enjoy the hotel pool and several indoor and outdoor lounge areas. Global Brigades has used this hotel for approximately 4 years, since the beginning of Medical and Dental brigades began working in the south of Honduras.

Hotel del Angel

Hotel del Angel facility is located approximately 1.5 hours from San Pedro Sula, in the department of La Paz. Here, brigaders enjoy use of the hotel’s spacious seating areas and views. Global Brigades has used the Hotel del Angel facility since the first Medical Brigades in La Paz and Comayagua back in March 2019.

Posada Azul

The Posada Azul facility is located in a valley approximately 1 hour and 30 mintues east of Tegucigalpa. Here, brigaders enjoy a beautiful view of a landscape full of green pastures, sugar cane fields and distant mountains. Global Brigades Honduras has used the Posada Azul facility for more than 5 years, and it has housed hundreds of brigaders.

El Censo

The El Censo lodging facility is located in a valley approximately 1 hour and 30 mintues east of Tegucigalpa. Here, brigaders enjoy a beautiful view of a landscape full of green pastures, sugar cane fields and distant mountains. Global Brigades Honduras has used the El Censo facility for more than 2 years, and it has housed hundreds of brigaders.

Hotel Novotel

Novotel sits in the center of Panama City, about 40 minutes from Panama’s international airport. Global Brigades Panama began using this hotel in 2018 to accommodate any brigades that needed to stay in Panama City. Brigades do not typically stay in Panama City; Global Brigades Panama only uses this facility during emergencies and cases involving extenuating circumstances. Emergency medical care is available in several hospitals in the city.

Hacienda Doña Victoria

Hostal Hacienda Doña Victoria is located in the county of Campana, Capira District, just 40 minutes from Panama City (West Panama). The facilities of the hostel gives the brigaders a good place to spend time, they offer great spaces to reflect or to organize a good game in our sports area and on the other hand you will enjoy the pool, hammocks, BBQ and their Comfortable private rooms with air conditioning.

Hostal Finca Ely

Hostal Finca Ely is located in Tambo, Coclé about 2 a half an hour drive from Penonomé Centre, in West Panama. The facilities of the hostel gives the brigaders a good place to spend time, they offer great spaces to reflect or to organize a good game in our sports area and on the other hand you will enjoy the pool and their Comfortable rooms.

Oasis de Bendición

As the name implies, it is the ideal place to relax after a hard day. It has beautiful landscapes, spacious bedrooms with cabins to encourage coexistence among volunteers. It has a terrace for meetings, multiple areas for indoor recreational activities. It is located a few meters from the main road which provides good access to it.

Iguana Eco Resort

It is a wide place that offers the experience to the volunteers of being in contact with nature. It offers various activities such as hiking. It has cozy rooms with air conditioning, 2 swimming pools and a meeting area. It is located near the city of Penonomé. It is the ideal place to rest after a long day of work in the brigade

Pro Niños

Pro Ninos was one of the first lodges used by GB in its trajectory in the Darien area. It is a beautiful camp in which you can enjoy its variable flora and fauna. It has wooded areas and open spaces to recreate in contact with nature.

Hotel Tonosi

It is located on the Pan-American Highway in the Meteti sector, it has cozy rooms, of four and five people, with color television and air conditioning. It has a covered terrace and countryside landscapes. He is known for his good food and great hospitality.

Hotel Avicar

Hotel Avicar sits along the Pan-American highway, approximately 40 minutes after passing Lago Bayano and is in the center of the town of Torti. Here, brigaders enjoy a beautiful view of a landscape full of green mountains and farms’ pastures. Also, brigaders staying at Hotel Avicar get see how life plays out in a rural town in East Panama. Emergency medical care is available
in Torti.

El Palmar

The El Palmar hostel sits along the Pan-American highway, approximately 30 minutes after passing Lago Bayano and approximately 10 minutes before reaching the town of Torti. Here, brigaders enjoy a beautiful view of a landscape full of green mountains and farms’ pastures. Global Brigades Panama has used El Palmar for several years, and it has housed hundreds of brigaders. Emergency medical care is easily accessible in Torti.

