Caritas Cares. What this report is about. About Caritas Hellas. Poverty and social exclusion among young people Greece Report.

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1 Caritas Cares Poverty and social exclusion among young people Greece Report September 2017 What this report is about This report describes the main challenges related to poverty and social inclusion among young people in Greece and provides recommendations for policy makers to address these challenges. The recommendations are based on an analysis of the grass-roots experience of Caritas Hellas, which is compared to the official data. About Caritas Hellas Caritas Hellas represents the local Caritas of the Catholic ecclesiastical provinces in Greece. Its mission is to promote and safeguard human dignity mainly through psycho-social services to the poor, to advocate on behalf of the poor and to provide humanitarian aid when natural disasters or other types of emergency situations occur. The main operational activities include shelter and psycho-social support to asylum-seekers; inclusion schemes for refugees; financial support of families living in extreme poverty; listening centres and psycho-social support; job-counselling; collection and distribution of clothing, household utensils, and furniture as well as food and medication; a visiting programme to prisoners and their families; recreational and spiritual events for older people; visits to hospitals, nursing homes and home-visits for spiritual and moral support; and regular blood donations from volunteer donors in collaboration with public hospitals. Since the beginning of the Greek economic crisis, the organisation has run twinning projects between the regional Italian Caritas and the Greek local Caritas as well as financial support programmes through private foundations. Following the outbreak of the refugee crisis, Caritas Hellas, through its network and with the support of the international Caritas network, has implemented specific projects (from humanitarian aid to shelter and integration services). 1

2 Programmes that we carry out aimed at families with children: Food support and other basic needs (e.g. FEAD) Family counselling and mediation Access to employment Access to education and training (VET, informal education, early school leaving, drop-outs, etc.) Community, volunteering and cultural activities Financial support towards rent and energy bills 56.2% of the beneficiaries of our services have children Programmes that we carry out aimed at young people: Food support and other basic needs Access to employment Access to education and training (e.g. VET, informal education, early school leaving, drop-outs, etc.) Community, volunteering and cultural activities 17.3% of young people (15-24 years old) are beneficiaries of our services of whom 28.9% are women, 71.1% are men. The data above refer to the total number of young people who approached our services directly or indirectly (as a member of the family). The following percentages refer to those young people, 18 to 24, who are direct beneficiaries: Males % Females % Institutional representative: Antonios Voutsinos caritashellas@caritas.gr Contact tel Press contact: Isidoros Roussos roussos@caritas.gr

3 Greece s main challenges related to poverty and social exclusion among young people 1 : YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT: Greek youth face enormous difficulties entering the labour market and finding decent jobs. The promise that effort in education leads to quality employment is not supported anymore. INSUFFICIENT MINIMUM INCOME SCHEME: Greek youth has suffered intensively during the economic crisis. Young people face major difficulties finding a job and many jobs are low paid. Unemployed youth faces additional challenges because replacement income is insufficient and it is even harder to access it due to cumbersome procedures. Many young people are forced to live in conditions of poverty. Nearly one in three are severely deprived from access to basic goods, as compared to one in ten in Europe. MIGRATION AND REFUGEES: Greece is one of the main recipient countries for people fleeing the humanitarian crises in the Middle East and elsewhere. Youth population: 1.7 million Young people: 15.6% (EU average: 17.4%) Young immigrants: 37.0% Early school leavers: 6.2% (EU average: 10.7%) Youth Unemployment: 38.4% (EU average: 14.7%) Housing cost overburden: 92.9% (EU average: 40.4%) At risk of poverty: 43.2% (EU average: 28.1%) Severe material deprivation: 26.9% (EU average: 11.4%) Young people, Unemployment & School leavers: 2016; poverty risk, Latest available data - accessed 18/05/2017 Right-wing discourses conflate the economic crisis with the refugee influx and generate a climate of discrimination and outright in security. Policy recommendations: 1. Roll-out the Youth Guarantee programme towards the social economy. 2. Strengthen the Youth Guarantee by providing incentives for employers to generate stable employment: for example, offer a social security contribution reduction for employers who decide to employ young voucher employees for longer periods; offer lower or no tax for the first couple of years to young entrepreneurs/self-employed. 3. Offer affordable, quality child-care services for working parents, by broadening the offer and means of the supply of services, to ensure a right to childcare everywhere. 4. Guarantee a universal minimum income for all, by reforming the minimum income schemes and the taxation system in general. 5. Ensure affordable, quality housing for youth through social housing programmes, rent controls and housing assistance. 6. Safeguard basic social rights for all: this means, first of all, that the EC, in Troika interventions in particular, conducts a thorough impact assessment of possible decisions on the real-life situation of people in need. 1 For the purpose of this report, the age bracket from years is used. Statistics box: people aged 18 to 29, in line with the criteria of the European Commission. The source of the data in the box is from Eurostat, consulted on 18/05/2017 from the latest available data. 3

