WELCOMMON HOSTEL: innovation, sustainable tourism, social impact

By | Actions, News | No Comments

The WELCOMMON HOSTEL is a new 7floor Hostel in the center of Athens and also a social experiment. We are combining different aims: sustainable tourism in Athens with social inclusion, art, social enterpreneurship. It is based on the idea of “community”, ecological & inclusive growth for all, run by the social cooperative ANEMOS ANANEOSIS/ WIND OF RENEWAL. We are part of the social change we want to see happen.

This project combines commercial goals (sustainable tourism) with visions, values, philosophy for win-win solutions. Our moto is “special people, values, places”, we are part of the European LE MAT Network of social enterprises in tourism and HOSTELLING INTERNATIONAL.

5 floors of the WELCOMMON HOSTEL are dedicated for sustainable tourism.  Accomodation: We offer a variety of options for accommodation in 5 floors; a cheaper or a little more expensive room, 4- or 8-beds dormitory, 5-,4-3-, 2-beds rooms, with en suite or shared bathroom, with or without balcony. Regardless of what the guests select, all rooms are comfortable, clean and attractive. A lot has been artistically designed with reused items, always with the comfort of our clients in mind.

Two floors of the seven are dedicated for art, intercultural dialogue, eco and social innovation, social inclusion, , for social inclusion, social and green entrepreneurship activitiesintercultural dialogue and art work, job integration activities, environmental awareness, energy and eco-transition.

Social activities and impact: Two floors of the seven are dedicated for art, intercultural dialogue, eco and social innovation, social inclusion, , for social inclusion, social and green entrepreneurship activitiesintercultural dialogue and art work, job integration activities, environmental awareness, energy and eco-transition.

We offer, with the support of many volunteers and experienced educators, social-psychological support, empowerment, language (English, German, Greek), painting, music, theater, dancing and cooking lessons for refugees and migrants (adults, women and children). We develop a number of projects with art therapy, gender issues, the different social policy models, energy transition, reuse, recycling, fire prevention. We are planning non-formal vocational schools for locals and new comers, based on a dual education system: theory, practice, empowerment/social inclusion.

Our new project, the WELCOMMON Hostel, which started in June 2018, addresses the degradation of the urban fabric as a result of the different options of the crisis, the collapse of social infrastructure, social exclusion, the existing gap between the needs and behavior of tourists from one side and the needs of local people and communities, from the other side. It is also a center for intercommunication between tourists, volunteers, refugees and social groups.

The WELCOMMON Hostel highlights the positive impact that cooperatives and social enterprises could have on communities, revitalizing neighborhoods, making bridges between communities, social groups, newcomers and local people. We are very interesting in cooperation with Universities, schools, social groups, social enterprises and cooperatives which plan to visit Athens. If they decide to stay in our hostel, they can feel the history of Welcommon and they support

  • our social work
  • the sustainability of our projects
  • the creation of new jobs for young greek, migrants and refugees, employees from different backgrounds/experiences
  • our work for climate protection, energy transition, energy poverty.

But also very important, we can organise activitiesall together . Our guests can participate in workshops, art exhibitions, activities, networking, youth meetings, youth exchanges like Erasmus projects. We can support our guests to discover the creative side of the city of Athens. We strive to connect our guests with the social and cultural life of the city, the social entrepreneurship, the environmental activities, we host such activities in WELCOMMON HOSTEL, we co-organize events for promoting win-win solutions for all (guests, locals, volunteers, active citizens, unemployed, refugees, Youth etc).

Many groups, students, schools and individuales have already booked with us and we have organised together many activities. Networking and exchange of experiences is one of our priorities.

