ESTIA Accommodation Programme

SN programmes in Athens and Thessaloniki who were Third Country Nationals (TCNs). SN reached out to a representative sample of 497 individuals (from 27 nationalities) asking a set of questions to learn about their experience with the vaccination process, barriers faced and areas of concern. The survey found that 81% of participants had been vaccinated, despite the multitude of challenges faced. Issues relating to the lack of reliable information and mistrust of the vaccine were raised and areas where support would be required in the future, were identified.

Participation in Public consultations

As an active member of civil society, SolidarityNow participates and shares feedback on all relevant public consultations. In 2021, SN provided feedback on the “National strategic policy framework for social inclusion and poverty reduction”, especially as concerns the population groups supported by the organisation. More specifically, SN comments related to the access to education for children residing in open accommodation sites, the access to primary healthcare and medicine for individuals without insurance and the access to safe and dignified accommodation for asylum seekers. SolidarityNow also commented on the “Reform of procedures for deportations and returns of third country nationals, issues of residence permits and procedures for granting international protection and other provisions under the responsibility of the Ministry of Migration and Asylum and the Ministry of Citizen Protection”, mainly on the provision of expelling those whose asylum request is rejected.

Participation in networks and collaboration with cSOs

SolidarityNow participates in all relevant working groups (in Athens and Thessaloniki / northern Greece), including the: Advocacy, Livelihoods & Employability – SN is co-chair, Legal Aid, Child Rights Advocacy Network (CRAN), Communicating with Communities – SN is cochair, Health, Education, Protection and MHPSS. In addition, SolidarityNow is a member of national and international networks including: ECRE (European Council for Refugees and Exiles), the Advisory Group of the Vulnerabilities Experts Network of EUAA, the International Detention Coalition (IDC), CIVICUS, the European Federation of National Organisations working with the Homeless (FEANTSA), the Greek Network for the Right to Shelter and Housing, the platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM), the Consortium on Refugees’ and Migrants’ Mental Health (CoReMH), the Racist Violence Recording Network (RVRN), Athens Coordination Committee for Migrants and Refugees (ACCMR), thessdiktio – a non-formal network of voluntary organisations, the Select Respect Network working towards upholding human rights and accepting diversity, as well as other relevant fora.