Greece
Refugee Support Medical Brigade
By invitation from the UN International Office of Migration and in partnership with the Greek Health Department, Chapters work alongside local doctors to provide primary health care for asylum seekers at the many refugee camps just north of Athens. Volunteer participation insures asylum seekers and refugees have access to medical consults and treatment for acute illnesses. Students work in triage, shadow physicians, provide health education workshops, provide resources for medicine distribution and facilitate art therapy workshops for children. Medical referrals are provided to specialists 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 in temporary accommodation centers (refugee camps). Although camp populations on the mainland are rising and the vast majority of asylum seekers are stuck in transit, international health agencies have 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.
As of August 2019, we hired a local staff, run pilots, 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.
Consistent with our sustainable development model, we are starting with Medical Brigades to build trust and gather insight to develop a unique holistic model for asylum seekers and refugees aspiring for integration. The feedback from asylum seekers and the government has been tremendous and we need your support to bring this opportunity to your campus to scale the impact! We are targeting over 50 refugee camps in Greece accommodating more than 50,000 residents.
Medical Brigade –
7 Day Sample Schedule
To develop an understanding of the unique needs and sensitivities of asylum seekers, volunteers will go through an intensive training prior to and during their brigade. For the majority of the Brigade, volunteers will help conduct medical and dental services at the camps on an appointment basis and conducting health workshops for children. 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.
2020 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 10 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 Brigade.
| Impact Level | Minimum Volunteers | Donation Goal | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical | Scaled | 30 or more | $1,250 | |
| Empowered | 18-29 | $1,350 | ||
| Sustainable | 10-17 | $1,450 |
| 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 |
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
Lodging Facilities
Villa Chryssoula Apartments is the current tentative lodging facility for Medical Brigades in Greece. Global Brigades has done a safety review of this lodging facility.
The Villa Chryssoula Apartments provides pillows, bedsheets and towels. Apartments have toilets, showers & sinks with running hot water, and potable filtered clean water. Apartments also have air conditioners in each unit and mosquito screens on windows.
Villa Chryssoula Apartments
Hotel Petit Village
Agamemnon Beach Hotel
Agamemnon Beach Hotel (named after the mythological King of Mycenae and commander of the united Greek expedition forces to conquer Troy), is a small traditional accommodation located at the seaside village of Agioi Apostoloi, on Attica’s coast of the South Euboean Gulf. Global Brigades has done a safety review of this lodging facility. Hotel Agamemnon provides pillows, bed sheets, and towels. Apartments have toilets, shower & sinks with running cold and hot water, which is NOT potable. Apartments also have air conditioners in each unit. This beautiful lodging facility is right on the water. Volunteers will be staying in rooms 3 – 4. Agioi Apostoloi village is chosen because of its proximity to our main visiting refugee camps (Malakassa 32 minutes, Oinofyta 43 minutes, Ritsona 53 minutes), via well maintained roads.
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This DONATION is non-refundable
This DONATION is non-refundable Global Brigades, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Your donation will be used to further Global Brigades' mission and will be allocated toward the program you selected. This donation will not be utilized to fulfill a chapter or a volunteer's fundraising goal. Read Global Brigades, Inc's full Donation Refund Policy here.
Looking to donate to support a volunteer's fundraising goal? Find their Global Brigades Chapter by searching our Chapters map and then selecting their upcoming brigade. If you need help finding their chapter, you can ask the volunteer to send you their brigade's specific website link or you can contact us.
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