plusDEVELOPMENT

The project refers to the main priority sector of human resource development and focuses on immigrants. The integration problem of immigrants in the Greek society is a fact detected and recognized by both non governmental Social Support Centers and Public Services:  so, the overall objective of the project is to contribute to the improvement of social cohesion and secure equal opportunities for all through creating an integral system for the social integration of immigrants.  This consists of three interactive sub-systems referring simultaneously to the individual (immigrant), the employers and the support mechanisms. 

It is in the scope of the Project to create a “good practice” that will be embodied in the national strategies and policies, thus serving the need of upgrading social care services. Therefore the implementation is given a pilot character that ensures and validates the final result through on-going evaluation procedures. As regards the theoretical approach of the planning, it derives from the concepts of social exclusion and human resources development, while it also benefits from the accumulated knowledge and long experience of all participating organisations in the field of services against unemployment and exclusion. Moreover, the project plans to utilize (a) innovative tools and practices developed mostly in the framework of the project “Synpraxis”, but also “Horizons” of E.I. Equal 2005-2008 and (b) innovative IT applications for the monitoring and recording of the counseling procedure  as well as of the whole project, thus creating a better cost-benefit relation .

The applicant is EKPOSPO Nostos, an NGO created by social partners (repatriates and their institutional representatives- Pontian Associations), with long experience in providing services against unemployment and social exclusion as well as in realizing and administering several European projects. The partnership consists of  (a) the most significant and durable Greek Centers of Supporting Services, and in specific: ARSIS, EFXINI POLI, Greek Council for the Refugees, Center of Women Studies, YWCA  (b) IASIS  a non profit organization specialized in mental health care  and (c) The General Secretariat for Lifelong Learning, a public body responsible for greek language education. The participation of the Greek Manpower Employment Organization (OAED) has also  been asked but the decision of the Board of Trustees is still pending. Since most of the above partners have successfully cooperated in realizing the project “Synpraxis” with the coordination of EKPOSPO Nostos, they have experience in cooperation procedures and have decided to incorporate in the current project the fundamental principles of the E.I. EQUAL regarding partnership, as well as administration rules and regulations.