Network for Children's Rights

Child Protection Unit: The program consists of social workers, social scientists, lawyers, psychologists, drivers, and cultural mediators and is divided into two main pillars: Info Desk: It consists of caseworkers and lawyers. It operates Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 20:00. The unaccompanied children served by the Info Desk team are either referrals directly from the National Mechanism, spontaneous arrivals at our office, or unaccompanied children identified by the streetwork team. The social workers, psychologists, and lawyers identify and assess the needs of each child, with the aim of serving their best interests. The objective of the program is the protection and immediate support of unaccompanied children who either live in precarious conditions or are completely homeless, through their immediate placement in emergency accommodation facilities. Within the framework of the Info Desk, streetwork is carried out in many areas of Athens with the participation of the Mobile Unit team as well as interpreters, with the aim of identifying unaccompanied children who need support and do not have access to Services. As part of the program's cooperation with the Asylum Service, the Info Desk caseworkers are present at the Regional Asylum Offices of Attica on the days when asylum registrations of unaccompanied children living in precarious conditions are conducted, in order to inform them in a timely manner about their rights in Greece, the National Emergency Response Mechanism for unaccompanied minors in precarious living conditions, and the program's services. Mobile Units: The two (2) Mobile Units of the Child Protection Unit operate Monday to Friday from 08:00 a.m. to 23:00 p.m. and on Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 19:00 p.m. within Attica. The Mobile Units, consisting of social workers, social scientists, psychologists, and drivers, receive from the National Emergency Response Mechanism transfer orders for unaccompanied children living in precarious living conditions or in a state of complete homelessness to Emergency or Long-Term Accommodation Facilities. In addition, the Mobile Units accompany the unaccompanied children who are identified to the competent police departments for identification, for medical examinations when deemed necessary, and subsequently to Accommodation Facilities. Unaccompanied children are identified either by the Info Desk of the Child Protection Unit, by police authorities, by other organizations, or by citizens who themselves call the National Emergency Response Mechanism hotline. However, in exceptionally vulnerable cases, the Mobile Units themselves proceed with the identification and on-site assessment of the needs and best interests of children living in precarious conditions or in a state of complete homelessness. The program provides interpretation in Arabic, Farsi, Dari, Kurmanji, Sorani, Badini, and Urdu. 2. This is a targeted program designed to equip unaccompanied minors and young adults aged 18-21, who often live in precarious conditions, with basic skills and guidance in order to facilitate their transition to adulthood and the labor market. The project provides a comprehensive set of services, including individualized employment counseling, ongoing psychosocial support, and non-formal educational activities. The team, consisting of a social worker, employment counselor, and interpreter, will organize meetings tailored to the needs of each individual. In addition, minors and young adults will participate in Greek and English language classes and will acquire practical job-preparation skills through workshops implemented by the team. More specifically, the services to be provided are: 1. Employment Counseling Sessions 2. Psychosocial Support Sessions 3. Non-Formal Education 4. Skills Workshops The primary purpose of the project is to ensure a holistic framework for the well-being of minors & young adults so that they can develop and integrate into society. The program has an Arabic-speaking interpreter/cultural mediator

Network for Children's Rights

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