Better Days is looking for a Volunteer Greek / English Teacher.
Location: Athens, Greece
Volunteer Status: Full-time position (evening shifts or a shift schedule may be required)
Starting Date: Immediately
Duration: Minimum of 3 months
Better Days was founded in January 2016 in response to the influx of refugees in Lesvos, Greece. Our first project was the Olive Grove, an unofficial camp adjacent to Moria camp that supported the needs of thousands of people passing through Lesvos. During its first six months of operation, Better Days and its partners provided aid (medical, food, shelter, and non-food items) to approximately 70,000 people. Since the Olive Grove, Better Days has implemented more than ten projects providing services, including legal aid, recreational activities, non-formal education, and counseling support.
Today, we focus on providing an integrated approach to education through educational and psychosocial support services for displaced young people to enhance their opportunities for personal development, academic growth, and independence. Our new Gekko educational center in Athens, which we launched this past June, will offer access to quality personalized education and psychosocial support services displaced young adults (15-24 years old) in a safe, trauma-informed, and dignified learning space.
Chronology of projects:
Gekko was conceived by Better Days on Lesvos in May 2017 to challenge existing models of education in emergencies by integrating high-quality education with mental health and psychosocial support services in a dignified, trauma-aware environment. Gekko operations in Lesvos reached optimal capacity in 2019-20 with 915 registered students and 452 psychosocial support sessions. Due to interconnected factors, including Covid-19, the fire that destroyed Moria camp, and the implementation of closed, securitized camps on the islands, we expanded our projects to mainland Greece.
Displaced young people in Athens are in need of services that lie at the heart of Gekko: trauma-aware psychosocial support integrated with high-quality, individualised education. Thus, Gekko in Athens was born. Our summer pilot program (50 students) launched in July 2023 and the full-scale project (120 students) in fall 2023. Gekko offers a safe learning environment for 15-24 year-olds who are experiencing displacement, and serves as a space where they can offload their troubles and fight for their dreams. We aim to reduce the barriers students face and pave the path to quality education and accreditation.
Better Days is a small and dynamic organisation looking to collaborate with people who are passionate about humanitarian work, understand its risks and complexities, and are interested in investing in their role long-term. We are a quality-driven organisation determined to provide grassroots, holistic and effective solutions to support the integration and de-victimization of displaced communities in Europe, focusing on refugee education and empowerment of youth.
Our colleagues come from all over the world, and our official Communication language is English. The ideal candidate will be inducted for two weeks and trained during the probation period. At the end of a third month’s contract, the candidate is expected to participate in Better Days’ Volunteers Survey and Self-Assessment which is part of their volunteer evaluation.
Role Description
The ideal candidate(s) will have experience teaching Greek as a foreign/second language and will possess a strong understanding of or passion for the context in which we work. The right candidate should be prepared to teach students with exceptionalities and from diverse backgrounds and to work in a multicultural environment. They must be comfortable working with adolescents and young adults with different learning needs and diverse educational backgrounds.
To apply, send an email at [email protected], including the following:
Due to excessive workload, only successful candidates who meet the minimum criteria will be contacted.