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“We, at SolidarityNow, believe that the best service for people is to teach them to swim, at the pace they want, at the speed they want”

SolidarityNow’s 1^st Job Fair was completed with great success. Refugees, migrants and asylum seekers, agencies, bodies and private companies in Thessaloniki gathered for the first time, sat at the same table and discussed labor issues. At SolidarityNow we believe that refugees’ and migrants’ integration in the Greek society requires equal opportunities and access to the job market. The partnership of -institutional and non-institutional- bodies and stakeholders at our organization’s 1^st Job Fair shows that this is possible.

The attendance at the two-day Job Fair (September 26 & 27) has exceeded our expectations. Around 500 people, refugees and migrants looking for work, representatives of organizations and companies came to the organization’s Blue Refugee Center. Specifically, 375 people, women and men aged 18-60, from different countries including Syria, Afghanistan, Cameroon, Nigeria and Iran, participated in the two-day festival. The Fair provided the opportunity to learn about important issues related to their labor rights, to exchange views, to be taught by experienced speakers, to take a professional photo for their resume in the photo booth that was included for this purpose. There was even an original online game application they could play with to help them become familiar with the job search process.

“A man who has no job is going through difficult times”, we could say, paraphrasing the words of the Irish writer George Bernard Shaw. The 1^st Job Fair was organized on the occasion of the urgent needs of our beneficiaries. At the Solidarity Centers in Athens and Thessaloniki, as well as at the Blue Refugee Center in Thessaloniki, people from all over the world seek career counseling at the Employability Service, which is provided free of charge. “People are sometimes confused – they think the best “lesson” they can offer to vulnerable people is to embrace them tightly, to keep them in their own lifeboat. At SolidarityNow, we believe that the best service for people is to teach them to swim, at the pace they want, at the speed they want”, said SolidarityNow’s General Manager Antigone Lyberaki on the opening day of the 1^st Job Fair, an initiative of the SIRIUS* program.

The businesses and agencies that presented their activities, were in return informed about how to reach out and collaborate with the refugee and migrant population.

We can learn from each other.

Beneficiaries of the organization shared their own success stories in the workplace providing a source of inspiration to all. “The job for us is like our ‘heart’, it gives us life and reason for our existence,” said Deborah from Nigeria, one of the speakers who lives and works in Greece. “Some people have said that they do not rent their shops to refugees. But I found a shop and soon I will open my own pastry shop. All Greeks will soon have my sweets in their fridge. For some this sounds like a joke, but tomorrow you will tell your friends, ‘let’s go for coffee at Lade’. Your opinion of your own life will change. One has to change his life and become more successful”, stressed Loghman, Kurdish from Iran, who did not give up and will open soon his own pastry shop in Thessaloniki.

At SolidarityNow we believe that everyone should have equal access to the labor market and equal opportunities; and the Job Fair was the best channel for this powerful message to be heard. Antigone Lyberaki noted: “The successful completion of the 1st Job Fair for refugees and migrants makes us even more responsible for what we have started. Our next goal is to make this event happen not only in Thessaloniki but also in other Greek cities!”.

* The SIRIUS program “Skills and Integration of Immigrants, Refugees and Asylum Seekers in the European Labor Market”, funded by the European Union, started in January 2018 and lasts three years. The program involves 11 actors from 7 countries. The program in Greece is implemented by SolidarityNow.

*The Blue Refugee Center Blue, launched in 2016, is supported by the UNHCR and funded by the European Union.

*The Employment Service operates at SolidarityNow’s Solidarity Centers in Athens and Thessaloniki as well as at the Blue Refugee Center in Thessaloniki, as one of the many services provided free of charge to anyone in need.

23 young individuals -Greeks & refugees/migrants- were supported in order to become the Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow

SolidarityNow celebrated the completion of the “Migrant & Youth Social Inclusion Through Entrepreneurship”  (MYSITE) program in a closing event that was held in order to celebrate entrepreneurship, employment and social inclusion, at the Blue Refugee Center in Thessaloniki.

