Open Schools Program Builds Bridges for Syrian Teenagers

Twice a week, 15 teenage refugees make their way to Athens’ historic neighborhood of Plaka to attend the Open Schools course “English Through Comic Books” offered at the 1st Experimental High School.

“We consciously targeted this age group [13-18] because teenagers are the most neglected group – the lost generation,” said Mara Vandorou, one of the four teachers of the course. “We had specific goals: to create an inviting, safe environment and develop a framework where, on specific days and times they had a commitment to honor and, of course, enhance language skills.” The course was also co-created and taught by Dimitra Adamopoulou, Sofia Berlis, Georgia Oikonomidou and Lida Tsene.

“English Through Comic Books” is the result of a cooperation between the Accommodation and Social Services Scheme for Asylum Seekers, part of ESTIA, which is realized through the City of Athens’ Development and Destination Management Agency and Comicdom press, with the aim of cocreating a program addressed to young refugees from vastly different backgrounds, to help bridge their learning gaps as they learn to live in a new city.

The aim is to not only boost reading and comprehension skills, but also to improve emotional intelligence, offering a safe, welcoming environment outside of their homes in local Greek society.

“Getting out and walking through Plaka’s streets to the school gives me such a warm feeling because the area is like being home for a bit,” says 17-year old Emad, as he describes the similarities between his former home in the the Souq Al-Hamidiya area of Damascus and the Athens neighborhood. Since arriving in Greece his only activities have been through the Open Schools program and meeting with his friends from the class once a week to play football.

More than 14,000 refugees and asylum seekers currently live in the Attica region, with an additional 7,500 living in cities in the rest of Greece, as a part of the UN’s ESTIA housing program. The Open Schools program helps to remove barriers and offer opportunities for teenagers to interact with one another, share in new experiences and discover connections. In April 2018, Open Schools was recognized by the Council of Europe as a best practice for integration, while, along with other Athens Partnership initiatives such as the Athens Coordination Center for Migrant and Refugee Issues, it was also acknowledged in the City’s recognition as the “2018 European Capital of Innovation”.

Rami, a 16-year old participant in the course says, “Language is a tool and I have seen how it makes me richer. I now use it to interact with Greeks with more confidence.” He added that the lesson is as much about learning as it is about a chance to meet up with new friends and hang out in different parts of the city. When asked if there was anything he disliked about the class, he said: “The idea that it may not continue to be offered once this round of activities ends.”

Children’s names have been changed to protect their privacy.

The Athens Open Schools program of the City of Athens operates with the Stavros Niarchos Foundation as founding donor, with the coordination of the Athens Partnership and the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation as Activities Donor, under the Vice Mayor for the Child.

The action is an initiative of the Accommodation and Social Services Scheme for Asylum Seekers, with the collaboration of Comicdom Press, and was implemented within the framework of Athens Open Schools.

The course was co-organized and taught by Dimitra Adamopoulou (Comicdom Press), Sophia Berli (EATA), Georgia Economou (EATA), Mara Vandorou (EATA) and Leda Tsene (Comicdom Press). The action was supported by the Interpreters of the Accommodation and Services Program for Asylum Seekers, Nabil Papadopoulos, Reem Jayusi, Elena Chatilari and Amgad Faik.

Your role in this? Everything.

Three years ago a small group of supporters took a chance on the Athens Partnership—and the idea that this new vehicle could be a catalyst to spark innovation, collaboration, and investment in Athens. In this short period of time, we’ve launched 14 major cross-sector initiatives with the Municipality of Athens, invested over €12 million in grants and contributions, and impacted the lives of over 100,000 Athenians.  

Today we are not just an idea but a team of people, both seasoned and committed to strengthening Athens and the country—From reimagining public learning spaces to digitizing social services citywide. We have created a network of more than 30 government agencies, 400 NGOs and citizen groups, and private partners working together on programs such as Open Schools and the Athens Coordination Center for Migrant and Refugee issues. By bringing together these collective forces, we are targeting needs, leveraging and sharing valuable public resources and directing investments where they are needed most.

The world is taking notice. This fall Athens was awarded the 2018 European Capital of Innovation distinction by the European Commission. This prestigious honor was received after consideration of the city’s bid that highlighted many Athens Partnership projects.

Your role in all this is everything.
 
This is a crucial time in the growth of the Athens Partnership and the reach of our public programs. Can we count on your support?

On behalf of the Athens Partnership, I cannot thank you enough for your belief and commitment—your support is strengthening a city, a country and the citizens of Greece. As we reflect on the amazing outcomes over the last three years, we have much to be thankful for and are encouraged by the possibilities ahead with your partnership.
 
Happy holidays to you and yours,
Alexandros Kambouroglou
 
Executive Director
Athens Partnership

Support for refugees

We have all seen images of the refugee plight in recent years: families struggling to reach the shores of Greece; small children left alone in a foreign country.

While international agencies and organizations have dedicated vital resources to address emergency needs, no city could have been prepared enough to respond to the unprecedented humanitarian crisis.
 
Recognizing the need for more strategic and coordinated deployment of services and funds, the Athens Partnership collaborated with the Municipality to launch the Athens Coordination Center for Migrant and Refugee issues (ACCMR). ACCMR brings together 93 of the largest national and international refugee organizations to better manage resources, share data, inform policy, and anticipate future needs. 

