Joint Press Release | Career Days “WELCOME 2024”: The focus on the inclusion and understanding of diversity in the workplace

Joint Press Release of the Athens Coordination Center for Migrant and Refugee issues of the City of Athens (ACCMR), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

– 1.300 intervies in one day

– Tools for a more effective integration of migrants and refugees into businesses

With attention focused on the need to interconnect with the private sector for more effective cooperation and integration of a workforce with a migrant and refugee background in the labor market, this year’s Career Days were completed at Serafion of the City of Athens with the participation of 33 businesses from the sectors of tourism, catering, retail, supply and warehousing, construction and shipping among others.

The two-day event was implemented for the 4th year at the initiative of the Job Skills Development & Access to the Labor Market Working Group of the Athens Coordination Center for Mmigrant and Refugee issues of the City of Athens (ACCMR) with the support of the International Organization for Migration in the framework of the HELIOS Project, which is funded by the Ministry of Migration and Asylum and UNHCR – The UN Refugee Agency, (UNHCR), in cooperation with the following stakeholders: Greek Forum of Migrants, METAdrasi, , ActionAid, Caritas Hellas, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), International Rescue Committee (IRC), ITHACA, Junior Achievement Greece, Sistech, Solidarity Now.

Efforts to integrate refugees and migrants into the labor market are effective

In the continuous effort to integrate prospective workers into the labor market by strengthening their skills and preparing them for participation in interviews, the need for more systematic cooperation between businesses and organizations that support integration is added, with the aim of promoting inclusivity in the workplace .

“I really liked it because it was the first time that a career day prepares businesses to be more inclusive,” says Eleni Dimopoulou, Recruitment Manager of Aegeo Spas, and continues to note that she sees a big difference from last year as the people in the interviews have acquired greater self-confidence and extroversion, “…and this happens thanks to the organizations“, she emphasizes.

In this context, on the first day of the event, a full-day workshop was held during which company representatives and professionals had the opportunity to be informed and understand key axes and parameters regarding the smooth integration of migrants and refugees into the labor market, from the stage of interview to everyday life in the work environment. With an emphasis on respect for multiculturalism and the value of inclusion, the workshop presented and discussed useful tools and good practices.

On the second day, more than 270 people conducted at least 1,300 interviews mainly with large companies from all over Greece. The available employment positions vary, including production workers, warehouse workers, hotel clerks, catering clerks, general duty staff, as well as more specialized positions in technical occupations, call center support, administrative and other employees.

The Deputy Minister of Migration and Asylum, Sofia Voultepsi, at the start of the event, said: “Career days are the epitome of integration because there is this direct contact between employers and employees. With a good cooperation between the Ministry and the Integration Sector, the City of Athens, other Municipalities, International Organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations we will be able to give these people the possibility to earn their living with dignity without depending on benefits . We will give the opportunity to Greek employers to enrich their workforce, to increase their production, to increase the GDP of the country. And when the country’s GDP increases, wages also increase and at the end of the day we will be able to contribute to stopping the brain drain, that is, the Greeks who left abroad will be able to return to Greece”.

The Deputy Mayor for Social Integration of Migrants and Refugees of the City of Athens, Thanasis Cheimonas, pointed out that the City of Athens is focusing on strengthening its structures to promote the employability of our vulnerable fellow citizens, including refugees and migrants, by enriching existing programs and activating new structures. Highlighting the importance of interconnection between municipalities in this area, he noted that “the Cities Network for Integration can play an important role in creating settlement opportunities in municipalities in the periphery.” He continued by underlining that the municipality’s vision is a local government capable and willing to respond to the needs of all its citizens and residents and to make use of their potential. “The cooperation with the two international organizations“, he added, “is decisive in this direction“.

For his part, the Chief of Mission of IOM Greece, Gianluca Rocco, said: “Inclusion is not only key to the economy, but also to the progress of our society. Facilitating the access of refugees and migrants to the Greek labor market is very important and we are particularly happy that in the context of Career Days 2024, employers and potential employees are sitting at the same table and looking at job opportunities. I thank the Ministry of Migration and Asylum, the City of Athens and all the organizations that support these initiatives.“

Maria Clara Martin, UNHCR Representative in Greece, underlined the importance of joint efforts and cooperation between the central government, municipalities, international organizations, non-governmental organizations and the private sector, to promote inclusion in workplaces. Citing studies showing that diversity in the workforce increases productivity and boosts innovation, she noted that “refugees, when given the opportunity, add unique value to businesses as they have proven time and time again that they have skills and talents, team spirit and willingness to contribute.”

Parallel Activities

At the same time, presentations and activities were carried out with the aim of training and empowering the candidates for their inclusion in the labor market. More specifically, workshops on empowering women in the job search and combating sexual harassment at work, advice on CV creation and interview preparation and finally a discussion around job prospects in the field of culture and arts , were organized by Junior Achievement, the Center for Combating Gender-Based Violence and Multiple Discrimination of the City of Athens, the HELIOS Project and We are Community respectively. At the same time, throughout the second day, there were information booths of the UNHCR – The UN Refugee Agency, the International Organization for Migration and the Migrant Integration Center of the City of Athens to provide specialized information regarding the protection of refugees and migrants and the available support services. In the area there was a recreational activities space for the children while their parents participated in the event.

Photos: Alexandros Pavlou, Tassos Repouskos| Ithaca, Marina Tomara | ACCMR

From left to right: Gianluca Rocco (Chief of Mission of IOM Greece), Maria Clara Martin (UNHCR Representative in Greece), Σοφία Βούλτεψη (Deputy Minister of Migration and Asylum), Thanasis Cheimonas (Deputy Mayor for Social Integration of Migrants and Refugees of the City of Athens) ©Tassos Repouskos | Ithaca

Thanasis Cheimonas (Deputy Mayor for Social Integration of Migrants and Refugees of the City of Athens) ©Tassos Repouskos | Ithaca