Author: solidarity

Curriculum Vitae: Proper preparation is important!

Posted on Monday March 6th, 2023

by the Athens Solidarity Center of SolidarityNow

The 38-year-old Tasos was born, grew up, and lives in Athens. Some time ago, he visited the Athens Solidarity Center (ASC) of SolidarityNow requesting support from the employability service. Tasos mainly needed help in the better preparation of his resume, to become more competitive in the labor market.

Indeed, the service’s employment officer found that although his resume was well structured, it was nonetheless incomplete. Like most people seeking similar support, Tasos’ resume referred to his education and work experience but had no reference to his social skills. The employment officer explained to him the importance of these skills as they enhance the existing work experience and are a hiring criterion for employers.

When Tasos was asked about his hobbies and activities, he hesitantly replied that he likes board games and online role-playing games, where every player creates a character and interacts in a fictional world.

Referring to Tasos’ answer, the officer emphasized that mentioning hobbies and interests in an interview can play an important role, as they highlight aspects of the person’s personality and help recruiters perceive their abilities more quickly. For example, skills such as collaboration, teamwork, and initiative were derived from Tasos’ hobbies and interests and are traits that may prove particularly useful to him in pursuing jobs in the private sector.

A few months later, Tasos achieved his goal! He interviewed and was hired as a sales trainer at a company of English interests. And not only that! He found another fan of his hobby! His employer happened to love role-playing games, so the conversation was devoted to sharing their experiences. Naturally, a more favorable climate was created between them and played an important role in the recruitment of Tasos.

After the first days in his new job, Tasos contacted the ASC Employability Service and warmly thanked the consultant for his valuable advice!

* Since August 2022, the Athens Solidarity Center is financed by EEA Grants, with ΣΟΛ Crowe and HumanRights360 as the fund operator.

**The Center is also supported by the Municipality of Athens.

ERT2: SolidarityNow: Response from Turkey

Posted on Sunday February 26th, 2023

Nikos Rangos, head of the SolidarityNow team in Turkey, spoke on the show “Weekend from 6” on the ERT2 channel and to journalists Dimitris Kottaridis and Nina Kasimati, about the conditions in the areas affected by the devastating earthquake, the depth of the humanitarian and material destruction and the organization’s effort to stand by the victims, especially the children.

The interview is only available in Greek.

IEFIMERIDA.GR: SolidarityNow stands by the side of the Ukrainian refugees

Posted on Friday February 24th, 2023

February 24th, 2023 marks one year since the start of the war in Ukraine, a historic moment for Europe and the world. To date, more than 80,000 Ukrainians have arrived in Greece, while 22,000 have received temporary protection status.

SolidarityNow was from the first moment on the side of all those who arrived in Greece from the war zone, directly responding to the needs of the new refugee population, which mainly consists of women and children.

Read more here.

PRESS RELEASE: SolidarityNow stands by the side of the refugees from Ukraine

Posted on 
Copyright Myroslava Klius

Today, February 24, 2023, marks one year since the start of the war in Ukraine, a historic moment for Europe and the world, which has shaken the global public opinion.

Today, one year later, the figures are shocking as the war in Ukraine created the largest refugee crisis in Europe more than 80 years after World War II. Only in our country, more than 80,000 Ukrainians have arrived, while 22,000 have received temporary protection status. Behind the numbers are human lives lost, families separated, and uncertainty regarding returning home.

Solidarity Now was from the very first moment on the side of all those who arrived at Greece from the war zone, responding directly to the needs of the new refugee population, composed mainly of women and children. Initially, the organization provided documented answers to the most frequently asked questions by the refugees through the “Guide for Ukrainian refugees” created on its website.

Moreover, a series of actions are implemented, and services provided, aiming at empowerment and smooth integration:

  • 372 of our fellow human beings benefited from the services offered at the “Children and Female Friendly Space” of SolidarityNow and UNICEF, which was created in March 2022 in Promachonas, Serres. 95% of them are children.
  • 272 children from Ukraine attend Greek courses through their participation in the program “All Children in Education” in northern and southern Greece, aiming at their smooth transition to the Greek public education system.
  • 158 of our fellow citizens have been served by the social service of the Athens Solidarity Center with the main request to cover basic needs for: medical care (15%), asylum application in Greece (12%), housing and social welfare benefits (12%) and/or the issuance of legal documents (6%).
  • 510 Ukrainians attend Greek language courses through the HELIOS Project.
  • 146 have received support by the employability services provided by the Athens Solidarity Center and by the organization’s experts at the open accommodation sites in Serres and Kavala. 81% of them are women.
  • 57 women have been supported by the “Female Friendly Space” of SolidarityNow, that operated until December 2022 in the open accommodation sites of Serres and Kavala.
  • 31 children from Ukraine have attended robotics workshops at the Eugenides Foundation, as part of the Healing Play program implemented with the support of the US Embassy in Athens. The program aims to heal trauma through play.

*The programme “All Children In Education” is a UNICEF initiative, co-funded by the European Union and implemented by a number of partners, including SolidarityNow.

**SolidarityNow is a key implementing partner of the International Organization for Migration (IOM Greece), in the framework of the HELIOS project which is funded by the Ministry of Migration and Asylum.

***Since August 2022, the Athens Solidarity Center by SolidarityNow is financed by EEA Grants, with ΣΟΛ Crowe and HumanRights360 as the fund operator.

The Athens Solidarity Center is also supported by the Municipality of Athens.

**** The implementation of “Healing Play” is supported by the US Embassy in Athens.

Olena from Ukraine: The feeling of pain and the living hope

Posted on 

Olena, left her city, Bucha, in Ukraine’s Kyiv Oblast, along with her two children, one year ago following the Russian invasion through Belarus.

