The country, although facing many various economical and social challenges is dealing also with arrival of newcomers from the mentioned region. For the majority of them, Greece is only a transit area. However, the reality shows that refugees must regard the country as a place for longer stay. The Government is doing their utmost to provide humanitarian help to these people and YMCA Greece is among the NGO´s that have got effectively involved in this national mobilization. Because of competent and committed volunteers and staff, the YMCA is taking a key role in this phenomenon. Geographically, the areas where YMCA is involved in work with migrants, refugees and asylum seekers (MRAS) are around Thessaloniki and Athens. On April 26th there was a field conference with representatives of YMCA Greece, the Municipality of Thessaloniki and YMCA Europe with a clear objective : including the YMCA projects for MRAS into coordinated European plans.
The YMCA of Thessaloniki has taken the strategic decision to remain involved in the refugee crisis and has already mobilized resources. Several times a week a group of volunteers travel to a camp situated 10 km from Thessaloniki. It is Diavata, where 2200 (800 children) are placed in the camp organized by the municipality. They have basic accommodation in tents with all facilities necessary for temporary stay: sanitarian spots, health centre, points of food distribution and even a police station.
The YMCA volunteers focus on work with children and women – they provide immediate relief, psychological and social support, basic education and recreation. They intend to go further in this direction and develop programs for young MRAS that stimulate integration in the country (sports activities, creative work, workshops, preparation courses).
The YMCA volunteers are well prepared for this kind of work because of the training system that YMCA Thessaloniki has been developing for years for leaders. The work of volunteers is highly appreciated by the municipality and the rest of partner organizations. There are 80 qualified volunteers at the moment, but the need is to reach 250. Moreover, the municipality proposed to set up a YMCA branch inside the camp area.
Another place, where the Greek YMCA is planning a remarkable involvement is Eleonas, an area in the western part of Greater Athens, halfway between the Athens YMCA and the Nicaea YMCA. A refugee camp is currently hosting approximately 1 200 people (with a prospect to increase that number up to 2000). It has been created as a joint project of the Greek Government and the Municipality of Athens. The shelters are mainly pre – fabricated "container type" facilities.
The Athens YMCA and its branches have been involved in a food and clothing distribution project serving more than 1200 Greeks and immigrants on a regular basis. Their plan is to extend this work, but with a focus on MRAS by providing educational and integration programmes. There is a big encouragement for further YMCA involvement from the side of governmental institutions that search for reliable partners among the Greek and international NGOs.
The Greek YMCA counts on international cooperation in the implementation of their projects. During the YMCA Europe´s General Assembly held in Madrid (May 5-8) there were side meetings with potential partners in other YMCA movements and a video about the actual work in the camp was shown. As a result there are concrete project initiatives, which will be coordinated by YMCA Europe within its new Strategy 2016-2020 which includes the work with Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Migrants among its strategic priorities.
