Service Learning is an initiative of the Greek America Foundation that aims to engage North American college students and young professionals in volunteer programs in Greece. Our program fulfills a dual purpose: students are immersed into contemporary Greek life while they simultaneously volunteer their time for important humanitarian causes and make a lasting impact. The inaugural program took place during the summer of 2017 in Athens, Greece. Click here to read more about the 2017 program.
Our 2019 program follows the model we began in 2017: a month-long experience volunteering with refugee children in a structured environment and in partnership with a respected Greek non-profit organization. Our goal in 2019 is to support refugee children on the island of Chios through recreational and educational activities during the month of July. 16 scholarships will be offered to young people to participate in this program; scholarships cover lodging, program expenses including excursions, transportation within Chios and partial meals. See below for the full program details.
In 2019 our partners are Metadrasi: METAdrasi – Action for Migration and Development is a Greek NGO founded in 2010 that helps facilitate the reception and integration of refugees and immigrants in Greece. It is focused on services not covered by the Public Authorities or other NGOs in Greece. METAdrasi operates mainly in the following two sectors: interpretation services and the protection of unaccompanied children. Read more about the important work of METADrasi by clicking here.
Our volunteer group will be working at the METAdrasi facilities on the island of Chios. In Chios METAdrasi operates non-formal educational activities for children inside the refugee camps and those living in METAdrasi shelters. The Greek America Foundation team will assist the METAdrasi teachers, caregivers and psychologists in organizing recreational and educational activities for the refugee children under METAdrasi’s care.
Chios is the fifth-largest Greek island and is located close to the coast of Turkey in the Aegean Sea. With a population of around 50,000 people, Chios is known for its unique agricultural products, especially those made from mastic gum. There are around 2,000 refugees currently residing in Chios.
Scholarships covering all program fees will be offered to approximately 16 students. Airfare to Greece is not covered by scholarship funds. If applying for a scholarship, please mention this in your cover letter and include whether you would be able to participate in the program without a scholarship.
If you are selected for the program and do not need a scholarship, the cost for participation is $2999 plus airfare to Greece.
Our volunteer work with METAdrasi is rewarding in the best sense — you give of yourself and get more back than you gave. Confronting the systemic effects of global conflict, inequality and displacement by looking into the eyes of a refugee child is a difficult and sobering experience. Being able to offer that child friendship, support, joy and visibility is exhilarating.
The Greek America Foundation seeks volunteers who are able to handle quickly changing environments, encountering people from different cultures and sharing viewpoints and the emotional ups and downs that come with working in challenging conditions. Moreover, our volunteer work will frequently be physically demanding: temperatures in Greece in July can reach 100 degrees and we will be outside at times and engaging in physical activity. (We will always be mindful of putting everyone’s health first during hot weather).
Staff from the Greek America Foundation and METAdrasi will be on hand to provide emotional support and encouragement. We encourage all volunteers to take down time, practice self-care and use their own coping strategies while engaged in this work. Having strong boundaries, knowing your limits and when to take a break are important skills while volunteering.
Thanks to a partnership with the Hellenic American University, we are able to grant 3 college credits for participation in our service learning program for an extra fee of $360 total. Hellenic American University is accredited through the New England Commission on Higher Education and these credits are recognized by U.S. institutions of higher learning. Students are responsible for checking with their home institutions about transfer of credits.
The program is led by Jennifer R. Kellogg, PhD. Jennifer has brought dozens of college students to Greece for internship and volunteer programs over the past decades in her work with Harvard University and the Greek America Foundation. Jennifer speaks fluent Greek and is trained to support our volunteers.
Jennifer will be joined by two former volunteers who participated in the 2017 program and have extensive experience with such programs. We are excited to have these former volunteers now acting as staff members.
(A) Participants are expected to be present for the duration of the program as detailed above and not attend other events.
(A) Visitors are permitted but may not participate in the official volunteer program or excursions, which are exclusively reserved for volunteers. If a friend or family members would like to visit, such visits must take place on evenings and/or during non-volunteer hours.
9:30 to 10:00am: Travel to the day’s volunteer site
10:00am to 3:00 or 4:00pm: Volunteer activities with a lunch break
4:00pm: Return to the Hotel
Evening free — Group meetings and activities may be scheduled or participants may explore the town on their own.
(A) The Greek America Foundation vets all volunteer locations for safety and suitability for our volunteers. Likewise, NGO partners are also vetted for accountability and ability to handle our volunteer group. Chios town and the island are generally quite safe locations in Greece. Reasonable precautions will be taken to ensure safety at all times. Volunteers will receive safety training and guidance on behavior best practices for a variety of contexts. Our group will only visit the VIAL refugee camp under supervision and when safe to do so.
(A) English and Greek will be the main languages spoken in the volunteer program. Knowledge of Greek is not required. The children we are working with come from many different countries and backgrounds and most speak some English, however the main languages spoken by the refugees are Arabic, Farsi, Urdu, and French. Knowledge of these languages is a definite plus for our volunteers, but not necessary. Interpreters will be available at times.
The Greek America Foundation is thrilled to announce that a recent gift from George and Kristen Strompolos will support four scholarships for our summer 2019 Service Learning program. Two of these scholarships are earmarked specifically for young people from Colorado’s Greek American community, where George Strompolos was raised. Service Learning is an initiative of the […]
The Greek America Foundation is proud to partner with METAdrasi on the Greek island of Chios for our 2019 Summer Service Learning Program which aims to engage North American college students and young professionals in volunteer programs in Greece. Our 2019 program includes a month-long experience volunteering with vulnerable groups, including refugee children and unaccompanied […]
This summer, the Greek America Foundation sent ten North American students to spend several weeks in Athens volunteering at shelters of The Home Project, a non-profit organization founded to protect and care for unaccompanied refugee minors — children who have arrived in Greece from various conflict zones throughout the world and who are alone without […]
This summer, 10 North American students were sent by the Greek America Foundation to spend several weeks in Athens, volunteering at shelters of The Home Project, an organization founded to protect and care for unaccompanied refugee minors — children who have arrived in Greece from various conflict zones throughout the world and who are alone […]
The Greek America Foundation’s Service Learning program volunteers visited United States Ambassador to Greece Geoffrey Pyatt on Wednesday, July 26, 2017 to discuss their work with unaccompanied refugee minors as well as other contemporary issues facing Greece. The nine American and one Canadian students have now spent a week and a half volunteering at shelters […]
Service Learning is a new initiative of the Greek America Foundation aiming to engage North American university students with volunteer programs in Greece. Our program fulfills a dual purpose. First, students are immersed into contemporary Greek life, while simultaneously volunteering for important humanitarian relief programs and helping to make a lasting impact on contemporary problems […]
