+Solutions in Greece
Habibi.Works
Founded by Florian Horsch and Mimi Hapig, Represented by Mimi Hapig
The Problem
While waiting for their interviews and the decisions within their asylum cases, thousands of men and women are stuck in a limbo for years, without access to formal education, to the labor market, to psychological support, to the society. The circumstances people have to encounter when living in a refugee camp create countless challenges on a practical and on an emotional level. Families who have been separated can’t function as a system of support, young adults lose the chance to receive a formal education and thus the perspective of living a free and independent future, people who suffer from mental health issues can’t begin to work on their well-being and the lack of income forces hundreds of people into precarious and non-formal working situations.
The solution
Within a context in which most doors remain closed for refugees and asylum seekers, Habibi.Works offers paltforms for education, empowerment and encounters. In 11 working areas, from a classic carpentry over a textile atelier up to advanced technology in our MediaLab, people living in the refugee camps of Epirus and members of the local community can build whatever it is that is lacking in their daily life, repair things that are broken, share knowledge, gain new skills, break the label of being helpless and take first, important steps of the integration process.
The Impact
Since the beginning of the project, Habibi.Works has accompanied more than 3000 persons (and thus indirectly improved the situation of up to 9000 people) in the period of their first 18 months in Greece. The impact of the project can be observed on the following five levels: Through offering free materials, tools, know-how and space to build or repair items that are needed in the daily life of the target group, Habibi.Works has massively contributed to the improvement of people’s living conditions. On a second level, Habibi.Works offers access to non-formal and informal education for people who are, for various reasons, excluded from or unable to attend formal education in Greece, allowing them to follow up on topics and fields of their interest in which they gain skills that will facilitate their future entry into the labor market. On a third level, Habibi.Works has a huge impact on people’s mental health and well-being. In Habibi.Works, people can get rid of the label of being a refugee, of being reduced to this one aspect of their biography, and be carpenters, IT epxerts, designers, chefs and many other things again. The feeling of achievement on a daily basis and the opportunity to redefine their own identity is a crucial element of empowerment and well-being. On a fourth level, Habibi.Works is a welcoming platform for people from many different countries, bringing together and creating a community among people from different African, European, Asian countries and Greece. Besides these four levels of impact on the ground, Habibi.Works is raising awareness all across Europe for the challenges people in Greece are confronted with, but also for their resilience and their talent and for the fact that they could be an enrichment for our society if we created structures that allowed them to integrate.
Hestia Hellas
Founded by Lauraine Velez and Dimitris Basoukos
The problem
The majority of asylum seekers experience highly complex trauma in their home country, en route to Greece and while awaiting asylum. Greeks also hold trauma through years of economic crises and more recent natural disasters. In addition, access to Greek public health services is underdeveloped and overburdened. Lauraine Velez and Dimitris Basoukos, Hestia’s founders were working with refugees in Greece and identified gaps in the provision of psychosocial support, livelihoods and integrative services that particularly excluded Greeks. Hestia sought to allow Greeks and asylum seekers access to a safe, supportive and community-focused environment where integration is possible.
The solution
Hestia Hellas is a community-based mental health and psychosocial wellbeing centre that tailors integrative and traditional therapies to vulnerable Greek and asylum-seeking families. Founded in 2017, Hestia Hellas was one of the first NGOs to provide job support in Athens and is currently the only NGO in Greece that serves Greeks and asylum seekers and tailors a range of therapeutic interventions to the individual, focusing on mind-body and creative arts therapies. The goal is to self-empower members by providing tools to manage their symptoms and build community. In addition, Hestia has Child friendly spaces that focus on building social and emotional skill development, self-regulation techniques in safe learning environments and provides family support groups and parenting workshops on positive parenting, nutrition, stress relief, early childhood development, and skill building.
