Volunteering

PARTNER: 
The project is supported by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (www.SNF.org), one of the world's leading international philanthropic organizations, making grants in the areas of arts and culture, education, health and medicine, and social welfare. The Foundation funds organizations and projects that exhibit strong leadership, sound management and are expected to achieve a broad, lasting and positive social impact.

In the framework of the project "Lessons of Solidarity", ELIX cooperates with the Institution PAMMAKARISTOS, which was established in 1953, by the Greek Orthodox Church. The institution maintains a very subtle religious character.

Currently, the Institution hosts 105 children, teenager and young adults with intellectual disabilities and their age ranges from 3 to 35 years.
Most of the children, teenager and young adults suffer from autism, meaning they have difficulties with normal communication, cognitive ability, social behavior, motor skills and sensory integration. Also children and young adults with intellectual disabilities, as well as children with social problems and orphans, are hosted in the Institution.

The hosted persons, depending on the type of disorder, age and needs, attend school or workshops (Daily Living & professional workshops, e.g. decoration-crafts), or the boarding home (open 24h/365days). Some of the therapies and activities offered in PAMMAKARISTOS are logo therapy, ergo therapy, psychoanalysis.

This MTV-programme aims to support the improvement of the conditions and care in the daily routine of the Institution. An active group of volunteers will support the staff and additionally organize alternative free time activities for persons hosted in PAMMAKARISTOS.

WORK - PAMMAKARISTOS
The volunteers will be involved in the following activities:
1. Provide company and support to the children and young people hosted in the Institution. 
1. Assist the employees throughout the daily programme of the young girls hosted in  the boarding home.
2. Support the professional staff in the daily living workshop (e.g. supervise, explain, help with  development of autonomous living skills of boys with autism) and  in the professional decoration & crafts workshop (help the young people to learn to make simple crafts and decoration objects participate in the production of crafts, etc.)
3. Assist the employees during meals, bed-time, etc
4. Organize creative and alternative free time activities for the youngsters (play ground, athletic activities, art & craft activities).

One volunteer will work in the workshops, from Monday to Friday, from 9:00 in the morning until 14:00 (daily living and decoration & crafts workshops). The other two volunteers will be working in the boarding home from Wednesday to Sunday: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, from 15:00 until 21:00, and Saturday & Sunday there will be two shifts interchangeably with another volunteer, namely from 9:00 until 15:00 -morning shift- and from 15:00 until 21:00 -afternoon shift.

All volunteers will have 2 days off during the week.
Volunteers will also have the opportunity to participate in afternoon activities with the children and young people.

ACCOMODATION AND FOOD
The volunteers will be lodged in guest-rooms of the Institution and more specifically in a room of four with a bathroom/shower directly across. Meals are provided by the association every day for the volunteers.

LOCATION & LEISURE ACTIVITY
PAMMAKARISTOS is located in the town of Nea-Makri (500m from the centre and 700m from the beach), in the district of Attica (North east from Athens).
Nea-Makri is a town of 15.000 inhabitants, about 1 hour from Athens down town. There is a regular connection between Nea-Makri and Athens by bus (bus-station exist outside of the Pammakaristos). Volunteers have many places around to visit in their free time: Athens, Marathonas, Rafina etc.

REQUIREMENTS
The MTV programme is for female volunteers only.
It is important for the volunteers to know that they will work together with the staff of PAMMAKARISTOS. Volunteers should be patient and resistant to psychological stress and ready to help with smile, love and creative proposals.

The project is challenging and of importance. It is one of the projects that constitute life experience. Previous experience with disabled persons will be appreciated but it is not obligatory.

Working language is English (Greek knowledge is welcomed).
The volunteers must provide their transportation and health insurance. Volunteers from the EU are advised also to bring their EHIC card.

Volunteers are entitled to two working days holiday per month as long as it is at convenient time agreed with the Programme coordinator.
Interested volunteers will have to fill in special application form provided by ELIX.
A SKYPE interview between the volunteer and ELIX will take place before the final selection.
Upon selection, volunteers have to provide a Certificate of Good Conduct.

INTRODUCTION AND TRAINING
There will be an introduction - training session in the first week with the mentor and the person responsible from the institution.

SUPERVISION AND SUPPORT
Every volunteer has regular supervision from the mentor. The Volunteer will be met on arrival at the project and will spend most of their first week getting to know the everyday life of Pammakaristos. The mentor is going to talk regularly with the volunteer about how she is getting on and to discuss any problems, ideas or queries she may have.

VERY IMPORTANT
The volunteer must be mature, an excellent communicator, flexible and completely reliable. The volunteer must be interested in people and have the confidence and ability to develop relationships with a wide range of people. Willingness to work with children and young adults is essential therefore as well as being cheerful and friendly, English language skills must be reasonable/good. The volunteer also needs to be able to inspire confidence and trust in the people she is working with. In addition, the volunteer will need to be self reliant, independent and be able to amuse her selves.
Volunteers should be aware that the use of illegal drugs or excessive alcohol consumption whilst on the placement could affect care to clients and in this situation volunteers would be asked to leave the programme.

NEAREST AIRPORT
ATH Athens international airport "El. Venizelos"

PROGRAMME ADDRESS
Institution “PAMMAKARISTOS”, Leoforos Marathonos 1, Nea Makri, Attica, Greece