My Coming of Age Story (CO.A.ST)

Strengthening Guardianship and Legal Support for Unaccompanied Children in Europe

My Coming of Age Story (CO.A.ST) is co-funded by the European Union and carried out by a consortium of organizations in six EU countries and led by CIR – Consiglio Italiano per i Rifugiati (Italy), in partnership with KIND, Alliance des Avocats pour les Droits de l’Homme, ELIL – European Lawyers in Lesvos , and PIC (Legal center for the protection of human rights and the environment). Designed to strengthen legal and psychosocial support for unaccompanied children as they transition to adulthood. CO.A.ST builds the capacity of guardians through targeted training, practical resources, and cross-border knowledge exchange. The goals of the project are: to improve the training and qualifications of guardians, to develop concrete solutions to support guardians in the daily performance of their role, and stimulate the exchange of good practices and promote the sharing of knowledge among guardians.

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Stories (CO.A.ST in Practice)

November 25, 2025

Growing Up in Europe: Ahmed’s Story in Italy

KIND is proud to be part of the collaborative EU project, My Coming of Age Story (CO.A.ST) that aims to empower guardians as they support unaccompanied children transitioning to adulthood. The proje...

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December 19, 2025

Extreme wide shot overhead of young male friends playing soccer on the cobblestone streets of Essaouira

Growing Up in Europe: James’s Story in Greece

James is a young man from Egypt who arrived in Greece alone as a child. His story is part of My Coming of Age Story (CO.A.ST), a European project focused on supporting unaccompanied children as they t...

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January 15, 2026

Rear view of a casual young man cooking healthy food alone at home

Growing in Europe: Amir's Story in Poland

Amir’s journey from an unaccompanied child to a young adult in Poland shows how essential guardianship is during the transition to adulthood. His story is part of My Coming of Age Story (CO.A.ST), a...

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November 20, 2025

My Coming of Age Story: Insights from VOICIFY on Strengthening Participation and Protection for Unaccompanied Children on their Journey to Adulthood

The World Day for Prevention of Child Abuse is a reminder that protecting children requires long-term, coordinated action. Nearly two years into Project Suzir’ya, KIND and partners across Ukraine an...

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January 21, 2026

A large group of young teens sit in the grass during a break time, with their cell phones in hand, as they catch up on social media. They are each dressed casually and focused on their individual screens.

The Critical Role of Guardians in Guiding Unaccompanied and Separated Children into Adulthood: Insights from the European Guardianship Network

As unaccompanied and separated children in Europe approach adulthood, guardians play a vital role in protecting their rights, stability, and wellbeing. Through insights from the European Guardianship ...

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Featured Resources

Feature Resource

Guardianship of Unaccompanied Foreign Minors in Six European Countries

This fact sheet provides an in-depth look at how six European countries—France, Greece, Poland, Slovenia, Italy, and Slovakia—protect unaccompanied foreign minors through voluntary guardianship systems. It outlines the different types of guardianship, including ad hoc administrators, curators, and volunteer legal guardians, and explains how each country appoints and supports guardians for migrant children. The resource […]

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Feature Resource

The Coming of Age of Unaccompanied Foreign Minors in Six European Countries

The transition to adulthood represents a crucial moment in the lives of unaccompanied children, often marked by uncertainty and vulnerability. The forms of protection guaranteed during childhood either cease or change radically, leaving many young people without adequate support at a key stage in their path toward integration and independence. This fact sheet presents research […]

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Coming Soon: Conference - My Coming of Age Story

The project partners are proud to organize a final conference for its project “My Coming-of-Age Story” (CO.A.ST) which will take place in Brussels on March 5th and showcase our collaborative work on unaccompanied and separated children as they transition to adulthood.

My Coming-of-Age Story is co-funded by the European Union, through the 2021-2027 Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) – Project 101141181 CO.A.ST-Amif 2023-TF2-AG-Call CO.A.ST – My Coming of Age Story.