The impact
The success of a mental health intervention is a long-term, sustainable solution with long-term results. The tools provided to community members can be useful throughout their lives. Hestia allows survivors of complex trauma to trust again and bring pieces of themselves back together to lead normal and productive lives. Since 2017, Hestia has helped more than 2000 individuals using traditional therapies. They focus on establishing relationships built on trust where the community is encouraged to actively participate in building a community center that supports their development and emotional health.
HeterArt
Founded by Anna Vafiadou and Anastasia Karoussi
The problem
There are over 1.000 unaccompanied minors are hosted in shelters in Greece. ‘Gifted underachievers’ aged 16 -18 are unable to perform and develop skills.
There’s a gap in both mainstream education and the integration system regarding alternative practices.
Both local and refugee kids are marginalized and the loss of trust causes fragmentation.
The approaches in place fail to find a common language and ways to bring together these communities in a meaningful way.
The solution
Art, as a social buffer, eliminates shocks and crashes, smooths out the edges and blends paces.
HeterArt re-invents routes of communication, building bridges between people and cultures by using existing affordable resources, flexible and scalable tools, co-designed by youth and based in their common narratives and their need to express without words.
HeterArt’s educational program awarded at Hack the Camp (Dec.2016):
Merge science and art perspectives and the transition of the society.
Suggest innovative methods to help increase soft skills development
Propose workshops which drive critical thinking, creativity and adaptability
Identify solutions to ensure equal access and inclusion to quality education
The Impact
Drawing a framework of intercultural communication, HeterArt focuses on strategies used to bring together a diverse range of stakeholders to work on solutions.
Created Art2Tech, an R&D youth team, 30 case studies and more than 10 workshops Most of the beneficiaries managed to have at least a relevant part time job within three years.
Launched Lost in Jazz, an audience development project and Piano4all a kin-aesthetic approach of using piano as a communication tool.
Initiated a Cultural dialogue between Nordic countries and Greece.
Co-created Small Buddies a CSR-SDGs advocacy game.
InterVolve/ Irida Women’s Center
Founded by Chloe Kousoula, Represented by Christina Calbos
The Problem
InterVolve was created in response to the growing needs of refugees and asylum seekers arriving in Greece in unprecedented numbers. After a year of emergency response, InterVolve recognized the necessity to invest in long-term sustainable solutions for a portion of the population being provided with little resources and opportunities: refugee women.
Women represent almost half of the 244 million migrants and half of the 19.6 million refugees worldwide. Displaced women and girls face specific challenges and higher protection risks in transit, including family separation, psychosocial stress and trauma, health complications, Physical harm and injury, and risks of exploitation and gender-based violence. Women also often serve as the main caretakers for children and family members. While women hold infinite potential and far-reaching impact within their communities, few support systems were in place to empower refugee women in creating community, accessing the labor market, and integrating into local society. Furthermore, there are even fewer initiatives that open their doors to refugee and Greek women alike, creating cross-cultural interactions and multicultural support networks.
The Solution
In January 2018 InterVolve created Irida: a safe, welcoming, participatory space where women have a voice, a sense of ownership, and the opportunity to receive information and support. Irida is also the only women’s community center in Thessaloniki. At Irida, women have a chance to make social connections and build community; to bond, to develop, to thrive - all in an environment of safety, trust, and diversity. Additionally Irida wholistically supports women and their families by providing child support through collaboration with a partner organization: Refugee Trauma Initiative.
The Impact
Since opening, Irida has registered over 350 women from over 12 countries.
Their programming has developed into providing Greek and English language courses, French and Arabic literacy for native speakers, art, movement/fitness, sewing, crafts, beauty/self-care, woodworking, computer classes, life skills, and one-on-one job search and CV writing support. Additionally, they have provided over 20 unique workshops such as photography and massage therapy. Their community has taken part in and hosted community-wide events, as well as visits and excursions to museums and significant landmarks throughout Thessaloniki.
Since joining Irida, several of their members have been able to enroll in higher education and receive job offers.