4 1. Poverty and social exclusion among young people in Greece: the reality behind the data The problems of most concern in Greece Low wages, youth unemployment and high rate of NEETs Problems related to immigration/migration Access to minimum income schemes Low wages, youth unemployment and high rate of NEETs With a population of 10,816,286 inhabitants, Greece remains the country with the highest unemployment rate in the European Union. Young people from 15 to 29 are disproportionally affected with 38.4% unemployed, against 23.6% of the total active population. 27% of the Greek population aged does not participate in employment, neither in education nor training. The ongoing economic crisis has multiple consequences, not only for the daily lives of young people right now but also for the long-term in society; consequences that will only become visible in Testimony I am 22 years old, I m Greek and I am stuck in such a bad job: In the beginning I thought I was very lucky in finding this job, because I could not find anything after 3 years of searching. I was so excited that I didn t realize what was going on in the company, and why my colleagues seemed so demotivated. After 2 months on the job, the employer announced something like a bankruptcy. The state and other private companies decided to find a solution (which took more than a 2-year process of negotiations) in order to secure most of the jobs. During this period, I could not stay at home; I had to go to work even if I was not being paid (the money was promised to us) in order not to lose the job. Some decided to leave in the meantime, but for us who remained, because we were working and therefore earning money (though not getting the money) we have had to pay taxes on the income that we will eventually get! I had to continue staying with my parents and my grandparents, who support all of us with their pensions. These have been two very difficult years and I hope it s over now, but it will take time till I manage to take full ownership of my life and my dreams. I have now started receiving some of the salary due to me. I hope my future will be better, but is there a future here in Greece? Maria, 23, Athens the next years. Young people, especially in urban areas, are deprived of choices and opportunities in their lives because of the inability of both the family and the state to fully support them. Most young people who manage to complete university studies face two options. Either they become trapped in jobs that are irrelevant to their studies and have outstandingly poor working conditions that remind us of the situation right after the Second World War. Or they migrate to richer countries. In the face of this reality, there is an increasing number of young people who opt not to start higher education, given that it seems not to provide more employment 4

5 opportunities. Nevertheless, priority is given to those more educated (over-qualified) and, if possible, of Greek nationality. Second and third generation immigrants experience additional exclusion. 2 Problems related to immigration/migration Refugees and immigrants, who arrive in Greece, escaping war and seeking a safe and decent future for their families, face tremendous problems. The measures, incorporated in the national action plan for inclusion, focus more on immigrants. However, these measures are limited, and in fact, in the absence of an effective national strategy, they are inadequate. In addition, we must point out that 58.8% of young people living in Greece were not born in the EU. And they face particularly serious material hardship in Greece, the highest rate in the EU in total. 3 Access to minimum income schemes Currently, minimum income schemes or other related benefits that are available to young people are: Testimony My parents are both from Albania, but I was born in Greece: I am one of those people who is defined as a second generation migrant. My parents had lived in Greece for many years until the crisis spread and they decided that we had to go back to Albania. I didn t like that choice, since I feel Greece is my country. I took a plane and came back to live here. Now I m living under an inexplicable curse that affects me, I cannot explain why, but I have trouble with the law and the police. I am accused of crimes I haven t committed. My Master s degree and my postgraduate specialisation do not help me at all at finding a job, and thanks to this odd situation with the criminal record, nobody wants to hire me. My family in Albania is not wealthy so I have to live with my aunt and she s struggling to give me some money since I have none, but she has her own children to feed and it s not easy for her. Unemployment benefit Scholarship support Disability benefit Child allowance (family benefit) There are many limitations to young people s access to these schemes and benefits. These limitations are, for example, related to the combining of a family s total household income. To illustrate, one criterion for accessing some of these benefits is a threshold income of 5,000 per year*. Another criterion is the value of property under 90,000, where the amount depends on the number of members of the household. In addition, these minimum income schemes are generally highly inadequate. There is a long list of formal and informal barriers, a highly selective means test and a bureaucracy that makes it almost impossible to access some of the benefits. People gain access to unemployment benefits only after having worked a 2 Papadakis, N., Kyridis, A., Fotopoulos, N. (Eds) 2016: Youth and Neets in Greece: Research and comprehensive intervention, Athens Caritas Hellas, 2017, Poverty Report. 3 Papadakis, N., Kyridis, A., Fotopoulos, N. (Eds) 2016: Youth and Neets in Greece: Research and comprehensive intervention, Athens Caritas Hellas, 2017, Poverty Report. 5

