GREECE
To enhance quality and ensure sustainability, all services are offered by specialised staff including psychologists, lawyers, social workers, tutors, intercultural mediators and teachers who run informal education and recreational activities( 20 staff members in total). In order to protect and keep children safe, members of the staff are present on a 24 / 7 basis. One tutor, who also acts as a role model for children, is always available to ensure prompt and appropriate responses to daily concerns and challenges and help to establish and maintain a stable, protected environment for the children.
The staff receive regular supervision and support to help them to address daily challenges, prevent burn out and enhance the quality and efficiently of services. Professional supervision is provided by experienced supervisors. Staff members meet with the facility coordinator on a face-to-face basis to receive guidance and support. Finally, SOS Children’ s Villages, in cooperation with other organisations and bodies, offers regular training for the staff in order to enable them to address children’ s needs and provide adequate support.
The project is funded by SOS Children’ s Villages International and was partially supported by UNICEF until July 2017. Cooperation with the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Social Solidarity and UNICEF is fundamental to the facility’ s success. In addition, the local community has also been supportive, as the children are part of the everyday life of the neighbourhood, shops and schools.
MAIN STRENGTHS AND KEY CHALLENGES
Access to formal education and tailored teaching programmes The project promotes cooperation between SOS Children’ s Villages staff and teachers at the local public school. Each child’ s individual needs or learning difficulties are taken into account, and a supportive teaching programme is developed accordingly. The educational activities provided by SOS Children’ s Villages are preparatory or complementary to the school curriculum and aim to support children’ s integration into the public school system.
Support in accessing employment Access to vocational training and the development of employability skills is essential for young people who arrived in Greece as unaccompanied children, not only because it facilitates integration into the local community, but also because it will help them to cover basic needs and to live independently in dignified conditions when they become young adults. In addition to the challenges faced by the general population due to economic recession and high unemployment rates, former unaccompanied children encounter other difficulties in accessing the labour market. Through this project children receive practical support, information and counselling services designed to facilitate access to vocational training and employment.
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