Anemos Ananeosis/Wind of Renewal has a strong commitment to building a better world through social and green innovation and the cooperative business model. We want to influence the direction of our society to become more sustainable and ecologically and socially fair. Wind of Renewal / Anemos Ananeosis Anemos has been awarded with

  • the European Citizen’s Prize 2018
  • the “Special Mention” award of the REVES Excellence Award 2017

and was selected as

  • one of the 3 best examples of projects for refugees contributing to the dialogue between the cultures in the Euro-med area (2017 Euro-Med Dialogue Award) by the Anna Lindh Foundation and the Fondazione Mediterraneo, and as
  • a “good example of social inclusion in Euro-Med area

Contact us: info@welcommonhostel.gr or windofrenewal@gmail.com

If you want to support our social activities with a donation, our bank account is

ANEMOS ANANEOSIS / WIND OF RENEWAL

Piraeus Bank

IBAN: GR83 0172 0180 0050 1807 7868 253

Piraeus’s BIC code is PIRBGRAA

#Sustainability #Athens #cooperatives #SocEnt #innovation #social#inclusion #withrefugees #WelcommonHostel @Social Cooperative#sustainabletourism #education #youth #Erasmusplus #volunteers #art

Energy transition and youth employment in Spain and Greece

By | Actions, Publicity | No Comments

Published at https://energytransition.org/2018/12/energy-transition-and-youth-employment/ 

Anemos Ananeosis / Wind of Renewal participated in drafting of the study

Youth unemployment, especially in southern European countries, remains unbearably high. Renewable energy and climate protection are an opportunity to create new, well-paid jobs in urban and rural areas, Dr Hartwig Berger explains.

The energy transition could result in hundreds of thousands of jobs, especially for young people (Photo by Radostina Primova)

Spain and Greece were hit hard by this summer’s droughts and wildfires – the Mediterranean regions are highly endangered by the climate crisis, and energy change there is urgent. At the same time, the opportunities for a climate-friendly transformation of the energy systems are very promising. The conditions there are excellent for the use of sun and often ideal for the exploitation of wind. There is a considerable scope for efficient and economical energy use too.

It therefore essential to train young people in qualifications and skills that are required for this vast economic transformation so that Europe can become a global leader in green energy and fulfil its Paris commitments. They can be offered a promising professional future instead of being marginalized from work.

At the beginning of 2018, a team from three countries conducted research in the Spanish province of Cádiz and in Athens. Their goal was to find out what opportunities there were for a climate-friendly energy change in the coming years and the additional demand for qualified work resulting from it. Next, they examined how the energy transition is viewed by stakeholders, local politicians and affected young people themselves and whether local communities are willing to participate in appropriate initiatives. Finally, the team developed a set of proposals on how such professional training should be designed in order to increase the prospects of subsequent employment.

The project was financed by the EU Climate Initiative (EUKI) of the German Federal Ministry for Environment.

Potential for renewables

The key results of the research are that the energy transition could result in hundreds of thousands of jobs, especially for young people. In addition, the Mediterranean’s sunny climate makes distributed solar energy a profitable option.

Transitioning to renewable energy and climate protection offer considerable employment potential. We expect a six-figure number of new jobs in Spain and almost a six-figure number in Greece for energy-efficient building refurbishment alone. In the various renewable energy tasks, we estimate the number of new jobs in both countries to be in the five-digit range. In the municipalities surveyed, the energy balance of the buildings is generally so unfavourable that the applicable national and European regulations virtually force refurbishments.

From an economic point of view, the prosuming (production and consumption) of solar electricity required by households, businesses and public institutions themselves in the investigated regions is also very attractive. In Greece, the legal framework is favourable. In Spain, fundamental improvements can be expected in the near future. Even for low-income households and businesses, solar power generation is economically viable, provided that there are favourable microcredits, state subsidies and offers for a so-called “energy contracting”.

At present, young people in the regions who are trained in energy management have clear difficulties to find jobs in their field. Their chances improve significantly if vocational training is closely linked to practical learning in companies or communal activities. But close attention must be payed to prevent misuse of apprenticeships by companies.