The first stop in Olena’s journey towards peace was Moldova and the final destination Greece. Olena and her children arrived at Greece on April 14th, 2022. Back home she left her husband -he serves in the Ukrainian armed forces- and her whole life. A life full of colours and creation; Olena is a painter and a businesswoman, and she is actually what her name implies; the shining light!

We met her in her new temporary, as she emphasizes, country. We are waiting for her, on a sunny day of February, at the Blue Refugee Center (BRC) of SolidarityNow in Thessaloniki, a few days before the one-year anniversary of the Russia’s brutal invasion to Ukraine that shocked the world.

Olena and her children actively participate in all the specially designed actions for Ukrainian refugees organized by the Center’s experienced staff. More specifically, through the “UNICEF Ukraine Response CP Program” Olena has adapted very quickly to the Greek society, learning the Greek language, participating in women’s empowerment groups and activities to get to know the city and culture, and attending concerts, theater performances, and especially designed seminars to support Ukrainians. “I would like to warmly thank SolidarityNow for the opportunity to keep our culture alive!”

“The tragic war images create the feeling of pain, while on the other hand you realize what it means to be a fighter and defend your country”.

And yet, life doesn’t stop. The conditions Olena is experiencing seem to make her more determined and fortunately she does not give up on her dreams. She continues painting not only because she wants to keep practicing her job, but because this is the way she expresses herself, and, as she confesses, being able to do so is very important to her. As she tells us, “Paintings are icons of the creator“.

When she had the opportunity to visit her husband, she viewed disastrous images of bombed cities. She feels extremely proud of her compatriots who are true fighters, who have not abandoned their country nor lost their courage and are still standing and fighting. Her only wish is the end of the war, something that will also mean the reunification of her family!

See Olena’s work on her website, https://www.moskvinova.art/t-en, as well as the salon she still maintains in Ukraine, here.

*The “Ukrainian Response-CP” program is implemented by SolidarityNow with the support and funding of UNICEF Greece and the European Union.

**The operation of the Blue Refugee Center is supported by UNICEF Greece.

INTERPRETER UKRAINIAN (part-time)

Posted on Thursday February 23rd, 2023
Submit until: 5/03/2023
Location: Larisa

Starting Date: ASAP

Status:  Part-Time

Child Safeguarding Policy: Level 3 – The job holder will have regular contact with children

Generic responsibilities

  • Provides clear and accurate interpretation services, during educational activities for adult beneficiaries of international protection;
  • Provides clear and accurate interpretation services, during informative sessions, briefings, trainings etc.;
  • Provides written translation of documents to English or Greek;
  • In coordination with other team colleagues, participates in field-trips and other external activities;
  • In coordination with other team colleagues, ensures that all beneficiaries feel comfortable and safe to share their concerns freely, as well as participate in classes and other educational activities;
  • Respects the code of conduct of the organization, with emphasis on confidentiality;
  • Performs other position-related duties as assigned by the respective Team Leader.

Qualifications

Essential:

  • Excellent command of Ukrainian;
  • Excellent command of English and/or Greek;
  • Minimum one-year professional experience as an interpreter or cultural mediator;
  • Familiar with protection issues related to refugee population;
  • High professional ethics;
  • Excellent interpersonal, communication, listening and observation skills, including ability to create trust, support, respect and interact with children of all ages, background and diversity;
  • Ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and working relations in multi-ethnic environment; Cross Culturally Aware and flexible;
  • Strong team player;
  • Well organized and efficient, flexible, able to handle pressure well and adapt in different working environments;

Desired:

  • Previous working experience with local or international NGOs will be considered an asset
  • Field Working Experience in Camps/Temporary Settlements of refugee/migrant population
  • Computer literacy

If you are interested in applying, please send your CV and motivation letter to:

thes-recruitment@solidaritynow.org mentioning in the email subject “Interpreter Part-Time_ Larisa”.

SN is an equal opportunity employer. Persons with disabilities and from vulnerable and disadvantaged groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

Recruitment processes reflect SN’s commitment to keeping children safe from harm and abuse. Employment is subject to SN Child protection standards, including background checks and adherence to SN Child Safeguarding Policy.

Due to the urgency of recruitment, SN reserves the right to complete the process as soon as the suitable candidate has been identified. Interested candidates should submit their applications (CV and motivation letter) not later than by March 5th, 2023.

Only short-listed candidates will receive a written reply.


Remarks: Before submitting your CV, please read carefully the employees’ privacy notice on the processing of personal data pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and the respective Greek legislation.

For roles that will have regular contact with vulnerable populations SolidarityNow is obliged to seek information about criminal convictions and offences, and selected candidates will be requested to provide a recent copy of criminal record.

Following the preventive measures against COVID-19, holding a vaccination certificate or undergoing Covid-19 antigen tests as per government directions is mandatory.

Phase 1

Posted on Tuesday February 21st, 2023

Phase 1

  • SN establishes collaboration with the local authorities, international organisations, and the Turkish organisation SGDD – ASAM, one of the main humanitarian actors on the ground.
  • Our expertise in child protection in similar situations is identified, and our teams are called upon to support and build the capacity of other organisations in this regard.
  • On February 20th, our team starts working to set up and operate Child-Friendly Spaces in the camps in collaboration with SGDD – ASAM, while team members contribute to the creative occupation of children, sharing their know-how from the long-term involvement in children’s psycho-educational programs. Actions that include sports and various creative activities are carried out in collaboration.
  • On Thursday, February 23rd, a second team of 8 people – psychologists, educators, social workers, and an interpreter, join the team expanding the work and support provided.