📝 Detailed information
💼 What the programme involves
This project takes places in Pikpa, an institution for disabled children and youngsters in Athens. The institution is a home for around 75 residents from 2-30 years old, from which some have multiple disabilities and others very light ones. Most residents have no contact to their families. The volunteers bring light, love and care to the every day life of the children and carry out all kinds of different activities (swimming, handcrafts, cooking, toothbrushing, language lessons, excursions...) and are part of a wonderful local and international community. The volunteers are supported to take own initiative and have the support of the coordinator on a every day basis. Most important of all, we try to be the bridge to the outside world, promoting values like equality and inclusion and seeing in each person its value and potential, rather than its disability.
🏠 Accommodation on site
The volunteers live inside the institution, in a separate building from the children and youngsters.
The area around is beautiful and very green, especially in the summer, as it is nice to have the sea in front of the house. It takes around 45 minutes to get to the center of Athens in public transport. There will be around 4-6 long-term volunteers living together, sharing big double-rooms. You will get a monthly allowance of 310€ (150€ regarding pocket money, and 160€ regarding food money), and the travel costs from and back to Italy will be reimbursed.
🎒 Leisure activities
You will receive a pre-departure training in Italy with your sending organization, and will as well attend in Greece the on-arrival and mid-term trainings organized by the Greek National Agency. Also, you will be provided with a Greek language course, and training from the hosting organization concerning your daily tasks (proper use of wheelchairs, feeding, changing diapers...).
⚠️ Requirements
The Participant profil: We are looking for someone with motivation, enthusiasm, responsibility, and commitment.
It is important to keep in mind that most of the children lack of contact with their family, and do not have any other contacts outside the institution, therefore they depend on the sensitivity, love, and attention of the volunteers.
Creativity, patience, initiative, maturity, and a good sense of humor are as well needed.
It is important too to have an intermediate level of English, as it is the language of communication between the volunteers and the coordinator.
Deadline: No application deadline
ℹ️ Additional information
Participants are entitled to receive a Youthpass certificate from the organiser, for recognition of their competence development during the activity. Read more about Youthpass:https://www.youthpass.eu/en/
This organisation holds a European Solidarity Corps Quality Label. The Quality Label certifies that the organisation is able to run projects in compliance with the principles and objectives of the European Solidarity Corps.