Unaccompanied Children and Youth Department

The department works with unaccompanied and separated refugee children and youth. Services and activities include: (1) information and support to access medical services, housing, practical assistance, and community links, (2) guidance and information about UNHCR and service providers in Cairo, (3) psychosocial and emotional support, (4) sports and social activities, (5) specialized education programs, and (6) employment and/or professional development opportunities for aged-out unaccompanied youth.

The Unaccompanied Children and Youth (UCY) Psychosocial Program provides one-to-one casework and psychosocial support to children and youth in Egypt without their parents. The program supports those with medical, mental health or social needs, such as shelter, security, community support, education, and general well-being and integration in Cairo.

The newest program in the Unaccompanied Children and Youth Department, established in 2021, is designed to increase the support for newly arrived unaccompanied children and youth and unaccompanied children and youth are still in need of assistance. The program strengthens StARS’ screening and on-call work at the Naimo Center and helps manage unaccompanied children on site. IERP ensured that each new child undergoes a thorough screening. After the screening, children are referred to appropriate services.

UYBP provides a hybrid education and psychosocial program for unaccompanied children and youth (UCY) in Cairo. UYBP serves UCY who are unable to access the education system in Egypt by providing an accelerated learning program that supports students to bridge into the Sudanese curriculum, or helps to build on language skills in English and Arabic to access safe employment opportunities in Cairo.

The program provides food and hygiene boxes, blankets, diapers, and baby supplies (for the babies of teenage unaccompanied mothers), secondhand clothes, and other forms of direct assistance to unaccompanied children.

The Groups and Activities Psychosocial Program runs a range of groups and workshops with refugee individuals and communities, including unaccompanied children, adults and families. Group activities provide StARS clients additional or specific support; activities include peer-support groups, information and awareness sessions, sports and other activities to promote socialization and the psychosocial wellbeing of refugee populations in Cairo.

The Unaccompanied Children and Youth Department saw a big increase of unaccompanied young parents approaching StARS for services. In order to provide specialized case management services to young mothers and their children, StARS has established the Unaccompanied Children and Youth Young Mothers Psychosocial Program. The program provides long-term individual casework and group support to unaccompanied pregnant girls and young mothers up until the age of 21 years old. The program also manages the nursery at the Naimo Center where the mothers’ babies and young children aged 0-3 years old are taken care of while their mothers are in class or attend appointments with their psychosocial worker or legal advisor.

The Youth Development Project works to develop structures, support, and professional development opportunities for unaccompanied youth who are employed at StARS. The project aims to enhance their self-reliance in Cairo by being active members of StARS and by developing their skills in the workplace.