We are seeking motivated young adult applicants for our Greek America Corps volunteer program supporting refugee children on the Greek island of Chios from July 1 – August 2, 2020.
Participants will spend the month serving “unaccompanied refugee minors,” children ages 17 or under who have ended up in Greece alone. Our group will work in a structured environment and in partnership with a respected Greek non-profit organization with years of experience in this field.
More than 32,000 refugee and migrant children remain in Greece and more than 4,000 are unaccompanied minors. These children are among the country’s most vulnerable population groups and require urgent attention for their physical, psychological and emotional well-being.
Our Greek partner charity, METAdrasi, provides critical services and housing to unaccompanied refugee minors. For the entire month, our volunteers will work with METAdrasi’s staff and offer valuable support through various means.
One team of volunteers will handle everyday tasks at METAdrasi’s shelter in Chios town. These tasks include cooking, cleaning, painting and other home improvement work. This team will also engage the children in lessons and activities on various topics such as English language, music, yoga and meditation.
Meanwhile, a separate team of volunteers with experience in pedagogy will serve as teachers at METAdrasi’s education center outside of the VIAL refugee camp. Their important work will give young refugees the opportunity to learn Greek, English and other subjects such as mathematics.
In addition to volunteer duties, participants will enjoy numerous cultural immersion experiences such as excursions to historic, religious or otherwise significant sites — as well as local celebrations and festivities. Such activities will bring participants closer to contemporary Greece in a unique way during the program.
The team will also take METAdrasi’s children from the shelter on select excursions throughout Chios island.
Financial aid is available and students who express need may apply for scholarships that cover the cost of housing, program expenses such as cultural excursions, local transportation and various group meals. Airfare to Greece is not included.
Applicants who do not require financial aid may also opt to pay for themselves. Regardless of application type (scholarship/paid), participants must first apply and be accepted into the program to participate.
For an additional fee of $840 USD, students have the option to accrue college credit that can be applied to their studies at their home institution via our partnership with the Hellenic American University, a U.S.-accredited institution of higher education in Athens.
Students are responsible for checking with their home institutions about transfer of credits. A counselor at Hellenic American University will be made available to assist, as will a curriculum and coursework. Applicants may specify in their application if they wish to receive this credit.