Greece
Vulnerable Populations Support Medical Brigade
Chapters work alongside local doctors to provide primary health care for asylum seekers, refugees and other vulnerable populations in the GB Athens Clinic. Volunteer participation ensures asylum seekers and refugees have access to regular medical care and consults with the pediatricians, gynecologists and ophthalmologists of the GB Athens Clinic. Students work in intake, shadow physicians, provide health education workshops, and make sure our patients’ medical records are updated into our databases. Medical referrals are provided to specialists and the public health system for needs beyond the scope of the brigade.
Background about our work in Greece
In 2018, Global Brigades was invited to Greece to explore filling a void for health care services for the Refugee Populations. After the 2015 European Refugee Crisis, Greece became the main entry point to Europe for populations fleeing war and persecution. The vast majority of asylum seekers are stuck in transit in a country where many international health agencies lost funding to provide care and pulled out.
Our team traveled to Greece, validated the need, and grew enthusiastic about the enormous potential of adapting our tenants of development work: holistic model, empowerment of community members, and increased collaboration with local government and NGOs in this unique setting.
In 2019, we hired a local staff, and formed an official partnership with KEELPNO (the Greek health department) to support their PHILOS 2, the program previously responsible for coordinating and providing healthcare services in all camps. With our Pilots Medical Brigades we were able to provide much needed care in camps outside of Athens. This experience, and the strong collaboration with other local NGOs and the Athens Municipality, enabled us to identify the need for a consistent regular care for refugee populations living in Athens.
Consistent with our programmatic methodology, we started implementing Medical Brigades to build trust and gather insight to develop a unique holistic model for refugees and asylum seekers aspiring for integration. In 2020, we worked on establishing our own stable Polyclinic in Athens to provide free, consistent and broad health coverage to vulnerable populations. The Clinic, located in the center of Athens receives patients referred by other NGOs, residents of refugee camps and shelters for unaccompanied minors for regular check-ups, tests and vaccinations.
Medical Brigade –
7 Day Sample Schedule
To develop an understanding of the unique needs and sensitivities of asylum seekers, refugees and other vulnerable populations, volunteers will go through an intensive training prior to and during their brigade. For the majority of the Brigade, volunteers will help conduct medical services at the Urban Clinic in Athens on an appointment basis and conducting health workshops for patients. Unlike some of our other program countries, there will be more time to participate in cultural activities in the surrounding area of Athens.
| Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7:00am | Airport Pick up and Transport to Lodging Facility | Breakfast | Breakfast | Breakfast | Breakfast | Breakfast | Breakfast | |
| 8:00am | Transport to Athens | Transport to Community | Transport to Community | Transport to Community | Transport to Community | Transport to Airport & Airline Check in | ||
| 9:00am | Cultural Activity | Medical Clinic | Medical Clinic | Medical Clinic | Medical Clinic | |||
| 10:00am | ||||||||
| 11:00am | ||||||||
| 12:00pm | ||||||||
| 1:00pm | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | |||
| 2:00pm | In-Country Orientation & Medical Presentation | Medical Clinic | Medical Clinic | Medical Clinic | Medical Clinic | |||
| 3:00pm | ||||||||
| 4:00pm | Settle In | |||||||
| 5:00pm | Introduction to Brigade | Transport to Lodging Facility | Transport to Lodging Facility | Transport to Lodging Facility | Transport to Lodging Facility | Transport to Lodging Facility | ||
| 6:00pm | Free Time | Free Time | Free Time | Free Time | Free Time | |||
| 7:00pm | Dinner | Dinner | Dinner | Dinner | Dinner | Dinner | ||
| 8:00pm | Medical Introduction | Medical Meeting | Medical Meeting | Medical Meeting | Medical Meeting | Final Reflection |
| Day 1 | |
|---|---|
| 7:00am | Airport Pick up and Transport to Lodging Facility |
| 8:00am | |
| 9:00am | |
| 10:00am | |
| 11:00am | |
| 12:00pm | |
| 1:00pm | |
| 2:00pm | |
| 3:00pm | |
| 4:00pm | Settle In |
| 5:00pm | Introduction to Brigade |
| 6:00pm | |
| 7:00pm | Dinner |
| 8:00pm | Medical Introduction |
| Day 2 | |
|---|---|
| 7:00am | Breakfast |
| 8:00am | Transport to Athens |
| 9:00am | Cultural Activity |
| 10:00am | |