6 certain period of time, and the benefits are also limited in time. In terms of scholarship support for tertiary education, it is limited only for access to public student homes (if available) and student s canteens. *Social solidarity income (ΚΕΑ Kinonikò Isodima Alileghiis): 200 per month for a one-member household, plus 100 per month for any additional adult, and 50 per month for every additional minor. This income is connected to a series of other social services (e.g. free access to health services for the unemployed, school lunches for the children, priority to social support structures of local and regional authorities) Current services to fight poverty and social exclusion among young people The following services that could lift young people out of poverty and social exclusion are generally not available: Access to affordable housing Access to education and training (formal, non-formal or informal) Access to affordable childcare Start-up or youth entrepreneurship; ways to create a job; counselling; integration of young people into the labour market (start-ups exist but are funded by private enterprises). Increased transmission of poverty as a consequence As a consequence of low wages, high unemployment and limited access to inadequate minimum income schemes and services, the intergenerational transmission of poverty is an increasing problem. An even larger number of the population is impoverished and is unable to support their children even in accessing free of charge state services. The example of education demonstrates that free is relative. Primary and secondary level education is free, but children may be hindered from attending and they risk early drop-out because of their parents poverty. A majority cannot afford transport, school-stationery, clothing, healthy food, doctors and medicine, etc. Children and teenagers of very poor families see themselves obliged sometimes of their own initiative to leave school and support their family income with small jobs (usually informal) or participating in family income generation (farming, small local businesses). Most of these young people will not return to education, neither vocational training nor university, and, thus, see their opportunities reduced for a more decent life for themselves as well as for their children. 6

7 Many families experience, on the one hand, how their income is continuously shrinking, when both salaries and benefits are being reduced, whilst on the other hand, there are continuous increases in taxes and the cost of living that elevate their daily expenditure. This often obliges parents to grudgingly deprive their kids of the possibility to go to or to continue their higher education. This limits young people s chances of entering the labour market, which, as such, has also shrunk in the last 10 years. The need for young people to find a job as soon as possible inhibits the possibility of taking the time to search for a satisfying position. This is the vicious circle that generates a lack of career possibilities and, of course, the transmission of this poverty situation from parents to children, which affects them well after childhood. Entrenched poverty and its intergenerational transmission profoundly affects the person s self-image, self-esteem and social position. The transmission of poverty constantly generates disempowerment and fatalism, such as a belief that suffering because of poverty is unavoidable. Or an attitude of self-blame, such as, that: I do not deserve better because I am not equipped for more. The process gains substance until people completely believe that poverty is what they deserve. This factor must be taken into account not only because it is dramatic in itself, but especially because such a mentality represents the perfect opposite of a society that needs to grow, to innovate and to develop socially, economically and culturally 4. Young people at higher risk of poverty Young refugees/asylum seekers, victims of human trafficking, unaccompanied minors Young Greeks who cannot afford higher education because of family poverty Young people with disabilities Young refugees/asylum seekers, human trafficking, unaccompanied minors Refugees, and particularly unaccompanied minors, symbolise the situation that Greece is facing today: a crisis with two faces. First, there is the economic crisis, worsened by the austerity policies imposed by the EU Troika. On the other hand, there is the migration crisis, because of the war-torn Middle East. Both situations do not seem to have a solution in the short-term: the Greek economic crisis is still not over and the war in Syria, and elsewhere, keeps on forcing many people to flee to Greece, in search of routes to reach the European Union. This phenomenon affects Greek society in many ways. The two crises are mutually reinforcing, creating new problems, such as a significant increase in racism, and an increase in mistrust in the democratic 4 Kraatz, S. & Dessimirova, D., 2016, EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS, EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT. Unemployment and poverty: Greece and other (post-) programme countries. 7

