Name of the organization or artist

IASIS NGO

Email

thanos.loules@iasismed.eu

Address

Acharnon 297

Country

Greece

Website URL

https://www.iasismed.eu/?lang=en

Missions and objectives

IASIS is active in the field of Social Inclusion, Mental Health, and Education. The organization is affiliated with the Ministry of Labour, the National Register of Non-Profit Private Sector and the Special Register of Voluntary Non-Governmental Organizations of the Directorate-General for Welfare [09110AEN21094O32N-0798 as well as 09110AEN21021N3210N].
IASIS has a management competency system certified by the Special Service / Sector for Health and Social Solidarity [1483 / 18-06-13], and is also certified as a VET Center (KEDIVIM1) by the National Organisation for the Certification of Qualifications & Vocational Guidance (EOPPEP) (License Code 2100625), and is also an executive body for the measure of community service (Government Gazette No.’3647 / 2017). In addition, IASIS has been certified by the Youth and Lifelong Learning Foundation (INEDIVIM) for the implementation of European Voluntary Service/ European Solidarity Corps (EVS – Certification Code 2016-1-EL02-KA110-002886).
Finally, IASIS is under the supervision of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Education, the European Union, and the annual financial reports are sent to the Court of Auditors and posted to the Greek Transparency Program initiative.
IASIS was founded in 2005. In its 15 years of experience and contribution, people have always been in the center of projects designed and implemented, with the main objectives of providing psychosocial support, combating the social exclusion of vulnerable groups, the provision of psychological and counselling services, the creation of equal opportunities and new perspectives.
The total number of beneficiaries of the organization has been estimated at more than 380,000 people since 2006.
IASIS NGO has been providing support to anyone in need for 15 years:
➢ People with mental health problems, through the operation of two (2) Boarding Houses, two (2) Sheltered Apartments and one (1) Day Center, (1) Integrated Community Therapy Service
➢ IASIS is a found member to the central council for justice for juvenile and adolescent justice. (KE.SE.THE.A), In cooperation with the Greek juvenile probation office the last 15 years provides counselling support and social integration to young offenders in the context of “community service”.
➢ Homelessness and Poverty Action with the operation of one (1) Day Center for Homeless people with a total annual capacity of 1,000 people, and 72 sheltered apartments for homeless people in Chalkida and Attica region. In addition, through the Fabric Republic program, we provided over 20 tonnes of clothing to socially vulnerable groups.
➢ Women-victims of violence, by creating a support service for 200 women.
➢ Asylum Seekers with the Psychosocial Service at the Schisto Camp with a focus on women, the operation of Elaionas camp in Attica region, two Shelters with a capacity of 70 persons and 350 persons respectively under the supervision and funding of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, a Shelter for unaccompanied minors, with a capacity of 100 children – victims of war and single parent families.
➢ Professionals on the Humanitarian and Educational sector. Training of over 7,500 professionals and students in over 90 different training packages created by our research and development team.
➢ Children and Youngsters, through Epikentro Service, and six (6) CONNECT YOUR CITY Youth Centers, (1) accommodation facility for European Volunteers (EVS) who are hosted and participate in NGO’s programs for six months.
Detailed information about IASIS NGO and its actions can be found on our website http://www.iasismed.eu

Main Activities

Over the last six years, IASIS has been operating seven (7) Youth Centers under the name “CONNECT YOUR CITY”. In the context of the project, young people aged 16-30 are socializing, trained and able to participate, through peer mentoring, in planning and implementing projects and actions that promote the principles of European citizenship and participation. CONNECT YOUR CITY aims at motivating young people and enabling them to develop their personal and professional skills, to become active citizens, to motivate and actively engage their peers and society. The services provided are free of charge and based on five (5) pillars (gamification, sports, culture, job club, active citizenship). Through their participation in various and diverse activities, young people can embrace values such as collaboration, teamwork and solidarity, acceptance of diversity, and respect. These 5 pillars can be summarized in the following objectives:

1. Gamification: Through gaming activities (interactive team games – Real Life Experience), young people gain essential insight and at the same time develop skills that are necessary for their personal and professional life, such as collaboration, teamwork, project management, flexibility, problem-solving, communication, acceptance, etc.

2. Sports for All: CYC offers the opportunity to young people to participate in various sports activities for the body and spirit, aiming at bringing the youth closer to the sports culture. As volunteers for the activities of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, we embrace the Olympic spirit and we ensure that our programs focus on cultivating empathy, equality, justice, respect, compassion, self-discipline and self-esteem, as well as promoting the health of young people. We believe that all of these values can enable young people to flourish in their personal and professional life.

3. Culture: Young people have the opportunity to get closer to culture through musical, artistic and environmental activities that they might not have had access to before. In addition, through Connect Culture, young artists are also supported in their attempts to follow an artistic career, having acclaimed actors and music artists act as their mentors.

4. Job Club: CYC, through Connect Job Club, provides training to young people, aiming at aiding them develop the necessary skill set to become professionally successful and fully integrated into the job market, whether they wish to get employed at a company or become an entrepreneur and start their own business.

5. Active citizenship: This project refers to the establishment of Regional Youth Councils in Athens. In this way, young people have the chance to actively participate in the community, while understanding the meaning of active citizenship and developing a sense of participation and responsibility, as well as to get trained and gain experience in planning and implementing policies. Youth groups handle challenging issues, such as search for employment, social re-integration, networking and interconnecting with the labour market, exchanging good practices to improve young people’s participation in the planning and decision-making process, climate change and the environment. The final deliverable is voted on in a proposal addressed to the Regional Authorities, Municipalities and Ministries, in order to highlight the suggestions and needs of young people.

The experience of our organization in the Youth field also encompasses the following actions/services/projects:

– Volunteerism: IASIS has a long history of actively engaging in volunteerism. Members and volunteers of CYC are offering their services in the rest of the facilities of IASIS, such as the Boarding House, the Day Center, Intervention to the Community, Street Market and Fabric Republic. In addition, IASIS has been implementing several European Solidarity Corps projects. We are certified for hosting volunteers from Europe to Athens and for sending Greek Volunteers all across Europe and its partner countries.

– Internships: Our organization offers the opportunity to approximately 50 graduates of public universities and colleges per year, in particular psychologists, social workers and professionals from the business and communication sectors to complete their six-month internship here and develop their educational and training skills.

– Juvenile Offenders: IASIS offers the chance to juvenile offenders to provide voluntary services and creatively participate in the Youth community, in cooperation with the Greek Juvenile Minority Service.

– Intervention in the Community: IASIS, recognizing the need for support of socially vulnerable groups, started operating the Service “Intervention in the Community”. This is a service where the young people of CONNECT YOUR CITY in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team of IASIS, the telephone line 10306, the “Argos” federation, but also the community service of IASIS support and serve on a daily basis vulnerable groups that due to poverty, disability and various psychosocial problems, have reduced access to services and are threatened with social exclusion.

-Street Market: In collaboration with Boroume NGO, IASIS activates volunteers to visit street markets on various locations in the Attika region and collect the excess food that merchants are willing to donate, instead of throwing it away. All the food that is collected is then distributed among the various beneficiaries of IASIS, including low income families, refugees and others.

IASIS has also implemented many European projects within the last few years.

Contact person

Thanos Loules