GRC 0217 project is a multilateral attempt of HELP Hellas, ANTIGONE-Information and Documentation Centre on Racism, Ecology, Peace and Non-Violence, Greek Council for Refugees and Smile of the Child to decrease the number of at risk refugees and asylum seekers on the mainland of Greece.
Overall Project Goals
- To increase the capacity of safe and dignified urban accommodation for at risk population in and around Athens and Thessaloniki
- To increase the access to targeted support services and specialized care for refugees and asylum seekers regardless of housing situation (including access to medical care including psycho-social support services for children, access to legal and social support as mandated by national and international law for refugees and asylum seekers), increasing the capacity of refugees and asylum seekers to participate more fully in Greek society.
General Project Goals for ANTIGONE
To provide access to safe and dignified living conditions for vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers To increase the capacity of refugees and asylum seekers to participate more fully in Greek society
Specific Project Objectives and Activities for ANTIGONE
- Establish and operate group home in Thessaloniki including staff recruitment and training.
- Relief of the accumulated anger and despair refugees experience through activities aiming to improve their physical and emotional health: athletic activities, activities with music and movement, self-defense training lessons, artistic activities, chess lessons etc.
- Support of the social life of refugees and further promotion of their survival coping as well as creative skills while providing them advice on basic rules that would give them a framework for their peaceful coexistence in any context. Through recreational activities as well as practical seminars on Modern Greek society, refugees can potentially feel part of a wider community in which rules are not meant to repress them but to enable cooperation and community building.
- Interaction with local community and socialization of refugees through events including cultural visits, cooking lessons and a number of other common activities, reaching thus social dialogue between the local community and refugees and further building stronger bonds between the two cultures, improving also their interaction.
- Psychosocial support of refugees through individual and group counseling, aiming to address loss, death, grief and trauma issues.
- Improvement of the cohabitation and mutual approval between the groups living in the Refugee Centre of Diavata through “get together” and team building activities, activities for getting to know each other as well as activities for building trust and respect in the group: theatre game, music, movie projections etc. Through their participation in such activities, refugees can gradually feel as a part of a wider community in which rules are not meant to repress them but to enable cooperation and community building between them.
- Intercultural trainings addressed to mediators active in the refugee camps to ameliorate the communication with the refugees and become qualified to respond more effectively to the crisis.
- Running and continue support of www.123help.gr platform so that refugees have access to information of their interest as well as for Greek citizens to get informed on issues related to the refugees (needs that occur etc.). Platform active in English and Arabic so that refugees have access to transparent information. Provision of information on material and other needs of the refugees so as for the local community to be able to respond, if willing.
Target group for the activities of ANTIGONE
Refugees living in Diavata camp as well as those refugees staying in Thessaloniki region in general.
Duration
01.02.2017- 31.07.2018
Donors
91% German Federal Office (GFO/ DEU)
9% Help – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe; (NAK-karikativ & Aktion Deutschland Hilft)