8 state. Despite the political will, the number of available jobs continues to decrease. Greek people struggle to find a job and to have their social rights respected. Meanwhile, a tough tax regime reduces available income even more. At the same time, the goods and the services that refugees need to live a dignified life are often unavailable. 5 The percentage of [young people, in Greece, aged 16-29] at risk of poverty and social exclusion... who were born in a country other than Greece is estimated at 75.5% for 2013, compared with 43.2% of the indigenous population. 6 The government of Greece has set a minimum income guarantee to address this social exclusion. Yet, the problem is not resolved because this measure is only temporary. For example, those refugees whose asylum request is approved, will not receive any more benefits. The problem of social exclusion and the generational transmission of poverty, without doubt, is going to affect these people into the future. 7 Testimony Young Greeks cannot afford higher education because of family poverty The new generations of Greek people are facing serious poverty-related problems and social exclusion from early childhood onwards. The number of children and of Greek families who cannot satisfy the fundamental material and educative needs has exponentially grown, ( ) since 2008, the percentage of families with children that cannot afford a meal with meat or fish (or the equivalent for vegetables) every two days has more than doubled. 8 I am 18, I was born and live on a small Greek island that does not have a hospital or university. I live with my parents, while my sister works in Athens. A year ago, I passed the Panellinies (the national exam to access tertiary education and/or university). I succeeded with a great score but the university where I was accepted is far away from my island. My family cannot afford to pay for travel and food for me, the expenses would be too high and none of them has a job now. In fact, my sister who has managed to find a job in Athens is also financially supporting my parents. This means that I will not go to university. I will try to work on my island, but it is not easy: during the summer time, you can find a job as waiter, but when the season is over and all the shops based on tourism close, what will I do? I actually have no hope of having a career. My future is uncertain and heavily influenced by the economic situation of Greece. Manthos, 18, Tinos, Greece As a result, the trend already indicated by the European Commission in 2012 is now becoming dramatic: the most alarming tendency is the increase of children who are 5 Papadakis, N., Kyridis, A., Fotopoulos, N. (Eds) 2016: Youth and NEETs in Greece: Research and comprehensive intervention. 6 Caritas Hellas, 2017, Poverty Report Caritas Hellas, 2017, Poverty Report Papadakis, N., Kyridis, A., Fotopoulos, N. (eds) 2016: Youth and NEETs in Greece: Research and comprehensive intervention, Athens Caritas Hellas, 2017, Poverty Report. 8

9 becoming homeless ( ) or because the families have lost the house, or because of the break [up] of the familial relationship Young people with disabilities People with disabilities in Greece have the right to a disability benefit or pension. However, since the government adopted a package of pension cuts and tax hikes on the 8 of May 2016, more and more parents of children with disabilities are coming to the counselling centres of Caritas asking for assistance. Young people with disabilities have been hit directly by the economic crisis and the cuts that the government was obliged to impose in order to respect the austerity measures. Disability pensioners with a 50% to 67% disability have received only half of the national disability pension, while those with disabilities over 67% have seen their disability pension drop by 25%. Many Greeks say that they face problems - such as housing and access to healthcare - related to disability (11.9%), while the rare statement of facing such problems among foreigners (2.3%) can probably be attributed to the different cultural backgrounds and the difference of acknowledgement and acceptance of disability in some foreign communities. 11 Rights that young people have more difficulties in actualising Right to work Right to housing Right to equality and nondiscrimination Right to have a family Young people in Greece have more difficulties in securing the following rights: Right to work Right to housing Right to equality and non-discrimination Right to have a family The most serious problem is that this ongoing poverty process reinforces itself. Youth unemployment in particular remains unacceptably high and more and more young people, as we observe everyday on the street, are becoming homeless. People aged between 26 and 45 make up the biggest group of homeless in the capital city according to Emfasis. 12 More and more young people especially the more qualified 9 Caritas Hellas, 2017, Poverty Report European Commission, Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, Homelessness during the Crisis, Research Note 8/2011, 2011, p. 12. Interestingly, the Great Recession does not seem to have had a similar effect in other countries, such as the United States. 11 Caritas Hellas, 2017, Poverty Report

