Driving people towards an inclusive mindset… Let's build all together a world with new role models!
We at SKEP have dedicated ourselves to fighting social exclusion and the lack of visibility of people with disability.
Three facts we all need to know in order to comprehend this issue:
o According to the World Health Organization 15% of the global population lives with a disability
o The World Report on Disability states that the worst enemy for people with disability is the negative attitude of society
o In a world that is influenced and shaped by our attitudes, stereotypes, prejudices and our bad practices (parking in handicap spots, etc.) we must realize that what excludes disabled people from being part of our daily lives are the obstacles society places in front of them. It's not just the lack of accessibility of spaces, it's mainly our mindset
We strongly believe that education removes barriers for people with disability and is the answer to social insensitivity, apathy and indifference.
SKEP at a glance
The Association of Social Responsibility for Children and Youth - SKEP is a nonprofit organization established in 2008 in Athens, Greece, striving for a barrier-free and rights-based Inclusive Society. Since the very beginning, SKEP has been implementing Disability Awareness Educational Programs aiming to deconstruct stereotypes and reshape attitudes, starting from the early school years all the way to society as a whole.
- Vision: An all-inclusive society where everybody feels accepted and useful
- Mission: The social inclusion of people with disability as well as socially vulnerable and marginalized groups
- Target Group: Everyone, the young and the less young…
- Topics of Interest: Battling ignorance and deconstructing stereotypes
- Methodology: Implementation of Disability Awareness Educational Programs
We prioritize Education as a lever of raising social consciousness & protecting human rights through our Disability Awareness Programs addressing all.
1. Disability Awareness Programs in schools
“Focus on the Person” & “Asking to Learn”
We emphasize the role and importance of schools in developing social consciousness, eliminating prejudice and promoting the inclusion of socially vulnerable groups.
Consequently, we have created and successfully implemented two Disability Awareness Educational Programs, addressing primary and secondary general education students within the school curriculum, aiming to deconstruct stereotypes and reshape attitudes:
“Focus on the Person” - With the physical presence of motivational speakers with disability in the classroom (approved by the Ministry of Education)
“Asking to Learn” - Online Program
Both educational programs are implemented by SKEP’s Motivational Speakers with disability. They talk about crucial issues concerning people with disability in a direct and honest way. Through an open dialogue with students, they recount how they overcome obstacles and defeat adversity, while describing their everyday life. The dialogue promotes the notions of coexistence, empathy, solidarity, acceptance and fosters personality development as well as respect for each individual’s uniqueness.
The educational programs are:
- Free of charge
- Nationwide
2. Disability Awareness for All!
a/ www.hoponinclusion.com
This initiative is conceived and run by SKEP, first launched in December, 2022. It is an innovative website that operates as a Disability Awareness Hub, driving people to develop an inclusive mindset by improving their ability to connect with each other and learn to live together.
Through an interactive and dynamic approach (live sessions, podcasts, blog, online educational programs etc.) the website operates as a means of communication enabling users to connect and commit, thus sharing information, ideas, knowledge, experiences, suggestions. It provides free of charge, well-structured and fully developed topics to be used as an educational tool both within schools and by the wider public.
The website addresses and hosts the wider public, including people with and without disabilities, vulnerable social groups, educators, professors, students, experienced NGO and civil society professionals, along with institutional body representatives from Greece and abroad.
www.hoponinclusion.com operates simultaneously with SKEP’s work and activities, aiming to maximize its potential of:
- Raising social consciousness through Awareness and Education
- Strengthening partnerships, thus allowing us to access a broader public on a global scale.
b/ Disability Awareness Programs for the general public
We focus on strengthening information and dialogue through methodical cooperation with institutional bodies at national, European and international level, aiming to:
• Inform, Protect and Promote the rights & equal opportunities of young people (with and without disabilities and living in adverse conditions)
• Cultivate intimacy, acceptance, awareness, solidarity, tolerance
• Strengthen the integration, cooperation and socialization of people with disabilities.
• Reinforce good practice, active participation and capacity building
• Promote volunteerism, social participation and collective responsibility
• Mobilize local communities
c/ Disability and Accessibility Awareness Training in the Workplace
New research by academic institutions demonstrates that diverse and inclusive teams are more innovative, engaged, and creative in their work. Companies who have greater workplace diversity outperform their competitors and achieve higher profits!
Our goal is to support companies that strive to become more inclusive towards their employees and their customers.
Our activities are supported by sponsorships and donations from companies, foundations, private corporations and individuals. We do not receive financial support from the Greek Public Sector.
