MUNICIPALITIES: 134 PRACTICES
The Region of Crete is a Local Self-Administration Organization of 2nd level and consists of 4 Regional Units: Heraklion, Lasithi, Rethymno and Chania. RoC designs and implements policies on economic, social, tourist and cultural development of the island.
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Initiatives and Practices that contribute to Ensuring Social Cohesion in the Region of Crete: Supporting Vulnerable and Special Groups from the impact of the economic crisis
The actions were designed and implemented during the years 2016-2017 and they are a continuation of the primary, dominant goal of the Region for the support and assistance of Vulnerable Social Groups.
A. CHILDREN
Following the Actions for the development of Information and Awareness practices in Alternative Forms of Child Protection, the Directorate of Social Welfare has drafted and created an Information Leaflet and Poster with the slogan "Open Your Heart, Open Your Home, Every Child Deserves a Family", to strengthen the institution of foster parents. Those have been distributed to Social and Educational Organizations (Legal Entities under Public Law (NPDD) - Legal Entities under Private Law (NPID)) of the Region, and the citizens' information campaign has been supported by the media.
The goal is the Deinstitutionalization of children and the reduction of the number of minors who are hosted in Child Protection Facilities, as well as the time of their stay at such facilities.
Since 2012, the practices of the Region of Crete, have been related to the Unified Register of Foster Parents (EMAG); the introduction of unified forms of Adoption, the simplification of procedures, the organization of a Conference, the publication of a pioneering Form for Adoption, constitute the implementation of the Regional Strategy for Social Inclusion of the Region of Crete.
B. YOUNG ADULTS
The Directorate for Social Welfare proceeded in collaborations with the following stakeholders: the Higher Education Institutions of the Region (i.e. the University of Crete, the Higher Technological Educational Institution (ATEI) of Crete, the Technical University of Crete) and the Regional Bus of Crete, within the framework of their Corporate Social Responsibility, in issuing Free Travel Passes for destitute Students, contributing to the support of their families that have been affected by the economic crisis, thus ensuring equal access to their academic obligations and avoidance of Educational Leakage.
C. DETAINEES IN DETENTION CENTERS
1. In collaboration with the 4 Detention Centres of the Region, The Directorate of Social Welfare, proceeded in providing Athletic Shoes to destitute detainees with no supportive environment, who are detained in the Detention Centres of Aghias Chania (Rural), Alikarnassos Heraklion, Neapoli Lassithi, and Chania, meeting their basic needs in Footwear. The action aims to establish channels of communication between detainees and the local community, considering that they live in conditions of exclusion and extreme poverty.
2. The Directorate of Social Welfare organized the transfer of a Mammographer to the Detention Centre of Neapolis, Lassithi (Womens’ Ward) for the preventive medical examination of women detainees over 40 years of age.
D. SUICIDE PREVENTION
Considering it necessary to stand by the persons who are called to face the multiple daily deadlocks brought about by the financial crisis and to support them to successfully deal with the feeling of disrepute, insecurity, and despair they experience, the Directorate of Social Welfare has launched a series of actions to address and prevent the phenomenon of suicide, since 2014. The practices implemented were the organization of a Conference entitled "Suicide: A Phenomenon of the Economic Crisis, Alternative Proposals for Dealing with It" and the publication of an informative leaflet entitled "Strategies for Dealing with Deadlocks arising from the Crisis, which is distributed to the citizens with the aim of timely informing the Citizens and their environment who face problems or situations that lead to self-destructive behaviours. Additionally, a spot with the social message "Leave behind the darkness of Despair. Follow the light of Life. Call on the relevant services in your area. Help is Power " has been created, which continues to be played on Social Media
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zTA9uNH9Vg&list=UUiZwWU0REgrLsG7S2m7Ebpw
1. In the Register of Foster Parents, 20 new applications by prospective Foster Parents were registered during the year 2017, while 14 children were placed in Foster Families. The result of the action is to attract more Foster Parents and increase the number of children placed in Foster Families
2. 160 children hosted in the 6 Closed-Type Child Protection Facilities have been provided with Winter Jackets, meeting their basic needs in Clothing
3. 246 destitute Students were provided with Free Travel Passes during the Academic Year 2016-2017, while 202 more have obtained such Passes during the Academic Year 2017-2018
4. 282 destitute Detainees, with no supportive family environment, who live in the 4 Detention Centres have been provided with Sports Shoes meeting their basic needs in footwear
5. Scientific Conferences for information and educational purposes have been attended by a great number of Citizens and executives employed in the field of Social Services from various Organizations with the Cooperation of the Scientific Community:
-The Woman of the 21st Century in Greece during the Crisis
-The Demographic Issue in Times of Crisis: Current Situation and Challenges in the Region of Crete
6. The Social SPOT about Suicide Prevention has been attended by over 8,000 people on social networks
7. The Brochures have been distributed to many people and to Public and Private Organizations (attached)
Within the framework of the Social Program and its responsibilities, the Department of Social Welfare implements the Actions at a Trans-local level in the four Regional Units (R.U.) of the Region of Crete: RU of Heraklion, RU of Lassithi, RU of Chania, RU of Rethymno.
In collaboration with other organizations (4 Detention Centres, Social Welfare Centre of the Region of Crete, National Centre for Social Research (EKKE), Child Care Units (Legal Entities under Private Law - NPID), Higher Education Institutions, Public Means of Transport), the Department of Social Welfare, promoted its new actions with an open invitation to all. In order to promote the actions, an open consultation has been held, with meetings taking place at the headquarters of the Region where the needs, the way of participation, the conditions but also the role of each organization have been analysed for the implementation of the actions.
Addressing the dynamic and multifactorial nature of Social Exclusion of Vulnerable Groups and the respective Social Inclusion policies incorporate a relevant network of multidimensional innovative actions and interventions of the beneficiary groups of the population, who is threatened or faces the threat of poverty and social inclusion. Those policies are part of the strategic goal for strengthening Social Cohesion, which has been a central goal of the Region of Crete in the last years.