10 and educated seek for jobs and a life abroad. They try, as much as they can, to leave the country. Last, but not least, there is an increasing distrust in the country s institutions because the State is in fact not able to provide goods and services to its own population. If the current social, financial and economic situation and the accompanying policies as well - do not change, this feeling might well continue to mature and spread not only throughout Greece, but across the EU as well. What is starting to become apparent is also the competition among the poor, a poisonous battle around who deserves more - e.g. the poor Greek versus the poor refugees. This pattern is often used and promoted in extreme-right hate speech. 13 BOX 1. Ratification and implementation of the European Social Charter related to young people GREECE has ratified the vast majority of articles of the Revised European Social Charter. Greece has ratified the Additional Protocol providing for a System of Collective Complaints. This gives civil society an instrument to effectively enforce the obligations in fulfilling and providing social rights. More information on the provisions accepted by Greece can be found via this link. 13 Papadakis, N., Kyridis, A., Fotopoulos, N. (Eds) 2016: Youth and Neets in Greece: Research and comprehensive intervention, Athens. 10

11 How effective are Greece s policies to fight poverty and social exclusion among young people? Policies that are having a positive impact Policies Education policies combating early school-leaving and early drop-outs Reasons why they are being effective Greece succeeded at reducing the early school leaving rate: from 14.4% in 2008 to 6.2% in Youth Guarantee Since the implementation of the Youth Programme, unemployment in Greece and Spain has reached its maximum as has started to decline. 14 Policies that have a limited impact The following policies are having a limited impact in fighting poverty and social exclusion among young people: Policies Informal education and civic participation Access to affordable childcare Access to affordable housing Gaps or reasons why they are not being effective One of the main reasons is a lack of a centralised strategy and coordination. There are hundreds of initiatives, many started by individuals or, very often, at local and regional level. Yet most young people will only hear about European volunteer opportunities for the first time in tertiary education. It is guaranteed mostly for unemployed parents. It is necessary to provide the services as well for families with a low wage in order to avoid competing demands between working time and parental childcare responsibilities in the home. The paradox is the huge amount of unrented houses in Greece (especially in Athens) and the numbers of homeless people (around 20,000 according to the data of the KYADA 15 ). 14 Papadakis, N., Kyridis, A., Fotopoulos, N. (Eds) 2016: Youth and Neets in Greece: Research and comprehensive intervention, Athens. 15 KYADA is the City of Athens Homeless Shelter, 11

12 The Greek Youth Guarantee an example of success Greece has succeeded in reducing the early school leaving rate: from 25.2% in 1982 to 10.1% in Also, early school leaving seems to affect the NEETs rate in Greece to a limited extent. The Second Chance Schools address all the adults who dropped out of the education system at an early stage of their studies and did not complete their 9- year compulsory studies due to social, financial or personal reasons. It is co-financed by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Greek government. Two of the eight national objectives for Europe 2020 refer to education. One of these is to reduce the Early School Leaving rate to below 9.7% (the European average is fixed at 10%). The other objective refers to tertiary education. The Greece Youth Guarantee Implementation Plan has an allocation of million from the Youth Employment Initiative. 16 The overall aim is to improve the skills level of NEETs aged and thus help to move them into employment, including selfemployment, on a sustained basis through apprenticeships, ICT learning and entrepreneurship measures, work experience, and traineeships. Combining training with on-the-job experience is providing young people with skills that are relevant to employers needs. In this way, they seek to reduce the obstacles of the school-to-work transition by allowing young people to acquire some initial work experience, the absence of which has always been a major barrier to their labour market entry. Example of an effective policy or programme related to young people Studying transfer There is the possibility to transfer the selected seat of studies to another city closer to the family and/or sibling. This option is not only effective but also necessary. Many young Greek people who apply for University studies have to reject this once they receive the results from the Panellinies, since the study destination isn t always close enough to the family, or just they cannot economically afford to leave the family household. The programme allows those students to find a realistic way to continue their studies, by changing the city they were selected for, and consequently enables them to go further with their personal academic career choice. Ministry of Education/Ministry of Social Affairs/Universitites 16 Greece s Youth Guarantee Implementation Plan, submitted on 31 December 2013, updated in June

