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HELLENIC RED CROSS
Social Welfare Division
LIVING THE FINANCIAL CRISIS: The impact, challenges and
opportunities for National Societies
Annual ENPS Forum 2012
“Improving resilience through communication – “Mind the gap!”
26 - 28 October, 2012
Τhe current social situation in Greece due to the financial crisis Short Report (2012)
According to the EUROSTAT (2010), 27.7% of the population in Greece
was at risk of reaching poverty levels or social exclusion. After the
implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding, signed in summer
2010, the population lives in at risk of poverty or near the poverty line.
The negative impacts on Greek society due to austerity measures
(Greek citizens are facing social risks that needs to be responded to)
Unemployment Rate
• Greek unemployment rises above 25% (25,1%, in September)
• The worst-affected 15-24 age group, unemployment is 54.2%
• Greece's statistical authority says that 1.26 million Greeks were out of
work in July, with more than 1,000 jobs lost every day
Health Sector
• The suicide rate doubled last year (More than 2,500 people have taken their own lives since 2010)
• Health budget reduced by more than 10% (affects health services quality, adequacy and efficiency)
• National Organization for Health Care Provision (EOPPY), which recently created (demanded by the Troika) is already in a state of collapse. Pharmacists’ Association constantly announcing that will stop providing prescription medicine on credit, until the organization settles all of its outstanding debts.
Social Insurance System
• Elimination of social benefits and welfare services
• Impose further cutbacks in pensions
• Raise retirement ages (to 67 years)
• Reducing the salaries of employees affects to social insurance and income-related provisions
Vulnerable Groups
• Reduction of disability benefits or elimination provision
• The adverse effects of the financial crisis affect vulnerable groups such as elderly, single parents, unemployed, homeless, persons with special needs or mental health problems, families under multiple social risks, migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, etc
• "New poor" has emerged from the Greek middle class
Housing
• Homelessness rate in Athens is up 20% and the lack of adequate accommodation facilities makes the situation even worse
• The majority of Greeks threatened with eviction due to their inability to pay off rents or loans
LIVING THE FINANCIAL CRISIS HELLENIC RED CROSS PROGRAMS (For Greeks and Migrants)
1. COUNSELING AND PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT SERVICE (Since 1965)
Target groups: young people, homeless, unemployed, newly vulnerable
groups due to economic crisis and other social excluded or minority groups.
Aim of Activities: psychosocial support and welfare services in order to
cope effectively with the consequences of crisis. Services provided are a
set of interrelated actions and interventions aiming to individual care and
needs assessment focusing on:
• Childcare
• Protection of the elderly (community care services)
• Strengthening the family and informal support networks
• Supporting people with disabilities
LIVING THE FINANCIAL CRISIS HELLENIC RED CROSS PROGRAMS (For Greeks and Migrants)
1. COUNSELING AND PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT SERVICE (Since 1965)
Main activities
Counseling and Psycho-social support
Information on rights and social benefits (education, health, social insurance, housing, financial allowances)
Vocational guidance, labour orientation, empowerment and integration
Financial support, in kind assistance
Networking with public and private organizations
All the above are provided by professionals
and supported by Volunteers
LIVING THE FINANCIAL CRISIS HELLENIC RED CROSS PROGRAMS (For Greeks and Migrants)
2. H.R.C. SOCIAL SHELTER FOR HOMELESS
(Since 2007, funded by the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance, Welfare)
Target groups: homeless (long-term unemployed, families, single parents, etc) threatened by social exclusion
Goals of the program
• Accommodation and Hospitality • Nutrition, Clothing and Personal Hygiene provision
• Psychosocial Support • Nursing Care
• Vocational Orientation, Counseling and Rehabilitation • Social Reintegration
• Street Work Outreach Activities (Information, First-aid Materials)
LIVING THE FINANCIAL CRISIS H.R.C. PROGRAMS FOR RECEPTION, SOCIAL SUPPORT AND INTEGRATION
OF ASYLUM SEEKERS AND REFUGEES
3. CENTER OF TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS OF THE H.R.C. IN THE AREA OF LAVRION (Since 1965, funded by the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance, Welfare) 4. MULTIFUNCTIONAL CENTER OF SOCIAL SUPPORT AND INTEGRATION OF REFUGEES (Since 1998, co-funded by the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance, Welfare and the European Refugee Fund) 5. RECEPTION CENTRE FOR UNACCOMPANIED MINORS IN VOLOS (Since 2008, co-funded by the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance, Welfare and the European Refugee Fund) 6. ACCOMMODATION ASSISTANCE (E.R.F Emergency Measures for Asylum Seekers) (May - August 2012, co-funded by the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance and the European Refugee Fund) Countries of origin –Nationality of the beneficiaries: Afganistan, Irak, Iran, Turkey, Countries of Eastern Europe, African countries
LIVING THE FINANCIAL CRISIS H.R.C. PROGRAMS FOR RECEPTION, SOCIAL SUPPORT AND INTEGRATION
OF ASYLUM SEEKERS AND REFUGEES
AIM OF THE PROGRAMS (3-6): To provide social support and integration services, in order to encourage them to participate actively in the Greek society, retaining their cultural identity
Main Activities Legal and psychosocial support
Counseling, Vocational Guidance and Orientation Health care services
Educational activities for children and adults Accommodation, nutrition and clothing
Interpretation Telephone support line
Intercultural and recreational activities Creation of informal networks among refugees
Sensitization of the society on diversity
LIVING THE FINANCIAL CRISIS
H.R.C. Volunteers Fields of Actions
Social Welfare Volunteers provide their services to the H.R.C programs and
other programs both of the public and private sector, under the guidance
of social workers.
Fields of actions:
Elderly people
Persons with disabilities
Families and children
Refugees, asylum seekers and migrants
Detainees
LIVING THE FINANCIAL CRISIS
Counseling and Psycho-social Support
Challenges Building Resilience through psychosocial support
To see problems as opportunities for growth and change
To experience such challenges as learning and development opportunities
To develop social solidarity networks
To restructure the social welfare provision system according to realistic social needs
Growth = challenge + support
LIVING THE FINANCIAL CRISIS
Counseling and Psycho-social Support
Challenges To re-build self esteem and trust on their abilities in order to ensure social goods. Enhancing the belief that a person’s well being is achieved through:
Rational thinking
Realistic goal setting, and
Problem solving process (1. Problem Identification, 2. Problem Analysis, 3. Plan
Implementation, 4. Plan Evaluation)
LIVING THE FINANCIAL CRISIS
Counseling and Psycho-social Support
Challenges
Enhancing personal skills and competencies
Empowering social and communicational
capacities
Networking with psycho-social services and
training institutions
Feelings Management (stress/social exclusion
feelings/depression/anger)
Encouragement to have assertive behavior
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