Six Public-Benefit Foundations come together to support 24 actions of civil society organisations

24 organisations have been selected to receive grants under the third round of the “Points of Support” programme for 2018-2019. The Programme is a joint initiative of the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, the TIMA Charitable Foundation, the Hellenic Hope charitable organisation, the Captain Vassilis and Carmen Constantakopoulos Foundation, the A. G. Leventis Foundation and the Bodossaki Foundation. The programme aims, on the one hand, to support original small-scale actions with maximum social impact for the benefit of vulnerable social groups and, on the other hand, to empower and build the capacity of Greek civil society organisations, with an emphasis on small and medium-sized organisations, in order to contribute to their overall development and the effectiveness of their work.

The 24 actions, selected from a total of 198 applications, will be granted an amount of up €5,000 and will be implemented by 34 organisations, 11 of which will participate in the actions as partner organisations. The actions have a duration of up to 12 months and fall under one of the following thematic areas: “Social integration of people with disabilities”, “Support of the elderly”, and “Support of children”: a. “Child protection”, b. “Children and health”, c. “Children and the environment”. In addition, the selected organisations will also take part in free capacity building activities, which will be funded and implemented by the Bodossaki Foundation, through Social Dynamo. Social Dynamo is an initiative of the Bodossaki Foundation, in partnership with the Municipality of Athens (through the SynAthina platform), aimed at strengthening civil society organisations and groups, with a focus on learning, professional support and networking.

The full list of the organisations selected to receive grants follows below, by thematic area, as defined by the Programme's respective donors:

I. “Social Integration of People with Disabilities” (Donor: John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation)

• Career Sign (www.careersign.gr) – Accessibility Assessment of the School of Information Technology and Communications, Department of Informatics of the University of Piraeus
• Challedu (www.challedu.com) – Facilitation of workshops for the creation of specially adapted games for children in the autism spectrum, in cooperation with the Special Kindergarten of Chalkida
• Liminal, Access to Culture (www.liminal.eu) – Familiarisation of people with visual impairment with the art of photography, in collaboration with the Beyond Sight Foundation
• Pan-Hellenic Association of Parents, Guardians and Friends of Persons with Problems of Vision and Additional Disabilities, AMYMONI (www.amimoni.gr) - Creation of an electronic library containing fairy tales for visually impaired children, in collaboration with the organisation Diavazo gia tous Allous
• Diavazo gia tous Allous (www.giatousallous.gr) – Organisation and operation of multi-sensory awareness workshops on blindness for children, in collaboration with the organisation Dialogue in the Dark
• Interdisciplinary Network of Special and Intercultural Education, INCLUDE (www.include.edu.gr) – Implementation of a Judo training programme for children with intellectual disability and autistic spectrum disorders with the support of athletes, members and graduates of KE.TH.A. PROMETHEAS
• KOINSEP Puzzle (www.puzzle-se.eu) – Creation of educational material and implementation of educational actions for the management of grief by adults with mental retardation
• Association of Parents, Guardians and Friends of people with autism of the Prefecture of Rethymno (www.autismreth.gr)  –  Promotion of employment integration of people with disabilities in businesses of the Prefecture of Rethymn

II. “Support of the Elderly” (Donor: TIMA Charitable Foundation)

• Seveneleven (www.seveneleven.me) – Publication of a book on elderly recreational programme
• Nina Service Dogs (www.ninaservicedogs.com) – Organization of visits by certified service – assistance dogs to institutions for the elderly
• Association of Parents of Mentally Disabled Individuals (www.egnya.gr) – Mapping of organisations and best practices for the elderly mentally disabled, in collaboration with Vocational Training Center MARGARITA
• Sossideio Care Home of Veroia – Implementation of an occupational therapy - mental strengthening programme, in collaboration with the Open Protection Center for the Elderly of the Municipality of Veroia
• Niroi (www.niroi.org) – Implementation of an educational programme on the art of photography for seniors, in collaboration with the volunteer group Pensioners in Action
• Women On Top (womenontop.gr/) – Creation of a mentoring programme by retired women to young women
• Organization Earth (www.organizationearth.org) – Organisation of urban agricultural - gardening workshops for seniors
• Friends’ Society of the Greek Association of Alzheimer’s Disease – Design of scientific protocols of physical exercise for the prevention of dementia, in collaboration with the Panhellenic Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases

III. “Support of Children”

a. “Child Protection” (Donor: Hellenic Hope)

• Hellenic Children's Museum (www.hcm.gr) – Implementation of an awareness-raising programme on the creative use of the internet and the protection of children
• Voluntary Ministry of Hospital Patients (www.diaconia.gr) – Implementation of a programme for entertainment and creative education of children in the 3 Pediatric Hospitals of Attica
• Schedia - Centre for Educational and Artistic Training (www.schedia-art.gr) – Implementation of an artistic programme in intercultural schools of Attica, aiming at informing children about their rights

“Children and Health” (Donor: Captain Vassilis and Carmen Constantakopoulos Foundation)

• NGO Karkinaki Awareness for Childhood and Adolescent Cancer (www.karkinaki.gr) –  Creation and dissemination of a guide for patients and caregivers for childhood and adolescent cancer, in collaboration with the Pediatric Oncological Haematological Unit of the Children's Hospital "Ag. Sophia"
• Panhellenic Juvenile Diabetes Union (www.peand.gr) – Organisation and facilitation of therapy seminars for support of children with Type I diabetes and their parents
• Panhellenic Association, to prevent, inform and support people with cerebral palsy, mental handicap and down syndrome “Froditha” (www.frodida.gr)  – Implementation of an educational programme on diversity in the school environment

“Children and the Environment” (Donor: A. G. Leventis Foundation)

• ANIMA, Hellenic Wildlife Care Association (www.wild-anima.gr) – Implementation of an innovative and experiential programme on environmental education with a focus on the threats to wildlife as well as the corresponding response strategies
• Athens Makerspace (www.athensmakerspace.com) – Implementation of a programme of environmental sensitisation and technological familiarisation, via educational workshops for the upcycling of plastic waste into useful products