CIVIL SOCIETY: 276 PRACTICES
The Non- Governmental Organization, Equal Society, was established in February 2010 with actions “Against Social Exclusion, Unemployment and Poverty”. Its principal objective is to raise awareness and inform citizens for the rights of equality and the non-discrimination in all areas of social life.
Read more: www.equalsociety.gr
The activity involves the provision of the universal right of education to all young people who are currently experiencing the effects of the shrinking economy and the economic hardship does not allow them to gain valuable academic knowledge. In this framework, the source of inspiration for the implementation of the activity ”Study with Scholarship” is to provide full-time scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate studies in young people who are presently among the economically vulnerable social groups and due to economic hardship, are unable to continue their studies. It is an innovative initiative that integrates top public and private institutions and is done with own resources, without subsidies, with simple passion for the emergence of a better future for the new generation.
The action addresses young people who want to take their next educational step and are unable to continue their studies both in Greece and abroad due to economic difficulties. It touches one of the most vulnerable groups of the Greek population, the young people who today are looking for solutions in a difficult time. The need for education is enormous and a master can help people who are struggling to enter the wheezing landscape of the labor market. There may be needs for food and roof in the world but the need to ensure the future of our children with many supplies.
Ten years of active presence.
The NGO, Equal Society, in collaboration with major public and private educational institutions in Greece offers free scholarships for undergraduate and graduate full-time studies in young people seeking to take their next academic step. In the five years of the activity we achieved to collect through social policy of large institutions a total of 496 scholarships of 4,9 million euro.
In a challenging period, the action “Study with scholarship" aims to give young people with skills and talents, access to education and allow them to reclaim their dreams.
Equal Society believes that education has the potential not only help reduce inequalities in the labour market, but also to provide a significant boost to our national economy.
The program is implemented based solely on Social Responsibility of large educational institutions and businesses that want to help fight discrimination in the field of education while providing the quality education for the less advantaged.
From Athens University of Economics to the International University and Higher Education Macedonia Foundation. From the Aegean and Thessaly Universities to West Attica University. From BCA College to ALBA Graduate Business School and from Ionian University to Technical University of Crete.
Dozens more schools were drawn to the idea and offered to young people the right to continue their academic progress against the previously inaccessible economic obstacles that stand in their way.
The fact that in the ten years of the activity we achieved to collect through social policy of large institutions a total of 496 scholarships of 4.9 million euro is tangible and measurable result. With null surges, we accomplished to return in the society and her weaker groups this amount that reaches offers, which materialize big charitable institutions of the country.
Equal Society wanted to start an in-depth measurement of the social value produced by the action through the tool Social Return On Investment and the program Social Value. Therefore, we assessed the for the tenth cycle action where all parties had the opportunity to record their experiences and results of the action.
Some examples:
The "Study with Scholarship" is a nationwide initiative as it is related to young men and women of every region and also because the collaborating institutions spread over a large part of Greek territory.
The development and successful implementation of the project "Study with Scholarship" was undoubtedly the result of close cooperation. We are indeed at a time that without cooperation there is no viable future. Both at a level of institutions and at an institutional or sponsors level, the common objective of offering free scholarships to young people who have the need to move on with their lives.
The range of cooperating educational institutions is wide and various fields are available to prospective students to choose from. So far by the side of Equal Society are leading educational institutions. From the Athens University of Economics to the International University and Higher Education Macedonia Foundation. Since the Aegean and Thessaly to the TEI Universities Piraeus. From Athens University of Economics to the International University and Higher Education Macedonia Foundation. From the Aegean and Thessaly Universities to West Attica University. From BCA College to ALBA Graduate Business School and from Ionian University to Technical University of Crete. Many Communication Sponsors support the action, for example Nafteboriki.gr, liquid Media, 24Media, e-dimosio, Skywalker.gr, Galaxy fm, eduguide, eduadvisor and many more.
For the design and implementation of the action employees and volunteers worked together in three subgroups, a total of 9 people. The first subgroup had the responsibility for obtaining the scholarships and the communication with the educational institutions. The second was responsible for seeking communication sponsorships. Finally the third subgroup, which consists of two people, has the administrative responsibility for action (registering applications, application assessment, weekly communication with the educational institutions etc.)
The benefits for the Organization relate in two axes. In ethical and quantitatively.
With regard to ethical it is worth mentioning statements which made certain scholars or even volunteers of the Act:
The quantifiable benefits for Equal Society, beyond the moral satisfaction of employees and volunteers because of the substantial social contribution of the action, involves the increased publicity of the organization and the increase of the institutions involved in each cycle of action.
More specifically:
• 19% increase in the number of communication sponsors
• 50 Institutions till 2021
• Six (6) interviews and tributes to SMEs
• 15 new volunteers through the program
