Municipalities

“Think Differently”
Experiential Program of Awareness and Socialization

Our partnership with the Municipality of Athens, aims at awakening and informing the general public, regarding the obstacles people with disability face everyday.

1) The lack of accessibility. One of the most serious problem that people with motor and sensory disability face, is the difficulty of going around places, as well as the lack of accessibility in places of work, education, entertainment and health.

2) The negative stance of society. One of the most difficult aspects of diversity is not diversity itself, but the negative and indifferent stance taken by members of society due to the lack of visibility and exclusion of people with disabilities from everyday life. 

This program combines two main interactive axes: Awareness and Interaction.

It includes:

• Open Dialogue in schools of primary and secondary education, conducted by SKEPs executives with disabilities.
• Interactive workshops of familiarization with disability, using our senses as tools for a different perception. These workshops are conducted under the guidance of our executives, with and without disability.
• Recording accessibility in public and private places.

March 2019

Throughout the month, the following actions will be organized:

1. Disability Awareness Programs in mainstream schools of the Municipality of Athens

29 Disability Awareness Programs will be conducted by SKEPs associates with disability, in the following schools:
14th Elementary School, 20th Elementary School, 24th Elementary School, 32nd Elementary School, 50th Elementary School, 51st Elementary School, 52nd Elementary School, 54th Elementary School, 67th Elementary School, 70th Elementary School, 90th Elementary School, 99th Elementary School, 100th Elementary School, 117th Elementary School, 123rd Elementary School, 127th Elementary School, 130th Elementary School, 149th Elementary School,173rd Elementary School, 2nd Experimental Junior High School, 21st Junior High School, 62nd Junior High School, 7th General High School of Athens, 41st General High School of Athens, 1st Vocational High School of Athens.

2. Open Dialogue raising awareness with the general public: "Breaking Bad Stereotypes"
March 16th, 11.30-12.30, Serafeio
Panagiotis Pitsiniagkas and Stefanos Vouros, SKEPs executives with motor disability, will conduct an open discussion regarding the reality of disability: barriers, challenges and solutions...

3. Awareness Workshops regarding Disability and Diversity
March 16th, 12.45-14.00, Serafeio.

• 12.45-13.30
  Deaf reality discussion: "I see deaf people"
  Coordinator: Kostantinos Samaras
• 13.30-14.00
  Raising Awareness for Visual Disability: "See differently"
  Speaker: Vangelis Avgoulas

March 2018

Throughout the month, the following actions were organized:

1. Experiential Motivational Speeches in mainstream schools of the Municipality of Athens

13 speeches were conducted by SKEPs associates with disability, in the following schools: 90th Primary School of Athens, 99th Primary School of Athens, 149th Primary School of Athens, 21st High School of Athens, 62nd High School of Athens

2. Open Dialogue raising awareness with the general public: "Disability as a challenge: challenges and solutions"
March 17th, 10.30-12.00, Technopolis
Panagiotis Pitsiniagkas, Stefanos Vouros and Dimitris Karanastasis, SKEPs executives with motor disability, conducted an open discussion regarding the reality of disability: barriers, challenges and solutions..

3. Awareness Workshops regarding Disability and Diversity
March 17th, 12.00-12.45 & 12.45-13.30, Technopolis

• Greek Sign Language workshop: "See the signs"
  Coordinator: Kostantinos Samaras - deaf
• Workshop on Familiarity with the Reality of People with Visual Disability: "See differently"
  Coordinator: Vangelis Avgoulas - blind

March 2017

During the Month of Familiarization with Disability the following activities took place:

1. Experiential Motivational Speeches in mainstream schools of the Municipality of Athens

The speeches were conducted by SKEPs associates with disability, in the following schools: 106th Primary School of Athens - 130th Primary School of Athens - 93rd Primary Svhool of Athens - 1st Vocational High School of Athens.

2. Training of Municipal Volunteers on March 14th 2016, 13.00-14.00
Training of Municipal Volunteers in motor and sensory disability to better conduct the Month of Familiarization with Disability.

3. Open Dialogue raising awareness with the general public on March 18th, 11.00-12.00
Panagiotis Pitsiniagkas, SKEPs executive with motor disability, conducted an open discussion regarding the reality of disability: barriers, challenges and solutions.

4. "Labyrinth of Senses": Interactive workshop of familiarization with disability on March 18th, 12.00-13.00
Gabriela Telekfalvi conducts a workshop dedicated to diversity, equality, acceptance and respect.

Action attendees: Deputy Mayor for Children Mrs Maria Iliopoulou and Deputy Mayor for Social Welfare and Equality Mrs Maria Stratigaki.

March 2016

1. Experiential Open Dialogue and simulations of motor and sensory disability in Technopolis on March 19th 2016, 11.00-13.00
- Experiential speech by SKEP partners on everyday topics regarding disability.
- Motor disability simulation: children and adults without disability sat in wheelchairs in order to move throughout the Technopolis area.
- Sensory disability simulation: the participants experienced the perception of people with visual disabilities in various activities (movement with the help of white stick, escort techniques, etc.). The action was implemented from a mobility and orientation instructor for the visually impaired.

Action attendees: Deputy Mayor for Children Mrs. Maria Iliopoulou, Deputy Mayor for Social Welfare, Welfare & Equality Mrs. Maria Stratigaki

2. Training of Municipal Volunteers on March 11th 2016,13.00-14.00
Training of Municipal Volunteers in motor and sensory disability to better conduct the Month of Familiarization with disability, from our executives.

3. Speech on March 22 2016, entitled: "The awakening through experiential learning" at the conference "Projects and Prospects for People with Disability"
The President of S.K.E.P. Athena Kritikou presented to the conference participants the aims and actions of S.K.E.P., that is to familiarize students with the reality of disability and social inclusion of young people with disabilities.

