Youth-to-Youth Educational and Social Integration Programs

A joint project between ACS Athens and the Home Project Organization
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The educational and social integration philosophy of our Youth-to-Youth programs is based on the Global Morfosis Paradigm (gMp) which provides a meaningful, holistic and harmonious educational experience to all students. The gMp has been implemented at ACS Athens the past twelve years and is comprised of three integrated, inseparable and interrelated components: the Morfosis educational philosophy, the i²Flex teaching and learning methodology, and the Aristeia Leadership.

Since 2016, ACS Athens students, faculty and staff volunteers designed and implemented the Youth-to-Youth Educational and Social Integration Programs in collaboration with other non-governmental organizations with the following vision:

Fostering meaningful educational experiences and promoting social integration addressing the educational and social needs of unaccompanied minors in Athens through a student to student partnership learning model

The Youth-to-Youth Educational and Social Integration Programs since January 2017 are implemented in collaboration with The HOME Project Organization an NGO that provides holistic care and shelter to unaccompanied refugee minors.  Currently, the Programs include the Part-time Youth-to-Youth Program, the Part-time Business to Youth and the Full-time Youth-to-Youth program. The Part-time Youth-to-Youth program, commenced in January 2017, and the Part-time Business to Youth commenced in January 2018 and both run on Saturdays from 9:30-4:00 p.m. involving 45 refugee minors and approximately 40 ACS Athens student volunteers. The Full-time program started in September 2018 and is offered to 18 unaccompanied minors who received the Shapiro Foundation scholarships through The HOME Project Organization.

In addition to the above aims the programs were designed to further educate ACS Athens students in developing as life-long learners, caring individuals and responsible global citizens.

Change of Perceptions: an ACS Athens student reflects

“What I have discovered is that the perspective I had for the refugees prior to the project was completely wrong. This perspective was entirely shaped by the media and was very much influenced by the current events that portrayed the refuges are very poor and uneducated people that came to Greece only as a gateway to a different life. What I was shocked, but was also pleased to discover was that the refugee children are no different than me, or any other of my peers. The only difference is that these children have first hand experience of real destruction; losing their parents and homes and having to come to a foreign country without anyone to help them. While this experience might haunt them fro their rest of their lives I was very happy to see them have fun and helping them adjust in this new environment.”