annual report 2008
10.01.2009
According to the primary targets of our Center – the children’s school enrolment and the reduction of the school dropout rate – we have managed to enroll 25 children since September 2008. Meanwhile, prior to the new school season, we have given out school bags and writing material (notebooks, pencils, pencil cases etc) to 150 children. The enrolment, however, is the last in a series of steps including vaccinations, medical visits, and the collection of the required documents, some of which have to be acquired anew. In the meantime, we communicate with the parents to inform them not only of the importance of school attendance but also of their parental duties. On a daily basis, with the help of our volunteers, we aid the children with their schoolwork, while following their progress and the regularity of their attendance in school through our communication with the teachers and headmasters. Naturally, we do not ignore those children who we have not yet managed to enroll. We cultivate the required skills and behaviour for school attendance through creative activities, pre - reading and pre- writing exercises. We continue to provide lunch for the children daily, which is offered by the Athens Municipality pre-nursery school. Furthermore, we have bathing and laundry facilities for the children in the basement. In addition, we give out toys and clothes that we have received from the general public. As of October, evening literacy classes are held for the teenagers and young adults aiding them to acquire the primary school diploma. Between February and July of 2008, we hosted 4 volunteers from Europe (France, England, Italy) who took part in our activities, through the “Youth in Action Programme” called European Voluntary Service (EVS). Currently, through the same programme, we are hosting youth from Hungary and Germany. In this way, our children have the chance to come into contact with various cultures. Also, our organization has undertaken to become a sending organization, aiding youth from Greece to participate in EVS projects abroad. During the summer of 2008, we once again participated in the Youth Exchange Programme, this time hosted by the Rumanian organization “Protin – The Youth Support Promotion and International Co-operation Association”. six youths from our organization came together with fifty other youths from Germany, England, Finland and Rumania. Although understaffed, the Center’s Social and Legal Service managed to solve 700 cases regarding welfare and legal issues as well as bureaucratic inaccuracies, matters of health and abuse. During 2008, a psychosocial and Career Orientation Programme was successfully completed addressed to our Center’s teenagers. Through this programme, they came into contact with the local job market, they were informed on issues of carrier orientation and last but not least, they acquired much needed social skills through certain educational activities. Since September 2008, an environmental awareness programme has been initiated in co-operation with ecological NGOs. It will last for 11 months, during which time, a series of meetings will take place where selected matters of environmental interest will be presented, as well as trips to sites of ecological interest and several workshops will also occur. Since September of 2008, martial arts classes for teenagers are taking place in the Center. We have accompanied the children to several theatrical plays at the Athenian theatre, which they really enjoyed! On April 9th of 2008, we took part in an event organized by Amnesty International, entitled “ Discrimination starts from school”, where we discussed the Center’s activities as well as the problems faced by our target group. Also, at a Convention organized by the Greek Monitor of Children’s Rights, we presented the causes of the school dropouts. On December 17th of 2008, the president of our Center was awarded by the Ministry of Health and Welfare for the achievements of the Support Center for Children and Family in the field of Social Care. Our organization, in co-operation with the “Athenian Voluntary Work” Society, offered our classrooms for free Greek language evening classes to immigrants.