ERGO is a non-profit organisation that makes a concerted effort to strengthen psychosocial skills of children, adolescents and young adults, as well as to empower parents and professionals who work with these groups. Through a holistic approach and a child-centered value system, ERGO implements innovative educational models and interventions, utilizing international scientific collaborations and the valuable experienced acquired from working on the field. Under this lens, ERGO has been working together with Aflatoun International since 2015. By exploring and developing skills like self-awareness and empathy, respect and solidarity, imagination and creativity, children and youth learn how to actively participate in decision making and planning of important events of their life, and successfully claim their right to well-being, progress and integration.
ERGO has implemented Aflatot, Aflatoun and Aflateen curricula in a number of schools and private institutions in Greece, with more than 2000 beneficiaries (children, adolescents, parents and professionals). Particularly, the academic year 2018 – 2019 was really successful since ERGO implemented the Aflatoun programme in schools and social centers in various districts of Greece, where a substantial rate of students had a multicultural background (immigrants as well as refugees). There was an explicit need for respect for diversity as well as for learning how to use, handle and save resources (financial, social and psychological). More than 400 children and 25 teachers have learned, through experiential workshops and interventions, about their rights and responsibilities, they have built self-confidence, they developed creative skills through art workshops, producing paintings and craftworks that were sold in order to find resources for the needs of their classes. Complementary, various recycling workshops took place to make children aware of the idea of “reuse, reduce, recycle” and save resources. The combination of Aflatoun’s methodology and ERGO’s systemic approach, has manage to “transform” children to Aflatoun’s ambassadors, transmitting the core Aflatoun’s values not only to their families, but to any club or organization they were members of.
The range of ERGO’s interventions is wide and is targeted both at schools, cultural or sports associations, children’s institutions, public and private institutions. Some other actions where Aflatoun’s curricula have been utilized are, financial literacy interventions in primary schools (how to handle with financial and psychological resources), addressed to children, their teachers and their parents. Psycho-pedagogical training for students of Multicultural Primary Schools focusing on the recognition, management and expression of emotions, with concurrent awareness interventions in parents groups and teaching staff. Interventions to Family Support Centers, concerned the empowerment of children taking care there. Cycles of 12-15 psycho-education sessions to support Child and Family Centers, Resilience & Diversity Management Program and Youth Restart Programme for Social & Occupational Integration.
Konstantina a ten year old who has been participating in the programme says, “Now, I know that I have the strength to help myself, my family and the world! I can really make it!”
Ivi an eight year old who has been participating in the programme says, “There are no garbage! It’s amazing what you can do with them!”