13 Example of an ineffective policy or programme related to young people Youth Guarantee The European Court of Auditors, in its evaluation report on the EU s policies to combat youth unemployment, addressed to the European Commission (April 2017), states that too many young people are still unemployed and Greece is unable to guarantee that all those who are neither in employment, education or training had the opportunity to accept an offer within four months after they lost their job or left school. At the root of the inefficiency, the Court points out, are the many failures in the government s implementation of the recommendations. 17. Public day care an example of an ineffective policy Public day care is partially state-funded so parents have to pay an average of 70 per month depending on their combined income. There is a very long waiting list and there are not enough places for all children. One major drawback of the service is that public day care ends at 4 p.m., a scheduled time that does not allow a parent working full-time to leave work early in order to go get the baby/child. Moreover, public day care closes down when there is a school holiday or union strike. Furthermore, there is a complicated points system (heavily linked to financial criteria/income) that is used in order to select which children will have access to free care. Caritas Hellas considers the system to be unfair. Unemployed mothers usually receive higher priority in getting free care, but for the rest of the families in need, the assistance is not fairly awarded. The use of EU funds in Greece to combat youth poverty and social exclusion The European Social Fund (ESF) is contributing to a reduction in the poverty and social exclusion of young people. Since Greece is still suffering from the economic crisis and ongoing austerity measures, there is the need to find different ways of production and

14 economic growth. This, in turn, requires thinking and acting in a more sustainable way for as long as growth and jobs require new skills and training. The ESF is moving in this direction as it supports initiatives focused on groups of people most at risk of social exclusion. The funding concentrates on groups with particular disadvantages in finding jobs, such as women, young people, disabled people, minorities and the longterm unemployed. The European Social Fund is contributing to reducing the transmission of poverty to young people. The co-financed projects are good examples of changes that are possible to promote improvements. They are focused on addressing the weaknesses of the Greek crisis, such as increasing the number of jobs. At the same time they strive to reduce the number of civil servants while strengthening public administration. However, a core problem is that, even if Europe concretely stimulates young people, it is hard to find immediate relief from the issues that affect their daily lives. For example, working on personal experience and skills as the programme Second Chance Schools invites them to do - in order to be able to find a good job, is certainly a great resource but, at the same time, it requires a mental attitude oriented to a future that is often lacking among young people. The following improvements to the management of the ESF could help to ensure it better promotes the social inclusion of young people and/or prevents the transmission of poverty. The suggestion we consider helpful for young people, considering the current unstable economic situation in Greece, is to promote work experience such as internships that also consist of a follow-up programme organised over the long term period in a more sustainable model. From our perspective, what is lacking currently in Greece are not only job opportunities and money, but a feeling of trust towards Europe. In order to regain the support of young people, Europe has to demonstrate that under its guidance and action there is, as well, a real desire for integration and cohesion. Other EU funding schemes contributing positively to reducing the poverty and social exclusion of young people in Greece include: The Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF). It supports Greece s national efforts to improve its reception capacity, ensure that asylum procedures are in line with European Union standards, integrate refugees at local and regional levels, and increase the effectiveness of return programmes. To support the Greek authorities, as well as international organisations and NGOs operating in Greece, in managing the refugee and humanitarian crisis, the Commission has awarded over 352 million in emergency assistance since the beginning of The emergency funding comes on top of the 509 million already allocated to Greece under the national programmes for ( million 14

15 from the AMIF and million from the ISF). 18 It is important to note that the humanitarian crisis has generated many jobs for qualified young people especially in the psycho-social sciences. 18 European Commission 2017: Factsheet on EU financial support to Greece, March

