Project Promoter: ARSIS – Association for the Social Support of Youth
Outcome: Improved quality of accommodation and other services provided in open reception centers
Project grant rate: 90%
Maximum project grant amount: € 1.615.058
Duration: June 2020 – January 2022
The “DIAPLOUS” project offered accommodation to unaccompanied minors and women- single mothers and/or victims of sexual or gender violence, in Northern Greece. During the project 12 SILs apartments (Supported Independent Living) for unaccompanied minors aged 16 years old and older were operated. The apartments were located near the Safe Zones and camps in Lagadikia, Diavata, Agia Eleni, Drama and Kavala. Moreover, the Diaplous project offered some places in the shelter “The House of Arsis” in Thessaloniki, and 4 apartments for single mothers, victims of sexual or gender violence. The project was completed in February 2022. In total, 140 unaccompanied minors and vulnerable women, asylum seekers in Greece, from the Middle East, Asia and Africa were accommodated in places offered by the project.
Apartments for vulnerable women asylum seekers.
16 accommodation places were created in three apartments in the urban complex of Thessaloniki, where 20 vulnerable female asylum seekers were accommodated, of which 11 were single parents, and 17 children (9 boys and 8 girls). Their countries of origin are Iran, Iraq, Syria, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, Algeria and Somalia.
The House of Arsis
31 unaccompanied children (11 boys and 19 girls), from 5 to 18 years old, were able to find safe accommodation through 15 places in the emergency shelter for children at risk “The House of ARSIS”. Children were offered individualized services and care aimed at ensuring their best interest. The children’s countries of origin are Iran, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Vietnam and sub-Saharan African countries.
SILs apartments (Supported Independent Living)
In the context of supervised living, a total of 12 apartments for unaccompanied boys, aged 16 to 18, were operated, with 48 accommodation places provided both in Thessaloniki, as well as in Kavala, Drama and Ioannina. 72 unaccompanied minor boys were accommodated in these places, who were referred to the apartments by the Safe Zones, which were operated by ARSIS until November 2021, and by structures accommodating unaccompanied minors. The beneficiaries are from Syria, Afghanistan, Egypt, Algeria, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iraq, Morocco, Sudan and Somalia. In total, 19 children managed to be reunited with their relatives in other European states, 8 children joined the Relocation program and traveled to Europe, while 15 of them became adults and were safely referred to adult housing programs.
Key achievements
- Regarding cooperation, ARSIS collaborated with seven open reception centers, EKKA, IOM, and other social services, ensuring efficient referrals of vulnerable asylum seekers to appropriate housing. Strong partnerships with NGOs and public entities enhanced resource access and program effectiveness.
- The referral system’s efficiency was critical to the project’s success. Delays caused by EKKA’s transition to the Special Secretariat impacted referrals for UAMs, women, and children. However, ARSIS adapted to these challenges through proactive communication and advocacy.
- To combat xenophobia and promote social cohesion, ARSIS engaged local communities through neighborhood presence, events, and awareness campaigns.
- A key innovation was the mixed-model housing approach, integrating UAMs with local children. This strategy promoted sustainability, cultural acceptance, and school integration while preventing ghettoization, demonstrating a promising model for long-term refugee inclusion.