MYSITE lasted 18 months and was the result of a partnership among five organizations from five different European countries with the common goal to promote entrepreneurship as a means of livelihood and financial independence for young people, to promote the social integration of migrants and/or refugees as well as to reintegrate  young people into the labor market in the five participating countries (Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Italy, Spain).

The event for the completion of MYSITE took place on September 26^th, as a side event of the 1^st SolidarityNow’s Job Fair. T

Also, they had the opportunity to follow presentations on a variety of topics related to entrepreneurship and labor market, such as:

• SolidarityNow’s employability programs, strategy and priorities
• Presentation of the lessons learned from the program and best practices for implementing similar entrepreneurship programs
• Presentation of the program’s results while the students, trainer and mentors shared their personal experiences of the program.

MYSITE had three objectives that were achieved during its 18-month implementation, including the training of 23 young people in Athens and Thessaloniki (Greek and refugees/migrants) on key entrepreneurship issues and job advice from experienced entrepreneurs (mentors), the development of 20 business plans with the support of trainers and mentors, and  a research on the landscape and policies for youth and migrant entrepreneurship, as well as the resources made available to young entrepreneurs in each participating country.

For the research aspect, SolidarityNow examined the conditions of entrepreneurship in Greece for young people and migrants, by conducting interviews with experts, young Greek and young migrant entrepreneurs. The resulting report includes information on the Greek national context, the legal, political and institutional framework, opportunities and measures for entrepreneurship, challenges and barriers for entrepreneurs, and recommendations for creating a better more environmentally friendly entrepreneurship environment for migrants and young people in Greece.

Find out more about the results of the research here: https://www.solidaritynow.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Greece-National-Report.pdf.

*MYSITE was implemented with funding by the ERASMUS+ program of the European Commission in 5 EU countries (Spain, Italy, Malta, Cyprus, and Greece) by the following partners: SolidarityNow (Greece), Asociacion Socio Educativa Llere (Spain), S.F.Or. Centro Studi Formazione Orientamento (Italy), Aequitas (Cyprus) and The People for Change Foundation (Malta), as the project leader.

**The Blue Refugee Center, founded in 2016, is supported by the UNHCR and funded by the European Union.

60 participants, 4 instructors, a number of colleagues, all took part in an innovative program with the aim of inclusion through interaction

The medium of radio, creative podcasts and photography, some of the most powerful mediums of modern expression. Taking advantage of these tools SolidarityNow chose to give its Primary Constituents of the organization the opportunity to express themselves, create and critique the organization itself, with the sole aim of improving its services and programs through the increased interaction and feedback acquisition between all its constituents.

And they did it.

Through their photographs and podcasts 60 Primary Constituents either share their own story or they share a story that caught their attention. These photographs and podcasts which visitors of the exhibit had the chance to see and hear was held yesterday, 17 September, at Serafeio of the Municipality of Athens (Piraios & Petrou Ralli street, Athens). Abdo, Omar, Karim and other Primary Constituents greeted their instructors and all visitors and were happy to share their experience as part of the program.

“Primary Constituents themselves are most equipped to provide us feedback about their needs. We just provided them with the opportunity and some tools in order to be creative and improve their skills of expression” says Danae Kapralou, the program’s coordinator. She adds that the concept of accountability which was also a primary aim of the program is something that lacks in Greece in general. “It is important for those who try to have a better life, to learn that they are the most equipped to advocate for themselves” they just need to be encouraged in that direction.”

The participant’s experience in numbers

• 8% of program participants were male and 16.2% were female, from 6 different countries around the world
• 76% of participants found the photography and radio trainings to be very interesting and,
• 82% of those found that the knowledge they acquired through the workshops is a useful tool they will utilize in the future.

In regard to the accountability aspect that was tested through the program, 80% of participants claimed that through their participation in the program they gained more knowledge and understanding of SolidarityNow’s scope of work.

