ESC: Non-formal education through Art and Creativity (URGENT)

“Schedia stin Poli” is a voluntary, non-profit organization based in Thessaloniki. It started as an informal group in 1999 by a group of educators and in 2007 it switched to a non-governmental non- profit organization. Each year the team designs and implements creative volunteer actions, educational programs and artistic events for children and youngsters. Our mission: - To support children and young people experiencing difficulties: young people with disabilities, Roma, immigrant, refugee children, with family difficulties etc. - To raise awareness about volunteering, human rights and children's rights, racism, diversity, equal opportunities, environmental and intercultural education - To promote the idea of volunteering, solidarity, respect and tolerance - To promote alternative forms of non-formal learning through arts, work, collaborative process, games - To develop a dynamic network of cooperation with non-governmental organizations in locally and internationally Our actions: - Training programs for volunteers: The training programs run on a weekly basis from October to May and consist of 3 hour workshops on volunteering issues, teambuilding activities, solidarity, intercultural and inclusive learning issues, awareness about vulnerable groups, practice in educational methods as role playing, educational drama, practice in design and implementation of awareness campaigns in local community etc. Through this procedure we try to empower the young volunteers, to create a climate of trust, acceptance and solidarity among the members, offer useful tools, knowledge and opportunities for creativity. The training programs are based on non-formal education methods. Every year we receive at least 20 new volunteers. - Voluntary programs for children and young people with fewer opportunities Every year in cooperation with local stakeholders we organize and implement our voluntary projects, based on needs and capacity assessments. 1. “Children’s Hangout”: every Friday afternoon we offer creative activities for children 5-12 years old (October to June). The program runs from 2012 in cooperation with the SOS Children Villages and address to families with social or other difficulties. The project takes place in our premises. The beneficiary children are 20-30 per year. 2. “Suitcases of creativity”: we visit children’s libraries, villages, organizations, youth centers, institutions for people with disabilities, refugee centers etc and implement creative programs such as: storytelling, creative writing, puppet theatre, recycling, art and comics, healthy nutrition, intercultural games, etc. Every program lasts 2-3 hours. We organize the visits based on the needs of the beneficiaries and our capacity to respond. The beneficiary children reach an average of 1500 every year. 3. “Schedia… goes to school”: Educational programs at schools and institutions. Till now we have implemented the projects “Play - live - learn for my rights” (project for children ‘rights), “Black cats go to school?” (project about stereotypes), “Solidarity at school” (project on how pupils can demonstrate solidarity in their community and create local voluntary actions). We cooperate with primary schools and institutions mainly in disadvantaged areas. The beneficiary children number 800-1000 every year. 4.”Youth and the city”: Artistic activities and awareness raising events: We participate or organize open events and festivals in Thessaloniki. Some of them are: “Social circus at the neighborhoods”, “Stand for my rights”, “Volunteer Day”, “Act Against racism and xenophobia”. - Experiential seminars and workshops addressed to students in humanities and pedagogy, as well as young teachers. Our aim is to promote issues for alternative and inclusive education and new pedagogical methods. - Training and youth exchange projects through European youth programs: our volunteers participate inform and participate in youth mobility projects. In the last 3 years we have participated as partners in 4 youth exchanges and 2 training courses. From January 2019 we are partners at the KA3 ERASMUS+ project “Join In and Mace a Change” a project for educational drama and its contribution to inclusive education. Target group: Our target groups are young people, students, or professionals mainly in the social and pedagogical field, who are interested in social contribution and creative use of their free time through the voluntary actions we offer. We also address to young people, children, parents and teachers through our educational programs, awareness-raising events and the training seminars we organize. The team is constantly cooperating with organizations and non-governmental organizations in Greece, Europe and abroad. Since 1999 the team has traveled to throughout Greece as well as in many countries of the world. We are a founding member of the Thessaloniki Network of Voluntary Organizations, a body whose membership has reached 50+ civil society organizations.