ESTIA II / 2021

Since November 2020, the Youth Center of Epirus is the responsible organisation for implementation of the project ESTIA II / ESTIA 2021: Housing programme for applicants for international protection founded by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund.

The programme provides safe housing and assisting services to applicants for international protection, depending on their needs and guided by the integrated provision of material reception conditions. 

Practically and firstly, the offered services are the transfer of the beneficiary for placement in the shelter and to the competent services for the examination of the application for international protection and if necessary, transfer for health reasons in exceptional circumstances. At the same time, information, advice and support is provided on procedures concerning the beneficiary, such as information on their rights and obligations, registration in public education facilities and the processing of health care procedures, registration in the Tax Registry, opening bank account, social security, enrolment in employment promotion or social protection organizations.

Moreover, it is very important to provide psychosocial support according to the needs of the beneficiary and in particular, citation to specialized support and services aimed at people with serious mental health problems, physical disabilities, the elderly, underage spouses, victims of domestic violence, survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, victims of torture, etc.

An important element of the program is the provision of interpretation in a language that the beneficiary understands in order to facilitate communication and further understanding of social, recreational and educational activities in order to achieve a basic cultural orientation. 

The above services are provided either by staff visits to the units where the beneficiaries are housed, or in a specially designed area of the Youth Center of Epirus, which is used for sessions with the beneficiaries of this project and to which the beneficiaries have access. Provision of these services from our side to the beneficiaries is mandatory, as the goal of the program is the smooth integration of the beneficiaries in society once their asylum application is approved.