O.D.I.S.E.O.U.S.

Europe for Citizens

Action 2.3 : Civil Society Project

Priorities: Debating the future of Europe and challenging Euroscepticism and Promoting solidarity in times of crisis

O.D.I.S.E.O.U.S. Obstacles, Disabilities, Inclusion, Solidarity, Empowerment, Opportunities, Unemployment, Solutions

The project has to do with groups of people with disability and real fewer opportunities as deaf, hard of hearing, blind and the issues that they face in different European Countries as still there is no common policy and strategy on this groups.

On this point there is a Eurosceptism since when and for how many years we should wait or take action on this topic. Unfortunately even till today the Greek deaf youngsters especially, that they have a discount card for using the public transport in Greece, they cannot use it in other European
Countries. Is this a European policy? Are we European or still not? So this discount card does
not have a valid in other European Countries. That means that the “disabled” person is recognized only in its own country and in the rest of the European countries they are treated
as person without disability. Probably same problems face youngsters from other European
countries.

The project will focus on: European Policy on youngsters with real fewer opportunities and the strategy that we should build for a better future for them without so many obstacles.

1. Mapping the real situation and law in each country with proofs of payments, support and anything else of the state policy in these groups with fewer opportunities.
2. Research on what is going on in other European Countries on the topic of Education, on
the national sign language, the opportunities for international sign language and compare the best policies for these groups and in each country.
3. Trainings in each partner country for raise awareness on the topic of fewer opportunities, inclusion and active participation and why European Policy on this topic is so slow and debate on the policies and strategies of European Union.
4. European Solidarity Corps by giving the opportunity in deaf or hard of hearing or blind to participate in the project in mix groups of youngsters of hearing too, for 1 or 2 months as maximum.
5. Study visit in places that exist Social Economy examples where people with fewer opportunities can work. How to create a Social business, educate and motivate youngsters with fewer opportunities to work.

6. Final conference and presentation of the results of the projects and the future ideas and steps and why not to find our ITHAKA. We will try to create also a small documentary for this project.

The first kick off meeting will happen in Greece in spring of 2020.

We already collaborate with partners from Italy, Portugal, Spain and Malta in projects with mix groups of youngsters as deaf, hard of hearing and blind in mix groups of hearing too. We promote inclusion via outdoor activities and active participation in Erasmus projects as Youth Exchanges and European Solidarity Corps, with the support of course interpreters and participants that know national sign language and interpreter with knowledge of international sign language for these projects.

We will apply for different activities as trainings, seminars, study visit, research and European Solidarity Corps.

We would like to be around 15 partners as minimum and try to make a network of organizations that work with youngsters with fewer opportunities.

We are still looking for partners from :
POLAND
GERMANY
FRANCE
NETHERLANDS

Thank you.