4. Greek Sign Language workshop "Give communication a meaning" on March 23rd 2016, 18.00-19.00, in the coffee place "Mirtillo"

5. Open dialogue with the public themed: "I do extreme sports, I use a wheelchair in Athens" on March 23rd 2016, 19.00-20.00, in the coffe place "Mirtillo"

March 2015

During the month the following activities took place:
 
1. Experiential Motivational Speeches in 14 mainstream schools with 800 students of the Municipality of Athens

• The motivational speeches were conducted by disabled youth SKEP’s executives and partners.
• Mrs. Maria Iliopoulou, Deputy Mayor for Children of the Municipality of Athens – President of the Greek Association for Asperger Syndrome, participated in the speeches.

-  We visited the following schools:
133rd Primary School of Athens - 62nd Daily Junior High School of Athens - 76th Primary School of Athens - 51st Primary School of Athens - 2nd Intercultural Junior High School - 106th Primary School of Athens - 39th Daily Junior High School of Athens - 67th DailyJunior High School of Athens - 52nd Primary School of Athens - 132nd Primary School of Athens - 21st Daily Junior High School of Athens - 91st Primary School of Athens - 13th Daily Junior High School of Athens - 6th Daily Professional School of Athens.

2. Experiential simulation program of mobility impairment in Syntagma Square, on the 28th of March 2015, 12.00-14.00

• Experiential Simulation of Mobility Impairment, with teenagers and adults who do not face mobility issues. They sit in a wheelchair and try to navigate the streets of their hometown.
• Experiential Simulation of Vision Impairment in collaboration with mobility and orientation trainers for visually impaired individuals. Participants experience the reality of being visually challenged vis a vis various activities (walking with the help of a white cane, accompaniment techniques etc).

 Attending the event were: the Mayor of the City of Athens Mr. George Kaminis, the Deputy Mayor for Children Mrs. Maria Iliopoulou, the Deputy Mayor for Social Solidarity, Welfare and Equality Mrs. Maria Stratigaki and the Aldermen Mr. Antonis Kafetzopoulos and Mr. Andreas Yennimatas.

18 - 20 November 2015 - Program: “See differently”

As part of S.K.E.P.s project “See differently”, in order to combat discrimination and social exclusion of people with disability, our executives implemented interactive / experiential programs of non - formal education in Thessaloniki.
From 18 to 20 November our executives, young people with disabilities, held an open dialogue raising awareness in secondary and tertiary education. In particular, we discussed with 610 students from the following schools:
• 26th High School of Thessaloniki
• Experimental High School of Thessaloniki
• 3rd High School of Hortiatis
• 18th Elementary of Stavroupoli
• 6th Junior High School of Stavroupoli
• IEK Delta
• 10th Elementary School of Agios Athanasios
Our visit in Thessaloniki left us with very strong feelings, mainly because there was a great response to the program from both teachers and students who participated.

Indicating:
In the Experimental High School of Thessaloniki, in the discussion with us participated a former pupil of the school. For the first time he wanted to speak publicly about his disability, his experience, his dreams… In the same school, we had the honor to be invited from a teacher who has already been retired for two years! However he learnt about our program and gathered his old colleagues and former students to participate with him!
In the 18th Elementary School of Stavroupoli, students were quite impressive! They had already prepared their questions - some of which were extremely difficult - while our conversation was the reason for a student to openly speak to her classmates about the diabetes she is facing and how this affects her life.
The students of IEK DELTA proved to be adults who were very open to disability and diversity issues and their familiarity, made them an interesting audience from which we received many different views on the issues discussed.

10 - 11 Οctober 2014 - Together... We rediscovered our surroundings in a different light!
Under the auspices of the Municipality of Thessaloniki

To people with disability there are no big or small obstacles for accessibility. There are simply obstacles!

SKEP coordinated an experiential simulation of mobility impairment named “We Wheel Move you”, in the streets of the city.

• On Friday October 10th, SKEP's motivational speakers, youth with disabilities, gave experiential speeches at the City Halls’ Multiple Use Venue. More than 100 students from the 6th Junior High School of Thessaloniki, and the Hortiatis 3rd Junior High School participated. They were engaged in an open dialog, through which they had the opportunity to realize the issues regarding disability and diversity.
• On Saturday, October 11th, the experiential simulation of mobility impairment took place in Aristotelous Square. Students from the Hortiatis 3rd Junior High school, volunteers, citizens as well as members from several organizations, sat on wheelchairs and experienced what it feels like to face the issue of accessibility.

April 5th 2014: Municipality Moschatou – Tavrou
April 12th 2014: Municipality Zografou
May 3rd 2014: Municipality of Vrilissia
July 4th 2014: Municipality of Kifissia
July 8th 2014: Municipality of Paiania
October 3rd 2014: Municipality of Galatsi
4 October 2015: Municipality of Faliro
10 February 2015: Municipality of Athens
21-22 April 2016: Municipality of Elassona
23 May 2016: Municipality of Athens
7 August 2016: Municipality of Tinos
13-17 September 2016: Municipality of Athens
25 October 2016: Municipality of Vrilissia
22 November 2016: Municipality of Kifisia
22 November 2016: Municipality of Peiraeus
18 March 2017: Municipality of Athens
06 May 2017: Municipality of Kallithea
04 December 2017: Municipality of Cholargos - Papagos
07 December 2017: Municipality of Chalandri
February 2018: Municipality of Palaio Faliro
16 February 2018: Municipality of Vrilissia
April 2018: Municipality of Corfu
May 2018: Municipality of Samos
November 2018: Municipality of Elassona
May 2019: Municipality of Samos
Years 2020 & 2021: Municipality of Palaio Faliro