Youth Day Center
The Youth Day Center deals with socially excluded teenagers aged between 13 and 20 years old. It provides its services mainly to Muslim Greek Roma Citizens who live in an underprivileged central area of Athens near Kolonos – Metaxourgio. The center has been active since 2003 and its structure is based on a previous programme called “Counseling and Sensitization Programme for Teenagers”, which was implemented during the previous years. Until February 2007, the Center was located in 12 Giatrakou Street in the area of Metaxourgio, an area in the Municipality of Athens. Today, due to financial difficulties, the Youth Day Center is located along with the Day Center for Young Children and the Family Center.
The Youth Day Center aspires through its actions to form a constructive institution, which will serve as a secure place for teenagers which will be a “shelter” and a “Starting Point”. The primary objective of the Youth Day Center is to reduce feelings of social exclusion and motivate the healthy dynamics manifested in teenagers. It also seeks to help teenagers reject any forms of delinquent behaviour as it encourages models of behaviour which would lead to social and occupational inclusion as well as to their educational and personal development. The Center also runs a tutoring programme addressed to teenagers that helps them overcome the difficulties in school, while, in the meantime, the Center promotes recreational and educational activities such as forming artistic groups, visits to museums, theatres etc. The Youth Day Center is broadening its influence in order to secure that each teenager will have proper social integration through participation in the Center’s activities and special programmes.