16 2. The response of Caritas: promising practices that combat poverty and social exclusion among youth Neoi Caritas in Action See information on the project on facebook and twitter Description Through this programme, Caritas wants to reinforce the personal skills of young people, aged 14 to 30, and to involve them directly in the activities of the parishes and the involvement of the youngest. It has gathered young people from all around Greece and developed a year based programme. Thanks to monthly meetings, it has structured a programme focused on: the spirit of Caritas; consciousness about the economic-crisis-related problems; the development of personal skills and resilience; the involvement of groups of young people; and the organization of events. Problem addressed Since the Greek crisis started, habits and routines have changed tremendously in the lives of young Greek people. One of the most important issues is how to develop personal abilities and how to spend one s time. In fact, finding a job is getting harder day-by-day. This also threatens the interests of social participation. In addition, the general mistrust of institutions alienates people from being interested in and involved in collectives and institutions, including the Church. Results The programme has been carried out for around two years. Through this programme young people are visible leaders in Caritas and in the church structures, and at the same time they are the Caritas voice within the youth milieu. Now the group is stable and actively participating in organising a summer camp in Athens in which the young people of Caritas can demonstrate the skills improved during the previous training period. The goal is that these young people will become leaders in their communities and initiate local projects to train other young people. Innovative features & success factors The main idea on which the programme is built is to spread, among the young Greek population, the spirit of volunteering and social participation. In doing so, it works in two different, but related, ways: by working with the young people it strengthens their ability and self-confidence; and involving them in the organisation of a summer camp ensures the sustainability of the programme itself because new people will become involved thanks to the motivation of the original participants. 16

17 Job Counselling (Caritas Athens) Bridges for working cooperation Description The main goal is to help people to find a job. It takes place in the social centres of Caritas. The service has no conditions for accessing it, neither age, nor nationality. It is open to everybody and designed to face the individual cases one by one. It relies on the personal stories of the people and their curricula vitae. Through an interview we elaborate on the scope of their abilities in order to make explicit the framework of skills they can offer. We support the beneficiary in preparing a CV, motivation letters and job-interviews. Directly supporting the beneficiary, we do an online job search, checking the newspapers as well as directly contacting potential companies and employers. To facilitate the encounter with the beneficiaries we also provide childcare services. This takes place in the same building as our service, in order for the parents not to have to take care of their babies during the session. A Caritas online job platform will also be launched in the coming months. Problem addressed To restore self-confidence to the people who find themselves in a situation in which finding a job is becoming harder and harder. The objective is to make people feel more independent, confident and adequate to complete a successful job search. Results After one year, the programme succeeded in finding a job for 18 out of the 50 people who asked for counselling. Innovative features & success factors Within the framework of the corporate social responsibility of companies, we are creating a network of collaboration with Greek companies in order to promote direct contact with them and the beneficiaries. 17

18 3. Recommendations to address the described problems Recommendation 1: roll-out the Youth Guarantee programme towards the social economy Problem addressed if implemented: High rate of unemployment, especially among youth: the highest percentage in the EU. Governmental department or responsible institution that could lead this measure: The Ministries of Finance, Development and Tourism, Education (General Secretariat for Youth), Labour and Social Solidarity. Main arguments supporting this measure: Europe should guide and sustain the social initiatives in order for both people in need and in the wider society to benefit from it. The Youth Guarantee helps to reduce the unemployment rate, although the core target is not only to improve the statistics. Greece and its youth need to find new ways of cooperating and struggling against the crisis: here the social economy offers many possibilities. Social economy ( Policy framework: Through programmes in social and psycho-social assistance, for example. This measure corresponds to Target 4.5 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): By 2030, ( ) ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations. How the European Commission could support this measure: Improve the European Social Fund in both quantity and quality. Develop special mechanisms to target programmes in the social economy. The role of the EC through the Troika needs to be redefined. It is crucial for the EU to stand by, and not against, the Greek people. So far, and after 10 years of the crisis, all agreements seem only to reduce the available income of the middle-low-income and the poor. Most of the money that the Greek government continues to borrow does not seem to reach the people, directly or indirectly. 18

