“The final event for the presentation of “Work Buddies: Inclusion in the Work Envionment” took place with great success.”
For the first time the non-profit organization Best Buddies Greece participated in the 6th round of “Points of Support” by carrying out a pilot-program from October 2023 to March 2024. The title of the project was “Work Buddies: Inclusion in the Work Environment”, an idea that stemmed from the needs of our participants regarding work.
We started out in Octobe 2023 by organizing the project in collaboration with the mental health NPO «Tact Hellas – Treatment and Training», which contributed in training the people in charge of the program by providing technical knowledge about supported work, as well as one person who took on supporting individuals with autism and the creation of their biograpfical and sensory profiles.
In the implementation of the project we were supported by the company Teleperformance Greece, with which we have collaborated in the past on other activities. The company shows high awareness of matters of inclusivity and diversity and they have already hired an individual with high functionality autism. So we trained 50 persons from the company’s staff coming from different positions and departments. Training seminars were greeted with great public response and active participation of employees.
We are particularly satisfied with the results of that project, which concluded with a final activity on Saturday 30 March, at the Melina Cultural Center in Thiseio. In that event, trainers presented their work, but also participants talked about their experience and support they received in the context of that program. Apart from the project, other topics that were discussed included disability, autism and the inclusivity that must be present in all aspects of every day life.
We are very grateful for the wide participation of families, trainers, volunteers and everyone who got involved in that event and the implementation of that project. Our goal is to make our action grow and make sure we will get back together again in future activities, always aiming at social inclusion and acceptance!
We would like to thank John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, partner Tact Hellas Training and Consultation and our collaborator Teleperformance Greece for their participation in the program.
“This action was implemented in the contect of the “Points of Support” program, which is co-founded by John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, TIMA Public Benefit Foundation, Kapetan Vasislis & Carmen Konstantakopoulou Foundation, A.G. Leventis Foundation, Athanasios K. Laskaridis Public Benefit foundation, Costas M. Lemos Foundation, Social and Cultural Affairs Welfare Foundation (KIKPE), The Hellenic Initiative Canada, Athina I. Martinou Foundation and Bodossaki Foundation. The project is funded by the “Point of Support” project. However, perspectives and opinions expressed are only of the author’s and they do not necessarily reflect perspectives and opinions of those participating in the Foundations Program.”