HELLENIC RED CROSS

SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES

ENDOV MEETING

18 – 21 OF OCTOBER, 2006 THE HAGUE

NATIONAL SOCIETY POPULATION OF THE COUNTRY NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS NUMBER OF STAFF IN HEAD QUARTERS/ DISTRICTS/ REGIONS HELLENIC RED CROSS 11.000.000

PEOPLE 10.000+ VOLUNTEERS 650 PEOPLE

MAIN ACTIVITY FIELDS

• • • • • • • • Primary and Secondary Health Care Social Welfare International Cooperation and Aid Rescue and First Aid Youth activities Tracing and Family Reunification Disaster preparedness/Response to Emergencies Tracing Financial Resources

NURSING DIVISION

GERODOLOGY SERVICE HEALTH VOLUNTEER TRAINING SERVICE HEALTH CARE CENTERS HEALTH EDUCATION SERVICE HOME NURSING SERVICE

SOCIAL WELFARE DIVISION

COUNCELING AND PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY AND THE DISABLED/HOME ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS VOLUNTEER SERVICE SOCIAL SUPPORT AND INTEGRATION OF REFUGEE-ASYLUM SEEKERS SERVICES DESIGNING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF EUROPEAN PROJECTS FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE VULNERABLE REGIONAL BRANCHES’ SOCIAL SERVICES DISASTER PREPARDNESS AND RESCUE

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS DIVISION

• International Aid – Development Programs – Emergency Aid Programs – Financing

• International Programs at National Level – Disasters in Greece – Bilateral Cooperation with other National Societies – Inner Community Programs

• International Conferences and Humanitarian Law – Dissemination of Humanitarian Law – Study and Preparedness of International Conferences – Edition of printed material

TRACING DEPARTMENT

TRAICING OF MISSING PEOPLE MAIL CORRESPONDENCE AMONG FAMILIES (VIA SPECIAL R.C. POST) RE-ESTABLISMENT OF COMMUNICATION AMONG DISPERSED FAMILY MEMBERS CERTIFICATE ISSUE BASED ON FILE MATERIAL

FIRST AIDERS DIVISION “THE SAMARITANS”

VOLUNTEER TRAINING (THEORY AND PRACTICE) PARTICIPATION TO MISSIONS AT NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEVEL DISASTER PREPARDNESS AND RESPONSE SANITARY SUPPORT OF ATHLETIC/CULTURAL/RELIGIOUS EVENTS AND CAMPINGS ORGANIZATION OF ENVIROMENTAL ACTIVITIES

YOUTH DEPARTMENT

 Activities Development aiming at:  The Cultivation of Solidarity and mutual Aid Principles to Young people  The protection of the Environment  The understanding and friendship among the young people of various countries

DRUG –ADDICTION/AIDS PREVENTION DEPARTMENT

• Seminars organization, open discussions with the cooperation of specialists aiming at the prevention and confrontation of drug-addiction and AIDS.

MEDICAL ADVICE CENTER

• Provision of medical instructions to Greek and Foreign mariners in sea (during their travel)

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

            Regional Branches and Local Committees Administrative Department Financial Services Department Central Warehouse Legal Advice Department Resources Collection Department Public Relations and Press Department Real Estate Department Provisions Department Data processing Department Technical Service Vehicles Department

DEPLOYMENT OF VOLUNTEERS

HOME VISITINGS to long term isolated persons, elderly, handicapped, incurable disease persons

Volunteer Activities:

• • • • • • • Companionship Psychosocial support Escort to Hospitals, Agencies, e.t.c.

Practical services (e.g. bills payment, shopping, meals preparation) Support through the line Promenades in parks, to the sea Visiting to museums, cultural events, churches, exhibitions

WORKING WITH CHILDREN

Volunteers visit Institutions who are in charge for the Child Care and offer their services to: -Orphans or Abandoned Children -Children suffering from cancer -Abused children

Volunteer Activities

• • • • Companionship and psychological support Greek and English language courses Supportive teaching in school lessons Creative and entertaining (Ps or other games, drawing, dancing courses, potter’s clay courses, excursions, e.t.c.)

Volunteers in Detention Center

H.R.C. Volunteers visit the Detention Center for Migrant pending the Women decision whose until their application for refugee status is rejected their departation. Their origin places are countries of Asia, East Europe and Africa.

Volunteer Activities:

• • • • • • Psychological support and encouragement Cooperation with the Social Worker and mediation Material support Supplementary food assistance Hygienic parcels clothing

Volunteers in H.R.C. Reception and Integration Centers and Camps for Asylum Seekers and Refugees Volunteer Activities: • • • • • • Greek and English language courses Supportive teaching in school lessons Motivation for their integration in Greek Society Creative activities Operation of Lending Library Fund raising

• • • Intercultural activities -festivals -forums -painting exhibitions -music and dancing events, e.t.c.

Participation in the Refugees/Asylum Seekers Employment Office (mediation with the labor markets) Escort to Hospitals and Services

Response of the volunteers in mass arrivals in regional branches

Short-term volunteer training programs are organized in specific regional branches located in areas closed to Greek-Turkish boarders of islands of East Aegean Sea which constitute entrances for illegal arrivals (e.g. migrants of asylum seekers from Asia, Africa).

The training aims to prepare volunteers to respond in mass arrivals and includes topics such as:  Psychosocial support of the transferred population reception/detention centers organization  Material provisions distribution  Mediation in health and legal services  Human rights protection  Maintenance of the minimum living standards

In addition, these volunteers are trained in natural disaster preparedness/response in case of emergency situations.

NURSING DEPARTMENT VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES

• • • • •

INSTITUTIONALISED CARE

• Community State Hospitals in Athens and other districts Children’s Hospitals Accident & Emergency Hospitals Blood Donation Centres Rehabilitation Centres for the Handicapped Homes for the Elderly

2.DISTRICT NURSING

• • • • Health Care Services Geriatrics Home Nursing Health Centres – Hellenic Red Cross Advice Centres.

Regarding the Geriatrics and Home Nursing fields, our volunteers provide their services to individuals that do not require further hospitalization. In this way more hospital beds are made available and the danger of being contaminated by hospital infections is significantly reduced.

3. MEDICAL SURGERIES

• • Surgery for Elderly Protective Care Counselling Centres for specialised health issues e.g. skin cancer

4. EMERGENCY CARE

Volunteers participate in international assignments in order to provide humanitarian aid and healthcare services e.g. the 2005 mission to S.E. Asia, Sri Lanka and the earthquake in Turkey were amongst a number of assignments that also include previous international missions during natural disasters, floods, earthquakes, fires and heat-waves.

5. OTHER ACTIVITIES

• • • • • • • Deskwork at the Main Offices, especially during crisis or emergency periods.

Participation in various exhibitions with Hellenic Red Cross stands.

Participation in the Hellenic Red Cross European Mission for Road Safety Parades on National Remembrance Days The Volunteers’ Choir that offers extensive entertainment to patients in hospitals or homes during the festive seasons Reception of children from war-torn countries, escorting them during their arrival and departure from various central locations within the city.

Participation in the Pan-Hellenic Fund.