Our project aims to support people affected economically and mentally by the pandemic of COVID-19 in Greece. Greeks struggled many years due to the economic crisis. In Greece there will be a recession of 9.7% due to COVID-19 (EU commission), with 20% unemployment. ANTIGONE's core activity is to fight for equal opportunities for all. Unemployed and poor people are marginalized and don't access the same opportunities. Thus, they need support to participate again in community matters.

In deprived neighborhoods of the surrounding area of the city of Thessaloniki.

Thessaloniki is the second largest city in Greece, after Athens. Large population means greater need of job opportunities, but also higher competition. In Thessaloniki there are many unemployed citizens that live in poverty, often in homelessness. ANTIGONE team implemented workshops on mental resilience to unemployed citizens approximately two years ago. During the workshops, the beneficiaries expressed their need to meet all together, get informed regarding laws and mitigation measures by the state for their circumstances, invite relevant stakeholders to discuss, get trained in simple job-related subjects and also create artworks to sell. Moreover, they expressed their desire and need to further follow similar workshops.

The target group of our idea consists of approximately 40 unemployed citizens nearby Thessaloniki.

In order to reach our aim, our project will include:
-Empowerment workshops on active citizenship, participation in public dialogue and citizens’ rights in democratic communities;
-Capacity building workshops, on communication skills, presentation skills, team working, opportunity identification, problem solving skills, mental and sentimental resilience etc., and will include how to deal with an interview, how to improve the curriculum vitae etc.;
-Empowerment and mental resilience building of the beneficiaries through the realization of art workshops and the implementation of an art exhibition;
-Activation and support of the beneficiaries while they prepare a workshop to implement during the Select Respect Festival;
-Awareness and sensitization of the public.

Through the project, beneficiaries will be activated, will be empowered, will feel useful to the community, will gain the identity of active citizens that will increase their self-confidence and improve their mental resilience. With their increased capacities they will feel ready to participate in their neighborhoods’ and the city’s civic life, contribute to the current and future challenges and set an example for the rest of the community members. Further, they will acquire the means, the space, the opportunity and the support to participate in actions and activities that promote human rights and democracy for all without discrimination.

Our idea is to empower citizens take on a more active role in society as active citizens. Our project is an intervention for the promotion of less privileged –even disadvantaged- social groups’ citizenship and participation in all it’s dimensions; political (claiming rights and responsibilities reaching relevant stakeholders), social (interaction, loyalty and solidarity within local community), cultural (increasing learning competence) and economic (preparation to claim a place in the job market). Additionally, citizens will learn about and participate for challenges of their community that affect them indirectly.

Our team realizes non-formal education and sensitization workshops on human rights, vocational seminars, awareness raising events on several thematic sections, workshops for phychosocial support and empowerment to vulnerable people etc.. Our project idea is of high importance for us, because it is based on the needs of the beneficiaries expressed by themselves, and we really believe that they need this help and support, especially after the crisis of the COVID-19 and the economic impact it already has to the Greek citizens. It is principal for the beneficiaries to not feel depressed and desperate, but to gain power, activate themselves to participate in the commons.

Project manager 7200, Trainer to realize art workshops and organize the art exhibition 3000, Trainer to carry out workshops on active citizenship and capacity building 8640, Expert to support the beneficiaries in preparing the workshop for the Select Respect Festival 3600, Communication expert for project dissemination, wider society awareness and sensitization 1800, Rent of a room for the workshops 2000, Material for the workshops 2000, Material for the artworks and arts exhibition 2000