Asamblea de Dios

Campamento Asambleas De Dios, San Carlos, Panama is a large facility that sits only about 800 meters from the main road(Via Panamericana) approximately 2 hours from Panama City. Here, brigaders enjoy a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean. Global Brigades Panama has been using the San Carlos facility since March 2015. Emergency medical care is available at the Health Center in the town of San Carlos, approximately 2 minutes from this facility.

The Log Cab Inn

The Log Cab-Inn lodging facility is located in the San Ignacio town at the Cayo District. Here, brigaders enjoy an eternal Summer like environment. This beautiful lodging facility offers cozy double and triple rooms plus with all accommodations, the amenity of having a swimming pool and a hiking trail.

Brown Kubic Hotel

Brown Kubic Hotel is one of the current tentative lodging facilities for Brigades in Greece. Global Brigades has done a safety review of this hotel. It is located right at the Center of Athens, only 10 minutes by foot from the GB Athens Clinic.

Novus City Hotel

Novus City Hotel is one of the current tentative lodging facilities for Brigades in Greece. Global Brigades has done a safety review of this hotel.  It is located right at the Center of Athens, only 5 minutes by foot  from the GB Athens Clinic and in a vibrant neighborhood.

To Spiti (The Home)

To Spiti lodging facility is run by Global Brigades Greece for volunteers. It is located at the center of Athens, opposite the city’s second-largest public park, Pedion Areos (meaning Fields of Mars).

Villas del Valle

The Villas del Valle lodging facility is located in the mountains approximately 1 hour northwest of Tegucigalpa. Here, brigaders enjoy a cool climate high up in the mountains near the town of Valle de los Angeles. Global Brigades Honduras has used the Villas del Valle facility for more than 3 years, housing hundreds of brigaders.

Casa del Sol

The Casa del Sol facility is located approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes south of Tegucigalpa. Here, brigaders enjoy use of the hotel’s spacious seating areas and views of distant mountains.

Posada Azul

The Posada Azul facility is located in a valley approximately 1 hour and 30 mintues east of Tegucigalpa. Here, brigaders enjoy a beautiful view of a landscape full of green pastures, sugar cane fields and distant mountains. Global Brigades Honduras has used the Posada Azul facility for more than 5 years, and it has housed hundreds of brigaders.

Bobmah Hotel

Bobmah Hotel is located at Abura Dunkwa, about 30 minutes North-West of Cape Coast in the Abura Asebu Kwamankese (AAK) District of Ghana. one of the two Districts that GB Ghana works with. The facility is located in Abura Dunkwa which is about 5 minutes drive from the Abura Asebu Kwamankese District Assembly Office and also 30-40 minutes away from most of the communities that GB Ghana works with.

The facility has a total of 18 en suite rooms with air-conditioning. It is also well fenced and gated with 24 hour security present and CCTV cameras fitted at all corners to ensure the safety and security of volunteers at all times.

Weda Ocean View Resort

Weda Ocean View Resort is located 30 minutes from the historical Ghanaian town of Cape Coast along the sandy beach of the Atlantic Ocean on the Accra-Cape Coast highway. The brick hotel situated on top of hill overlooks the Atlantic Ocean and the Anomabo Township and has a rooftop terrace where guests can relax and enjoy the salty sea breeze.

The rooms are fitted with air conditioners, refrigerators, writing desks, armchairs, and wardrobes. Each room has a private bathroom with complimentary toiletries.

Weda Ocean View Resort’s restaurant is operated by trained staff of Global Brigades and serves the best of local and continental cuisines. Laundry service is provided at no cost to volunteers once a week.

Weda Ocean View Resort is also 1.5 hours from the Ekumfi District where all Global Brigades Ghana communities are located.

Centro de Retiros Jireh

The Centro de Retiros Jireh lodging facility is located in the city of Chimaltenango, approximately 2 hours northwest of Guatemala City. The facility includes a dining area, outdoor patio, and swimming pool.

Centro de Capacitación Maya Uleu

The Centro de Capacitación Maya Uleu lodging facility is located approximately 2 hours northwest of Guatemala City. Here, brigaders enjoy a beautiful view of a landscape full of lush greenery and distant mountains.

Sample Brigade Itinerary

A balanced week of impact, education, and cultural immersion.