The photography workshops in Athens and Thessaloniki were conducted by George Moutafis and Alexandros Avramidis and respectively the radio workshop (podcast creation) were conducted by Katerina Kafentzi (Kafka) and Christos Kiousis.

*SolidarityNow implemented the pilot accountability program named “The Resilient Roots Initiative,” since July 2018. The program was coordinated by the Civicus network in partnership with the organizations Keystone Accountability & Accountable Now.

A collaboration between the International Rescue Committee, SolidarityNow and Knowl exclusively funded by the Citi Foundation.

350 young people – refugees, migrants and members of vulnerable social groups – who wanted not only to challenge themselves with entrepreneurship but also to start their lives with dignity and dynamism, participated in the Business for YOUth entrepreneurship program that took part from March 2018 to July 2019. Watch the video that summarizes the results of the program: Business For YOUth program completed!

This action is just one of the partnerships between Citi Foundation and the International Rescue Committee (IRC). With a $2,000,000 donation by the Citi Foundation’s Pathways to Progress Global Initiative, 1,000 young refugees, migrants, and vulnerable youth groups from Greece, Jordan and Nigeria received professional training and financial support for start-ups.

In particular, in Athens, the IRC has worked with SolidarityNow to develop and implement the Business for YOUth program in collaboration with the social enterprise Knowl and has enabled 350 people aged 18-35 to be trained in basic principles of entrepreneurship.

30 of the participants, who were distinguished both for their ideas and their determination and commitment to chasing their dream, were selected to receive personalized support from mentors and a symbolic amount to cover the first operating costs of their company.

“When we launched the Business for YOUth training and entrepreneurship program in March 2018, our ambition was to give young people the opportunity to acquire knowledge that would help them implement their own business ideas in a country like Greece that is struggling with unemployment and exclusion. To give them the opportunity to create, stand apart and flourish! Today, with the completion of the program, we feel that our goal has been achieved since the numbers and results have allied with us. More than 350 young people attended 19 courses and 30 of them reached the next level: they received special counseling to get their business idea materialized. Such a principle shows and the need for such dynamic initiatives – a priority for us in SolidarityNow”, notes Antigone Lyberaki, SolidarityNow General Manager.

“The IRC and the Citi Foundation have created a global partnership to help aspiring and ambitious young entrepreneurs start their own businesses. Over the past 2 years, 1,000 people have supported business ideas in Greece, Jordan and Nigeria. In Greece, the program focused on young Greeks, asylum seekers, and refugees. We hope that the experience we have gained will inspire similar initiatives in the future and will give everyone the opportunity to create a new life in Greece. Through this program we met amazing, talented, and strong people to whom we wish wholeheartedly good luck in creating their new businesses”, said Jana Frey, Country Director in IRC Hellas.

“As with many other modern challenges, cities are at the forefront of attempts to integrate refugees and vulnerable youth groups. The Citi Foundation’s Pathways to Progress initiative is the solution we offer for positive prospects in our lives through a sustainable economic path. We believe that our most important obligation to young people is to establish the conditions that will encourage them to believe in their future“, said Manina Menidiatis, Public Affairs Officer, Citi Greece.

“We are particularly proud that through the targeted and intensive entrepreneurship program, 350 young people have successfully completed the training program, have taken the opportunity to think, develop, present and, above all, test their business ideas in an ‘unknown’ environment. Importance was given to the development of soft skills, and the transmission of knowledge directly applicable to business activity such as costing, branding, financing, etc. Entrepreneurs and professionals were mentors to the participants, who managed to implement their business plans in a professional and, most importantly, sustainable way. In fact, 30 of them received further personalized advice and guidance on the development of the business plan. Knowl, which values respect for all people, will continue to actively support such initiatives”, Dr. Ioannis Salamouris, President of Knowl-Social Enterprise, stated.

