Symplexis

Symplexis is a Greek non-for-profit organization that strives to ensure equal opportunities for all through actions and measures that build skills, empower and promote active engagement and participation focusing on the most vulnerable categories of the population and particularly those with fewer opportunities. Symplexis’ mission is to elevate social cohesion through integrated actions and project-based activities that aim at promoting the inclusion of disadvantaged groups at risk of marginalization and exclusion, while promoting and protecting the rights of various types of population groups that face discrimination focusing on the empowerment and support of victims, awareness raising and information sharing at all level. Symplexis work is focused on the following areas: Protecting and promoting human rights Respect for fundamental rights within and outside the EU is key to the work of Symplexis and a main driving force of our people. Our activities promote individual dignity and self-empowerment so as to create equal opportunities, rights and obligations for every person in all essential walks of life. In practice, this means that we work with populations that face constant violation of their basic rights, such as discriminated women, children and elderly people, victims of violence and human trafficking, the LGBTQI community, Roma and unaccompanied minors, migrants and asylum seekers/ refugees. Our main principle is that there is no one-size-fits-all solution, hence we address each case as unique so as to meet each individual’s immediate and long-term needs particularly focusing on the fight against gender-based violence, which is becoming a shameful trend of modern societies. Our efforts focus on both preventing phenomena of human rights’ violations (having education and learning as the main relevant vehicle), as well as on supporting the persons having suffered such violations. Promoting social and economic inclusion Our team’s main objective is to reduce poverty and promote the social and economic integration of those most in need, focusing on marginalized groups and especially third country nationals who seek a better future within the EU. For this purpose, we utilize a variety of innovative methods and techniques that build on user-led approaches and promote active engagement and participation, acknowledging the importance of building a strong community, one that values diversity and multiculturalism at all (local, EU and international) levels. In this regard, our activities focus on labour market integration, civic participation and social cohesion through a wide variety of proactive initiatives that target from simple every day activities of social life (such as language and digital skills) to more complex, psychological and mental health issues. Upskilling, capacity building and empowerment of vulnerable groups We strongly believe that learning is not only a lifelong process, but also a fundamental right of every person, regardless of sex, age, gender, ethnicity/race, religion, sexual orientation or any other social or personal characteristics. In this regard, one of our main pursuits is to promote a more inclusive educational system, one that invests on equal opportunities, participation and enrolment as vehicle to local and community integration, especially for those on the margins of society, on the basis of shared values and respect for fundamental rights. For those reasons, we work together with our target groups so as to find sustainable solutions to deep-rooted societal problems and inequalities in education and learning. We first serve those with fewer opportunities, the so-called low-skilled disadvantaged people both by trying to redirect them to the formal education system and also by utilizing alternative paths for complementing their skills and competences. We alleviate their weaknesses and capitalize on their strengths through multitude skills-building programmes and activities in Greece, Europe and beyond. Advance child and youth development Our work in this area is committed to the psychological, physical and social development of children and youth, in an effort to build both personal and community resilience and address youth unemployment through long-term development-oriented processes that help reduce youth poverty, promote child protection and stimulate social inclusion and development. In doing so, we target a wide variety of modern-world fields that include, but are not limited to education, employment, civic and social participation, which altogether may bring a more sustainable future for our youth. For this purpose, we utilize the most innovative and forward looking methods that build on deep rooted social values at EU level, such as social economy and innovation, non-profit management and volunteering. To learn more about our work, we invite you to have a look at our projects.