Asef Farjam, Open Society Fellow and member of the European Migrant Advisory Board remarks: "The Athens Coordination Center for Migrant and Refugee issues plays a key role in helping refugee communities make their voices heard. Through the ACCMR, they can influence decision making and help shape policy to address real needs effectively."

This holiday season please consider a gift to help us continue in this work and improve the lives of residents—new and old—in Athens, Greece.

Breaking down fences for Athens' schoolchildren

“Our schoolyard used to be divided up by steel fences and barbed wire." Kindergarten Principal Popi Basdeki recounts what it was like to have five adjacent preschool yards divided by high fences and barbed wire:

"Three and 4-year old children were prevented from mingling with each other and could only use the yard according to a strictly regulated schedule."

"It halted the children's desire to freely explore their surroundings and connect with their peers."

Through the Athens Partnership’s Designed for Better Learning (DBL) program—and expertise from the Technical University of Crete Transformable Intelligent Environments Lab—that complex has been redesigned into an open, connected play space for children at all five schools.

Since 2016, the program transformed the physical environment and educational experience in 24 public schools, from preschools to high schools. Co-designed with each school community, renovations include new outdoor classrooms, interactive learning equipment, and multi-use play spaces. Studies showed that students at these newly designed schools displayed a marked increase in educational engagement and families a more positive connection with their schools.

Faced with the promise of change, Popi was initially hesitant:
"The overhaul planned was so ambitious that I couldn't believe it would actually happen... Yet, over the course of just one summer break, everything changed!”

“I still remember the moment when our children got to cross over the old boundaries and play with other children. I hope this unique change, a first for Greece, can be offered to more schools”, says Popi.

This Holiday season, can you offer the gift of a better learning experience for children in schools across Athens?

Athens Digital Lab presents new smart city solutions

The Athens Digital Lab (ADL), the first municipal incubator of its kind in Greece and a joint philanthropic venture between the City of Athens, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), leading technology companies Cosmote and Nokia, and the Athens Partnership, presented its first results last night. ADL’s first round was completed with four new tech apps developed, focusing on smart city solutions for the management of waste, public spaces and green spaces, as well as a marketplace for big data. Three out of four ADL teams presented their apps last night to the tech community, in the presence of Athens Mayor Georgios Kaminis.

Recytrust designed and developed a smart recycling bin, which uses sensors and Internet of Things (IoT) technology to provide real-time data about recycling performance. It is the first solution of its kind globally that can monitor individual recycling performance through personalized swipe cards, measuring it to an accuracy of 10grams. These innovative bins are being placed in 20 spots, including City Hall and 10 primary schools, and introduce a gamification element to recycling.

Inagros developed a smart system for green spaces management, centered around a project management platform connected with sensors installed in parks, gardens and other green areas of the city.T hese sensors enable city management officers to monitor and control water and fertilizer levels, and predict plant health. Fifteen sensor nodes have already been placed and tested in the National Garden of Athens.

Smart City Spaces presented their crowd-based platform and application that allows the Municipal Police to effectively monitor public space use. Through open WiFi networks, using data from smartphones that connect to these networks, public spaces and pedestrian foot traffic can be monitored throughout the city. This data can be used by the City for policy-making decisions, to identify popular areas and to monitor public safety.

In the discussion that followed the presentations, it emerged that the success of this innovative venture is based on the rediscovery of traditional values. Mayor Kaminis noted how Athens is perhaps not yet a smart city, but a ‘wise’ city: a city that is learning to cooperate and make the best use of its resources, including from the private sector and municipal staff. “Cooperation is the key - it’s a simple idea, but also very impactful. In Greece, we have not learned to join forces towards common goals – ventures such as ADL are showing us this approach can really work.”

Aristi Stathakopoulou, Program Officer at the SNF, noted that the Foundation made a conscious decision to support ADL as a long-term effort that can build up the capabilities of young entrepreneurs. Asked why a tech giant such as Nokia invested its resources in a small venture such as the ADL, CEO of Nokia Greece Sakis Exarchos said technological breakthroughs are based on vibrant tech ecosystems, and this is exactly what ADL is cultivating in Greece. Grigoris Christopopoulos, OTE Group Chief Commercial Officer Business Segment, noted that he is ‘extremely proud’ of the teams’ achievements, adding that such ventures are crucial to support Greece’s effort to make it to the forefront of innovation globally. Alexandros Kambouroglou, Executive Director of the Athens Partnership, noted that this public-partnership has been approached by all involved with a truly open spirit of experimentation and particularly noted the zeal of public servants involved in agencies cooperating with ADL teams for the apps’ development.

ADL teams all stressed how their experience in the incubator provided them with valuable support and guidance. Inagros’ solution, conceived for the agricultural sector, was transferred to green spaces management through the guidance of ADL. Recytrust, for their part, noted the importance of having access to the latest tech platforms provided by the ADL partners. Teams also noted that the Athens Digital Lab opened up new markets to them, since they had not conceived that their work could be aimed at solutions for the public sphere.

The Athens Digital Lab’s second call for submissions is currently open, and up to 10 teams will be hosted in ADL in the following months, with a chance to develop their innovative solutions in the areas of Municipal Cleaning services, Mobility Data, Education Infrastructure, Crisis Management and Tourism.