Office of Displaced Designers
Founded & Represented by Shareen Elnaschie
Problem
Lesvos has been an important landing point on the European migration route for those escaping war-torn countries and has seen high numbers of new arrivals to the island. The influx of refugees and migrants has put strain on an already struggling economy. There is widespread suspicion surrounding the humanitarian response and their motivations, and multiple levels of resentment. Relations between the two communities are strained, with poor communication and a distinct lack of cultural understanding. There are limited opportunities for employment or connection between communities, and we see that as an opportunity.
Solution
Office of Displaced Designers is a design focused creative integration agency that utilises design to bring diverse people together to share skills, undertake research and co-create a more equitable and inclusive society. Our activities focus on the built environment, protection issues and cultural understanding, which we explore through a variety of design disciplines.
The majority of those we work with are displaced. However, we ensure that our programs are offered equitably to both the displaced and host community. Our studio serves multiple functions for co-working and hosting events and exhibitions. We strive to elevate the work of participants and challenge common perceptions of who a designer or artist may be, and who is a refugee.
Impact
Since establishing in 2016 we have directly engaged more than 1200 individuals through approximately 100 collaborative workshops, trainings and events. Thousands more have enjoyed the works created. Participants are connected to a network of creative professionals and are supported to develop portfolios of work in order to access further education and employment. Improved mental wellbeing and increased confidence are regularly cited as additional benefits.
We have worked with diverse international partners including Danish Red Cross, the International Federation of Red Cross, metaLAB (at) Harvard, and Oxfam.
Social Hackers Academy
Founded by Damianos Vavanos & Represented by Aggelina Mila
The Problem
It is identified that technology’s tools and capacities tend to dominate our everyday life (personal, professional), due to the digital transformation that Greece is going through. In the context of social inclusion, due to digital skills’ shortage, social vulnerable groups face to a greater extent the risk of not joining this tech revolution and find their place in the tech industry, preventing their exclusion. People that are disadvantaged, physically, mentally and socio-economically, and don’t enjoy the same opportunities as other citizens, are considered as vulnerable groups.
If social vulnerable groups keep falling behind on the digital and technological developments, they will not only be unable to process information and be active citizens, but also they will be unable to acquire a job that will help them become financially sustainable and integrate in the society.
To sum up, the existence of social vulnerable groups in Athens, along with the high unemployment rates in Greece, the need is identified: to bridge the gap between the general lack of digital skills, the unemployment rates, the increasing rate of the Greek digital economy and the threat of exclusion of vulnerable groups in the Greek Society.
The Solution
Accessing the Market Need, its derived that, the acquisition of digital skills is quite necessary, in order to be an active part of the society. Otherwise social and professional exclusion, will be inevitable. Building on the digital skills and with adequate support to access their rights to employment refugees, migrants and unemployed can not only regain confidence and self-esteem but also integrate into the economic and social fabric of the host society.
In Social Hackers Academy (or SHA), we aim to integrate people that belong to social vulnerable groups (refugees/migrants/unaccompanied minors) in the society. We achieve our mission by educating these people, through training seminars and workshops in digital skills, as people that remain digital illiterate, are facing the risk of remaining unemployed. Hence, through educational programs, we can empower them to integrate in society, by getting job placement in Greece and abroad. Our goals through this program is to eliminate Digital Illiteracy.
The Impact
Through SHA’s programs, graduates will have gained practical experience & expertise in basic computer skills and in coding and will be able to work as developers, having learnt 7 programming languages (eg. HTML/CSS, JavaScript, React). They will have also developed their soft skills, preferred from tech recruiters. Also, through this course we aim to increase awareness over unemployment rates among refugees & migrants and the potential of reskilling unemployed, in order to integrate in the job market and therefore in the society.
Since, its establishment SHA has educated more than 150 people in IT Skills, while 29 of them have been placed as developers, in the IT Industry. We have built partnerships with 30 NGOs, while we have expanded our educational models in other Greek & EU Cities.