DAY 1: Arrival

Airport pickup, intro to GB, welcome dinner, Greek lesson & quiz


9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Airport pick up, transport to lodging facility & settle in
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM Introduction to Global Brigades
7:00 PM Dinner
8:00 PM - 9:00 PM Welcome to Greece, Greek lesson & quiz
DAY 2: Refugee & European Asylum Law

GB's work in Greece, refugee/migrant rights & advocacy guest talk, city center walk, language class.


8:00 AM Breakfast
9:00 AM Global Brigades - our work in Greece
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Refugee & migrant rights and advocacy (guest talk)
1:00 PM Lunch
2:00 PM Transport
3:00 PM City center walk
5:00 PM Language class
DAY 3: Visit the Greek Council for Refugees

Refugee context & unaccompanied minors session, GB Athens clinic visit, charla preparation.


8:00 AM Breakfast
9:00 AM Refugee context & unaccompanied children talk
11:00 AM Holistic component: visit to GB Athens clinic
1:00 PM Lunch
2:00 PM Charla preparation
6:00 PM Transport to lodging facility
7:00 PM Dinner
8:00 PM Reflection
DAY 4: Educational Workshops with Unaccompanied Refugee Minors

Visit to shelter for unaccompanied minors, charla, and asylum law case study preparation.


8:00 AM Breakfast
9:00 AM Visit to shelter for unaccompanied minors 1 - charla
1:00 PM Lunch
2:00 PM Transport
3:00 PM Preparation - case study / mock-up case of asylum law & process
7:00 PM Dinner
8:00 PM Reflection
DAY 5: Farmakonissi Moot Court Simulation

Mock asylum seeker case study, business program component, second shelter visit.


8:00 AM Breakfast
9:00 AM Case study / mock-up case of asylum seeker process
1:00 PM Lunch
2:00 PM Free time
3:00 PM Holistic component: business program
5:00 PM Visit to shelter for unaccompanied minors 2
7:00 PM Dinner
8:00 PM Reflection
DAY 6: Culture

Meeting with refugee community representatives, Acropolis visit, Plaka walk, final celebration.


8:00 AM Breakfast
9:00 AM Meeting with refugee community representatives
11:00 AM Visit to Acropolis
2:00 PM Lunch
3:00 PM Athens city center - Plaka walk
7:00 PM Dinner
8:00 PM Final reflection & celebration
DAY 7: Departure

Breakfast and departure to the airport.


10:00 AM Breakfast
11:00 AM Depart to airport

Impact

18

Workshops in shelters for unaccompanied refugee minors

SINCE 2023

203

Unaccompanied refugee minors that participated in workshops

SINCE 2023

Donation Goals

Starting at $1,680 + Airfare

USD per volunteer · varies by country

BY COUNTRY

Greece

$1,680

Avg. airfare $1,480

Airfare

Group airfare to Greece (average $1,480)

Logistics

Ground transportation, lodging, meals

Support & Safety

Emergency insurance, translators

Legal Program

Workshops, donation to partner legal NGO

Safety, Ethics, and Responsible Service

Safety Protocols

  • Average 3:1 volunteer to staff ratio
  • Trained coordinators and local logistics team
  • Trained drivers and emergency support
  • STEP registration for U.S. volunteers
  • Embassy awareness and OSAC membership
Ethical Standards

  • Confidentiality and dignity
  • Informed consent
  • Trauma-informed engagement
  • No unauthorized legal advice
  • Working under local professional guidance
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Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to be a law student?

No, pre-law and public-interest students are welcome.

 

Are students participating in legal consultations?

No. Students do not provide legal advice or participate in legal consultations. Licensed legal professionals from our partner organizations provide all legal representation. Students learn about refugee and asylum law through educational sessions, visits to legal organizations, and a moot court simulation while leading educational workshops for unaccompanied refugee minors.

Where do my funds go?

Funds cover travel, logistics, translators, local staff, and donating to a partner NGO that provides direct legal support to refugees.

How does my fundraising support legal cases?

A portion of the donation is directed to fund legal case work, filing fees, and lawyer time, through our partnership with NGO Greek Council for Refugees.

Is Greece safe for students?

Yes. We maintain strict safety protocols, dedicated coordinators, and emergency support.

How many students are needed to start a chapter?

Typically 10+ students to form a successful brigade group.

Can faculty advisors participate?

Yes, faculty advisors are highly encouraged to join.

What happens after the brigade ends?

Local legal professionals provide year-round follow-up for the cases initiated.