The “Welcommon”, a model center for housing and inclusion of refugees, is a cooperation between the Social Cooperative ANEMOS ANANEOSIS /WIND OF RENEWAL and the Athens Development and Destination Management Agency (EATA). The project functions under the framework of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) Relocation program for refugees.
WELCOMMON is in the position to offer:
- Accommodation for 170-200 refugees in 66 rooms and additional facilities for gatherings, tutorials, artistic activities etc.
- Cover for basic needs: Food, in line with the guests’ nutritional requirements and habits (e.g., age, state of health, religion).
- Social-Psychosocial supportis provided by 3 social workers and 1 psychologist.
- Primary health care by a nurse. We are also in the process of setting up a network of Arabic-speaking volunteer doctors of various specializations.
At WELCOMMON we also provide support for formal and non-formal education to the children at three levels: enrollment in the Greek formal education system, opportunities for non-formal education, training and empowerment of social skills, empowering parents (often single) for taking proper care of their children. A lot of activities are organized and implemented with the contribution of volunteers.
Refugee children have remained out of an education system for between two and five years. Some of them could never attend school. This, combined with the fact that they are for a long period away from home, leaving in camps and moving from one place -or country- to another, most of the time under difficult conditions, results in a lot of problems. Therefore it is essential for them to return to a formal as well as to a non-formal education and training system as soon as possible.
Through the last five months of the project WELCOMMON, we are happy that we have achieved to structure both a formal and informal educational program. The experience we got so far, proved that the need is focused on the kids, since they consist almost half of the population that we host at the moment. Although we did not limited only to the kids but adults as well.
Given that so far we were mostly working with cases in the Relocation program, the limited time of their residency, create the need of the program where kids will be kept active but would also be motivated to structure a normal daily life and at the same time to get prepared for the life in the countries will be relocated.
According to the Asylum seekers, we focused from the beginning to register all the kids to the local primary school in order to get into the formal educational system. Furthermore, with regards to the teenagers and adults, considering their skills or past profession, with the help of the social workers, we aim to build a professional profile that will be used in order to promote their capacity for job seeking.
At this point it is worth mentioned that our aim is to provide a number of activities according to people’s preference but at the same time the need, based on innovative methodologies.
As it is presented on the table below, the program is structured in two axis, educational and psychosocial activities.
| CHILDREN | TEENAGERS/ADULTS | |
| Non-formal Educational Program
|
Arabic “school”:
Runs by one of the residents for kids aged between 6 to 12 years old and includes: Arabic Lessons, Mathematics, English lessons The school is daily for 3 hours, 6 d/week |
In partnership with other organisations, structures and day centres, many of our residents attend Greek, English and German classes |
|
|
German lessons: Provided by a volunteer
To ages 6+ years old, 3 days/week
|
Greek lessons: Provided in Welcommon by a volunteer especially to women claimed asylum and just gave birth and are not able to move out of the structure.
2 days/week |
| Tutoring: Referred to the kids that go to the Greek school as a mean to help them at school
6-10 years old, 2 hours every day |
||
| English class: Provided by a volunteer to young kids based on specific topics
(every day conversations) |
||
| Use of computer for language lessons: e-learning using computer and YouTube. For the future, Skype sessions for discussions on one topic with volunteers from other countries
Every day for different groups and nationalities |
Use of computer for language lessons: e-learning using computer and YouTube. For the future, Skype sessions for discussions on one topic with volunteers from other countries
Every day for different nationalities / languages |
|
| Activities schedule
|
General education/Art/creativity/ Class: Run by educator and volunteers, daily, starting 14.00-21.00 for ages 1-12 years old.
The program includes several activities with a more educational background. |
City tours
Visits to museum, parks, galleries every weekend For adults and children |
|
|
Music lessons:
For the ages 8-15 years a volunteer provides 1 hour music lessons. Cooperation with Greek schools (eg Music school of Ilion and other schools) for common projects Environmental education Slide show and field visits for environmental education (eg for marine environment, parks, sea turtle, recycling etc) Theatre: Provided by volunteers to kids aged 8-13 years old 3 days/week |
Board Games: With the instruction of a volunteer, especially teenagers have the chance to play board games and to chat in English with the volunteer about topics they are interested to.
|
| Football: Provided by a volunteer- professional football trainer to two age groups:
5-12 years old 13+ years old This activity runs at least 2 days/week at the yard of the local school |
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Art Class: Run by volunteers, daily, for ages 1-10 years old, girls-boys
|
Painting Class: Under the supervision of a painter, are provided painting lessons followed by special technics, knowledge of materials etc to teenagers aged 14+ years old.
The class runs 2 days/week |
|
|
Photography and video lessons
Under the supervision of a photographer, are provided photography/video lessons to teenagers aged 12+ years old. The class runs 1 day/week |
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Cinema
Movies in Arabic, run by volunteers and refugees for ages 1-10 years old Nights on 21.00-22.00 and on weekend evenings |
Cinema
Movies in Arabic, run by volunteers and refugees for teenagers and adults on weekend evenings |
FUTURE PROPOSED ACTIVITIES:
- Fairytales followed the Hakawati method
- Workshops /training for women and asylum seekers in Greece
Bank accounts:
Anemos Ananeosis / Wind of Renewal
Pireaus Bank: GR8301720180005018077868253 BIC: PIRBGRAA
Eurobank: GR7202602440000180200876471 BIC: ERBKGRAA
