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Social Inclusion of Immigrants - Greece
Source: General Secretariat for Adult Education
The project responds to communication needs in an immigration country, by providing educational and training opportunities to migrants and refugees. As far as other socially excluded groups are concerned, such as Roma, ex- offenders and prisoners, they also have access to the activities just mentioned.
2. Aims and objectives of the project/measure
The project intends to contribute to combating discrimination and to promote employability for migrant and minorities living in Greece. To foster bilingualism is an explicit goal.
1. The Greek language training programme for immigrants assists immigrants in learning the Greek language while at the same time enhancing their mother tongue skills. The programme specifically refers to the connection between social and employment practices on the one hand and bilingual expression in oral and written discourse on the other.
Cultural activities like visiting museums and historical places and social skills activities are also included.
2. Basic skills programmes cover:
G.S.A.E. has been developing projects focusing on race equality aspects since 1983, starting with Roma. Other groups included ethnically Greek political refugees from ex-communist countries (1983-1986), repatriated Greeks from the Former Soviet Union (1986-2000), and repatriated Greek-Albanians and Albanians from 1991.
Ever since Greece became an immigration country at the beginning of the 1990s, projects in favour of Albanians, citizens of such ex-communist countries as Poland, Bulgaria, Russia, and Rumania, as well as immigrants and refugees from Palestine and Pakistan, were developed. Further, the Greek authorities have taken legal measures to make things easier for foreigners who live and work, or want to work, in Greece (regularisations, healthcare, multicultural schools and other legal measures in order to protect and to promote human rights for minorities).
European Social Fund, Greek National Budget
6. Involvement of migrants/minority and/or social patterns
Target groups and social partners participated in project development from the very beginning and their views are taken into consideration in the context of projects. They also contribute in dissemination activities and they function as mediators between target groups and projects. Social partners like NGOs, educational organizations, labour unions, local authorities, cultural unions and migrants/refugees, Roma unions, support projects and play an important role in the whole procedure.
7. Results achieved (by outcome indicators)
Greater social inclusion through education, training, social care, employment, and also improved employability and legal status, better acceptance of immigrants’ culture and a friendlier attitude of the Greek population towards ethnic, religious and other minorities living in the country. Besides, the target groups mentioned are developing social relationships with native Greeks (friendships, marriages, business etc.).
As far as migrants are concerned all projects can be called “innovative” for Greece.
Projects exploit the possibilities to help target groups learn the Greek language in the context of an inclusion process, enhancing at the same time their mother tongue skills.
9. Difficulties encountered in implentation, scope for emulation
To approach and encourage people to participate is one problem, securing sufficient funding is another. The methodology could also be applied elsewhere.
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