In an environment of ever growing eGovernment and an information society where most citizen-to-state interactions are exercised exclusively over the Internet, inability to access or navigate the internet as well as the Digital Divide often affects those most in need of government services, intensifying their social marginalization.
The Municipality of Agia Paraskevi started in 2011 and has continued since to operate an EMPLOYMENT PROMOTION OFFICE. The Head of Social Services Department Mrs. Gkini, Sociologist, runs the Office (every Monday 16:00 - 20:00) offering:
- Employment counseling through personal interview: Skill analysis, redefinition of goals, proposals on completing skills based on labor market needs, CV preparation and job interview simulation. Help in filling recruitment requests and sending a resume. Keeping records of unemployed, informing them about job openings in both public and private sector, as private companies inform our Municipality about jobs through their Corporate Social actions and schemes.
- Supported training / Employment for people with disabilities: Work simulation for people with mental retardation (MR) in the presence of a psychologist and employment in municipal services to acquire work experience and to avoid social exclusion, as well as to monitor their course and psychological support when placed in work by qualified personnel (on a voluntary basis).
The success of the office has prompted the current Municipal Administration to open two more offices:
A. (INFORMATION CENTER FOR THE UNEMPLOYED AND THE UNINSURED), (Tuesday 17:00 - 20:00) by Mr Gyfteas, employee of Greek Manpower Employment Organization (OAED), on a voluntary basis since July 2015 and provides information and help with:
-. Welfare benefits: Information on the conditions and procedures for receiving OAED and other social welfare benefits, help with filling in applications, renewal of unemployment cards, information and documentation for social tourism scheme and information on issues of work placement through OAED.
-. Uninsured persons: Extension of Insurance, Interconnection with Municipal Clinics, and other relevant matters.
B. ADVISORY OFFICE FOR PUBLIC INSURANCE – PENSIONS MATTERS (Monday 17:00 - 20:00) started in November 2015 completing the fields that the Municipality was interested in covering. Lawyer Mr. Papadopoulos Andronikos, with years of experience in the field of Labour law, accepts residents serving a wide range of topics:
-.Retirement benefits: pre-retirement procedures, conditions and a "road map" of the pension procedure, as well as information on whether the person is entitled to supplementary pension benefits.
-. Insurance and other issues: information on labor and insurance issues, information on the legal protection of over-indebted households, and general advice on citizens' rights issues.