19 Recommendation 2: strengthen the Youth Guarantee by providing incentives for employers to generate stable employment Problem addressed if implemented: Lack of sustainability: many young workers are dismissed after the youth guarantee programme ends Governmental department or responsible institution that measure: could lead this The Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance. Main arguments supporting this measure: A follow-up guarantee should be devised, generating an obligation for employers to keep the young people, who work for them through the youth guarantee programme, for a minimum of two to three years. Young people do get employment experience thanks to the youth guarantee programme, but only temporarily, because they are usually let off when the deadline of the programme is reached. Employers do not want to hire the young people because it s more convenient for them to ask for new, subsidised, young workers through the Youth Guarantee programme. Policy framework: Youth Guarantee and Social Economy. This measure corresponds Target 8.6 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training. How the European Commission could support this measure: The EC could support such a scheme via the ESF. Recommendation 3: Offer affordable quality child-care services for working parents Problem addressed if implemented: Many families cannot afford childcare and access is not guaranteed for everybody. Governmental department or responsible institution that could lead this measure: The Ministry of Social Affairs. Main arguments supporting this measure: It is imperative to support working mothers and fathers with childcare. Thus, they will be able to reconcile work with childcare needs. For working families, the 19

20 mostly private - facilities that are now available are too expensive: an average of 400 per month while the median wage in Greece does not exceed 600. If a young family has to pay for childcare, a significant portion of the wages is dedicated to this. Policy framework: The current policy is the competency of the Ministry of Social Affairs and is implemented by the municipalities. It provides childcare services mostly for free (sometimes a financial contribution/fee is required). However, there are not enough places available; therefore, there is a selection process prioritising families according to financial/income criteria. A policy reform would need to take into account the following measures: differentiate the criteria for accessing statesupported childcare, not only income-based, as well as fostering a system of subsidised childcare, such as vouchers, and not a free provision of the full service. This measure corresponds to the following targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Target 4.2 ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education and Target 5.4 Recognise and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family as nationally appropriate. How the European Commission could support this measure: Clarify officially that childcare should not be a privilege in Greece, but a stable and consistent service affordable for every family. Examine how the ESF could systematically support the reconciliation of childcare responsibilities with work duties and hours. Recommendation 4: Guarantee a minimum income for all. Problem addressed if implemented: Many people, even if they have a job, are not able to pay their bills, taxes and live a decent life. Governmental department or responsible institution that could lead this measure: The Ministries of Finances, Labour, Social Affairs. Main arguments supporting this measure: It is important to recognise the type of work and services that people are actually providing, such as in the Care Economy. These are often not acknowledged. This work frequently fills the gaps left by those State services eliminated due to cuts within the framework of budgetary consolidation measures. 20

21 The basic income is a measure that should be universally provided, but especially in those countries such as Greece, which face worrying issues of poverty and social exclusion. Policy framework: Redistribution of the taxes system: no/low taxes for the unemployed and the working poor, higher rates for those workers whose income exceeds a certain level of annual remuneration in order to bridge the gap. This measure corresponds to the following targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): 1.2 reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions and 1.3 Implement nationally appropriate social protection systems ( ). It also corresponds to Goal 10. Reduce inequality within and among countries of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and, in particular, its Target 10.4: Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality. How the European Commission could support this measure: Guarantee a policy of a universal minimum income scheme, possibly supported by the ESF. Recommendation 5: Ensure affordable quality housing for youth. Problem addressed if implemented: A growing number of children and young people have been living in very poor housing conditions (no heating, no electricity, high humidity) or on the street since the beginning of the economic crisis. Most young people are not able to afford their own housing anymore and they remain for a long time with parents or family, delaying the full transition to adulthood. Governmental department or responsible institution that could lead this measure: The Ministry for Social Affairs, Ministry of Finance, the Municipalities. Main arguments supporting this measure: The State bears a duty to guarantee affordable housing. This could be done by providing social housing and sustainable rent subsidies. The problem is directly generated by the economic crisis: a solution must be found as quickly as possible. Otherwise, the dimension of the problem will not only grow 21

22 but will affect the next generation, thereby reinforcing the transmission of poverty and social exclusion. Policy framework: The right to housing is enshrined in the European Social Charter. Greece has to design a proper strategy to accomplish this obligation. This measure responds to the Target 11.1 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), set to be accomplished in 2030: ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing ( ). How the European Commission could support this measure: Integrate Housing Policy into the European Semester process. Disclaimer The information contained in this publication does not necessarily reflect the official position of the European Commission. Caritas Europa reserves the right to not be held responsible for the accuracy and completeness of the information provided in this publication. Liability claims regarding damage caused by the use of any information provided, including any information which is incomplete or incorrect, will therefore be rejected. This publication has received financial support from the European Union Programme for Employment and Social Innovation "EaSI" ( ). For further information please consult: 22