Policy proposals: local and regional training

The team came up with the following proposals to improve youth unemployment and switch to clean energy:

–    Municipal action plans at both local and regional level. Action days should be organized in towns to present possible or existing projects and to inform citizens and local businesses about national and regional energy plans, as well as the possibilities for funding activities related to energy and climate protection. For renovations and energy efficiency projects, the study recommends building cooperatives or neighbourhood associations.

–   Programs for targeted “dual” qualification of young unemployed people and energy refurbishments in municipal buildings. The energy-saving provisions for buildings should include natural techniques and the use of renewable energy sources on site. In autumn 2018, a test project was launched in small towns near Cádiz and in Athens for schools in these regions, which are notoriously hot in summer and cold in winter.

–    Programs for “round-up” training of young people. It is crucial that these programs begin now because in the coming years, a large number of experts will be in demand for the use of solar energy. Training should include planning, installation, monitoring, economic efficiency calculations for solar systems, plus energy-saving measures.

–     Professional training programs in climate protection activities for youth in rural areas. Young people without jobs and training have the greatest difficulties in finding a job in the regions studied. Therefore, providing professional training in the sectors of agriculture, forests and green urban environment will be important.

–    The existing “European Youth Guarantee” should be extended to finance training in occupations in which a high demand for skilled workers can be expected in the future. This is undoubtedly the case in the areas of energy transition and climate protection.

The detailed study “How to Reduce Youth Unemployment by Fighting Climate Change” is available at www.hartwig-berger.de.

Dr. Hartwig Berger (Berlin), was before his retirement a private lecturer for sociology at the FU Berlin and at times deputy in Berlin and chairman of the Ökowerk Berlin.

 *”energy contracting” is a bold technical term. It refers to contracts in which a company typically invests at its own expense in energy-saving measures or energy installations and then “recovers” its own costs by means of the savings achieved, etc.

WELCOMMON HOSTEL, an innovative proposal for sustainable tourism, with social impact

By | Actions, News | No Comments

The WELCOMMON Hostel is a hostel in the center of Athens, an innovative proposal for sustainable tourism, innovation, art, social and job integration based on the idea of “community”, initiated by the social cooperative ANEMOS ANANEOSIS / WIND OF RENEWAL.

The WELCOMMON Hostel is a seven-floor facility for people of all ages. We would like to welcome you during your visit to Athens. We can also help you plan your stay in the city. WELCOMMON is not just a hostel, it is also part of a social experiment, a center for innovation and art, as well as social and job integration for Greeks, migrants and refugees.

We can organize your study trip in the city and provide details about interesting social events and groups; we can also supply you with all necessary information onother Greek cities, an island or a mountainside; we can connect you with cycling groups, or let you know the secrets of culinary delights, we can host your seminar orworkshop; we can also host a painting exhibition or a cultural event.

Be sure to CONTACT US before arriving in Athens, let us know about your needs and your interests!

The Hostel, Welcome in Common

You have a variety of options for accommodation in WELCOMMON; you may like to share an eight-bed dormitory with your friends or other travelers; or you may prefer to stay in a five-bed room, a four-bed room, a three-bed roomtwin ordouble bed room or a single; you may need a cheap room or you may be willing to pay a little more for some extra perks; or you may like to go for a room with a balcony. Regardless of what you select, all rooms are comfortableclean andattractive; a lot has been artistically designed with reused items, always with yourcomfort in mind.

WELCOMMON HOSTEL belongs to the Greek Youth Hostel Association, – a network of 21 youth hostel in Grece, member of the HOSTELLING INTERNATIONAL network

Hostelling International is a worldwide network of Not-for-Profit Youth Hostel Associations

Hostelling International (HI) is a charity that manages a federation of not-for-profit youth hostel associations. Its Youth Hostel Associations such as YHA, Stayokay and DJH combined provide a network of hostels in more than 80 countries. They believe that exploration and travel lead to a better understanding of other cultures, and in turn that creates a peaceful, smarter, and more tolerant world. This is and has been HI mission for almost 100 years. HI operates ‘for good and not-for-profit’ which means your stay should be cheaper while contributing to something amazing — any surplus of funds is reinvested in affordable hostelling and not shareholders.