| 11:00am | |
| 12:00pm | |
| 1:00pm | Lunch |
| 2:00pm | In-Country Orientation & Medical Presentation |
| 3:00pm | |
| 4:00pm | |
| 5:00pm | Transport to Lodging Facility |
| 6:00pm | Free Time |
| 7:00pm | Dinner |
| 8:00pm | Medical Meeting |
| Day 3 | |
|---|---|
| 7:00am | Breakfast |
| 8:00am | Transport to Community |
| 9:00am | Medical Clinic |
| 10:00am | |
| 11:00am | |
| 12:00pm | |
| 1:00pm | Lunch |
| 2:00pm | Medical Clinic |
| 3:00pm | |
| 4:00pm | |
| 5:00pm | Transport to Lodging Facility |
| 6:00pm | Free Time |
| 7:00pm | Dinner |
| 8:00pm | Medical Meeting |
| Day 4 | |
|---|---|
| 7:00am | Breakfast |
| 8:00am | Transport to Community |
| 9:00am | Medical Clinic |
| 10:00am | |
| 11:00am | |
| 12:00pm | |
| 1:00pm | Lunch |
| 2:00pm | Medical Clinic |
| 3:00pm | |
| 4:00pm | |
| 5:00pm | Transport to Lodging Facility |
| 6:00pm | Free Time |
| 7:00pm | Dinner |
| 8:00pm | Medical Meeting |
| Day 5 | |
|---|---|
| 7:00am | Breakfast |
| 8:00am | Transport to Community |
| 9:00am | Medical Clinic |
| 10:00am | |
| 11:00am | |
| 12:00pm | |
| 1:00pm | Lunch |
| 2:00pm | Medical Clinic |
| 3:00pm | |
| 4:00pm | |
| 5:00pm | Transport to Lodging Facility |
| 6:00pm | Free Time |
| 7:00pm | Dinner |
| 8:00pm | Medical Meeting |
| Day 6 | |
|---|---|
| 7:00am | Breakfast |
| 8:00am | Transport to Community |
| 9:00am | Medical Clinic |
| 10:00am | |
| 11:00am | |
| 12:00pm | |
| 1:00pm | Lunch |
| 2:00pm | Medical Clinic |
| 3:00pm | |
| 4:00pm | |
| 5:00pm | Transport to Lodging Facility |
| 6:00pm | Free Time |
| 7:00pm | Dinner |
| 8:00pm | Final Reflection |
| Day 7 | |
|---|---|
| 7:00am | Breakfast |
| 8:00am | Transport to Airport & Airline Check In |
| 9:00am | |
| 10:00am | |
| 11:00am | |
| 12:00pm | |
| 1:00pm | |
| 2:00pm | |
| 3:00pm | |
| 4:00pm | |
| 5:00pm | |
| 6:00pm | |
| 7:00pm | |
| 8:00pm | |
Volunteer Donation Goal
In order to participate in a Greece Medical Brigade, all volunteers must meet a Donation Goal, this is not considered a payment, but support toward Global Brigades’ expansion in Greece. Once a volunteer meets the set Donation Goal, they are eligible to join us on-the-ground to see their fundraising efforts put into action by participating in the brigade.
During this Greece Medical Brigade, the volunteer’s ground transportation, food, lodging, and emergency insurance are all covered. The funding that the volunteer raised also supports all the necessary costs for program implementation, such as medications, equipment, local doctors, pharmacists, translators, and support staff.
Airfare is not included in the standard Donation Goal. However, Global Brigades’ travel team can work with volunteers to book airfare and incorporate the airfare expense into the volunteer’s Donation Goal.
2022 Greece 7 day Medical Brigade –
Donation Goal Details
The donation goals listed are for volunteers joining an existing Global Medical Brigades (GMB) Chapter on a university campus, with a brigade group size of at least 12 volunteers. Scholarship opportunities are available for volunteers to meet their Donation Goal by starting or referring a new chapter. Once a volunteer meets their Donation Goal, they have up to 1 year to participate in a Medical Brigades.
| Impact Level | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical | Scaled | 30 or more | $1,250 |
| Minimum Volunteers | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical | Empowered | 18-29 | $1,350 |
| Donation Goal | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical | Sustainable | 10-17 | $1,450 |
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Safety
Volunteer safety will always be our absolute top priority. Global Brigades recently engaged Askari International Security, an industry leader in international risk assessment, to complete a comprehensive risk/safety assessment of all brigade operations.
A Quote from Askari International Security
“I was asked to review Global Brigades safety and security procedures for their operations in Central America. I always use a “litmus test” by assessing whether I’d be happy to send my own daughters (late teens early 20’s) on one of their events. The answer was a resounding yes. I hope I was able to help them improve their processes and procedures, but what was already in place was good, but better still was the culture of safety and security. All the staff were concerned with safety and security and keen to improve. Nothing can ever be 100% secure or safe, but with Global Brigades I can genuinely say they care and take things very seriously.”
– Bryan Hemmings, Managing Director, Askari International Security
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This DONATION is non-refundable
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