Promoting mental and physical wellbeing of refugees and asylum-seekers through volunteer-led initiatives and action in Greece

ended

The aim of this project is the creation of international teams consisting of young people coming from at least three different countries, who intend to get involved in short-term activities, designed to tackle challenges that vulnerable populations like migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers, have to face, with reference to their health, well-being and social inclusion. The project will engage, in total, 50 volunteers over a period of 10 months, mobilizing young people in short-term team interventions of a two-months duration each. A part of these volunteer groups will consist of people with fewer opportunities coming from the refugee community. Specifically, activities will take place in a small town named Polykastro, which is located in Northern Greece, near a temporary reception center for migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers called ‘Nea Kavala camp’. Volteri 3 project will add value and ensure sustainability for the activities we have been implementing up to now within Volteri 1 and Volteri 2 and thus, will enable us to maximize our impact on our beneficiaries and local community. The fact that refugees and forcibly displaced persons are among the most exposed to health risks and more particularly the most exposed to the dangers of the Covid-19 outbreak - with a high degree of vulnerability in mental disorders - necessitates their protection against health risks. Thus, it is of high importance for us to be able to have volunteers who will perform activities aimed at the protection of the above-mentioned vulnerable group. However, not only is this project configured in a way to provide benefits to our target groups but also to the young participants, whom we intend to assist in capacity-building and personal development.