Booking your hostel stay on hihostels ensures HI can continue to help its Youth Hostel Associations provide safe and clean HI Hostels for young people to enjoy for years to come. Book direct with HI Hostels and support this mission – we typically have the best prices!

Hostelling International Greece
The social cooperative ANEMOS ANANEOSIS / WIND OF RENEWAL runs the WELCOMMON HOSTEL. We are committed to work for the promotion of the education of all young people. We care for this, it is not only words, it is every day practice with the support of many volunteers all over the workssured Standards for comfort, so you can rely on a consistent level of services and facilities wherever you stay. HI Hostels enable you to meet people of different cultures, backgrounds and experiences, and provide a rich resource for learning and for building a better, more peaceful world.
 
The Greek Youth Hostels Association accepts the criteria set by HI:
“to promote the education of all young people of all nations, but especially young people of limited means, by encouraging in them a greater knowledge, love and care of the countryside and an appreciation of the cultural values of towns and cities in all parts of the world, and as an ancillary thereto to provide hostels or other accommodation in which there shall be no distinctions of race, nationality, colour, religion, sex, class or political opinions, and thereby to develop a better understanding of fellow men at home and abroad”.
 
Unique, diverse, cosmopolitan and sustainable
Just as there are diverse types of people, so there are numerous Youth Hostels throughout Greece. The GRYH has developed special labels and ranges of offers for various groups of guests. These labels are “Family Friendly Hostel,” “Active Hostel”, “Green Hostel”, “Fun Hostel”, “Charming Hostel” and “Group Friendly Hostel”. With our labels and specified categories such as culture, nature, sports, relaxation and discover we hope to make it a little easier for our guests to choose the perfect Greek Youth Hostel for their particular travel needs. Experience the great community
Hostelling International Greece
HI Hostels is the brand name of more than 90 Youth Hostel Associations in 90 countries, operating over 4,000 hostels world-wide. What makes HI different from other hostel operators is a focus on quality over quantity: all member countries are required to meet HI’s internationally-agreed Assured Standards for comfort, so you can rely on a consistent level of services and facilities wherever you stay. HI Hostels enable you to meet people of different cultures, backgrounds and experiences, and provide a rich resource for learning and for building a better, more peaceful world.
 
The Greek Youth Hostels Association accepts the criteria set by HI:
to promote the education of all young people of all nations, but especially young people of limited means, by encouraging in them a greater knowledge, love and care of the countryside and an appreciation of the cultural values of towns and cities in all parts of the world, and as an ancillary thereto to provide hostels or other accommodation in which there shall be no distinctions of race, nationality, colour, religion, sex, class or political opinions, and thereby to develop a better understanding of fellow men at home and abroad”.
Unique, diverse, cosmopolitan and sustainable
Just as there are diverse types of people, so there are numerous Youth Hostels throughout Greece. The GRYH has developed special labels and ranges of offers for various groups of guests. These labels are “Family Friendly Hostel,” “Active Hostel”, “Green Hostel”, “Fun Hostel”, “Charming Hostel” and “Group Friendly Hostel”. With our labels and specified categories such as culture, nature, sports, relaxation and discover we hope to make it a little easier for our guests to choose the perfect Greek Youth Hostel for their particular travel needs.
 
The social cooperative ANEMOS ANANEOSIS / WIND OF RENEWAL runs the WELCOMMON HOSTEL. We are committed to work for the promotion of the education of all young people. We care for this, it is not only words, it is every day practice with the support of many volunteers all over the work

Be sure to CONTACT US before arriving in Athens, let us know about your needs and your interests!