*The completion of the first round of this collaboration was celebrated on Tuesday, July 9, at the Serafio of the City of Athens. Beneficiaries, rapporteurs, consultants, co-operating organizations, as well as friends and supporters participated in the celebration. Everyone remembered important moments, exchanged experiences and impressions, had fun, and wished the young entrepreneurs, good luck.

More about the IRC

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a humanitarian non-governmental organization that since 1933 has supported refugees, displaced populations, victims of oppression and violent conflicts around the world. In Greece, IRC Hellas started offering services in the summer of 2015 in Lesvos and its actions have gradually expanded to mainland Greece. Its interventions extend from reception to integration of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants, with the aim of rebuilding their lives. Η International Rescue Committee (IRC) είναι μια ανθρωπιστική μη κυβερνητική οργάνωση που από το 1933 στηρίζει πρόσφυγες, εκτοπισμένους πληθυσμούς, θύματα καταπίεσης και βίαιων συρράξεων σε όλο τον κόσμο. Στην Ελλάδα, η IRC Hellas, ξεκίνησε να παρέχει υπηρεσίες το καλοκαίρι του 2015 στη Λέσβο και, σταδιακά, οι δράσεις της επεκτάθηκαν στην ηπειρωτική Ελλάδα. Οι παρεμβάσεις της εκτείνονται από την υποδοχή έως και την ένταξη προσφύγων, αιτούντων άσυλο και μεταναστών, με σκοπό την ανοικοδόμηση της ζωής τους. The IRC focuses on providing services for the protection and empowerment of women and children (including 24-hour care for unaccompanied minors), mental health and psychosocial support, labor market integration, job counseling and entrepreneurship education programs for young people, support for management and infrastructure refugee camps, as well as providing valid and simplified information through the Refugee.Info platform. At the same time, it has gained valuable experience in the dynamics and needs of civil society in Greece through the close cooperation and support of ten organizations as part of one of its programs. It has also collaborated with the municipalities of Athens, Thessaloniki, Piraeus and Lesvos. https://www.rescue.org/country/greece

More about the Pathways to Progress initiative by the Citi Institution

The Citi Foundation’s Pathways to Progress initiative, funded by the Rescuing Futures for Resellers and Vulnerable Business Training program for 2017-2020, involves a three-year $ 100 million investment program and a voluntary offer of 10,000 Citi employees aiming to support the vocational training and employment of 500,000 young people around the world to cope with the challenges of a modern competitive labor market. This is an extension of an initial $ 50 million bid that supported more than 100,000 young people in ten US cities. The Pathways to Progress initiative aims at reducing youth unemployment in major cities around the world, improving the quality of the workforce by creating opportunities for a first job, developing entrepreneurial skills, offering vocational training and practice. Moreover, it recently presented the findings of a new global survey demonstrating the high level of optimism among young people, on the one hand, and the lack of opportunities and skills, on the other hand. http://www.citifoundation.com/citi/foundation/programs/pathways-to-progress.htm

More about Knowl

The Knowl Society for Education and Lifelong Learning (est. 2012) is one of the leading European Social Enterprises with substantial social impact and measurable results, developing personalized professional and personal high-level training for companies and businesses, offering free education and training for vulnerable groups such as the unemployed and refugees. To date we have offered at zero cost training skills and guidance services – counseling to 4,000+ people (social risk groups). Most memorable is the Mellon Skill Accelerator, the social initiative that records impressive results as 1 in 2 beneficiaries find work before completing the training program.

In Knowl we place special emphasis on young people out of employment, education or training (NEETs), unemployed, women, people with reduced financial capacity excluded from learning processes and / or with limited skills, refugees and start-uppers. Distinguished operators and companies that choose and trust Knowl services include the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, the Prince’s Trust International, the Bodossakis Foundation, the European Commission in Greece, Vodafone Greece, KAYKAS SA, Chios Mastic Producers Association, KORRES, major research institutes, municipalities, etc. http://www.knowl.gr/