Quality education for refugees – Moria Camp – Lesvos

"The world’s humanitarian response to refugees is focused on food, sanitation, and shelter. There is no doubt these things are vital and in great demand. But we don’t tend to mention educational needs in the same breath”.- Alan Green

A RIGHT TO EDUCATION

We are fundraising for our educational and professional development pilot on Lesbos

We aim to support displaced students living in Moria Camp and the Olive Grove regardless of their legal status, gender, age or ethnic identity, to access high-quality learning opportunities, pursue their dreams and become the person they aspire to be amidst the chaos and challenges of camp life. Our project is in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goal 4 - Quality Education for all by 2030.

Uprooted from their studies, jobs and careers, refugees find themselves in the notoriously overcrowded and under-resourced Moria Camp with limited to no opportunities to work or continue their education. The uncertainty and despair of the asylum process lasting for months and often years contributes to unrealised human potential and the loss of skills that expose refugees and their families to a future of social exclusion, precarious employment, exploitation or poverty.

The primary challenge in providing education to refugees is the educational heterogeneity among them. Some have little schooling; there are others who have had to leave their education midway; others are trained professionals such as medical doctors, nuclear physicists, professors of literature or lawyers.

For some, bridging courses may be all they need. Others-particularly those who have not finished their education or decided on a career path will require individual counselling/aptitude tests to be able to continue on their chosen career path.

Through our e-Learning projects, we strive to help refugees living in the camp and the Olive Grove access relevant quality learning opportunities so that they can build on existing skills, or develop the skill-set and confidence needed for decent work and life in their host country or country of origin.

We aim to remove all barriers to succeeding at online education by creating a safe space for learning and through a peer-to-peer support network of students and professionals providing the necessary emotional and social support for refugee students to pursue their higher education and professional training.

What we want to achieve:

We believe in life-long learning opportunities for all and in helping refugees develop the skills needed for employment, entrepreneurship and sustainable development.

Our programme facilitates:

Creative problem solving

Critical thinking and writing

Presentation skills

Analytical and digital know-how

Skill-sharing and teamwork

Our pilot will include:

DIGITAL CAMP - Hackathon

An event that creates a safe space for students to work together on challenges they are interested in while developing their problem solving capability, presentation and relevant industry skills.

HEADSTART - Micromasters

Supports students to build on existing knowledge to advance their prospect of a career and gain university credits.

SHORTLISTED - Professional Qualifications

Helps students develop relevant professional and soft skills while earning qualifications from leading companies.

CONNECT - Digital Skills 101

A kick-starter course for those with limited to no previous experience using computers and software. This course prepares students to access information and structured online learning.

FORWARD - Personal Development

What are the next steps in my life? This project helps students assess themselves, set goals and plan their personal development amidst the daily chaos and uncertainty they face.

EQP for Refugees

We will also support refugees who have lost their qualifications and certificates to apply to a skill-recognition scheme run by the Greek Ministry of Education.

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UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi said: “We are failing refugees by not giving them the opportunity to build the skills and knowledge they need to invest in their future”.

We strive to create these opportunities for refugees to rebuild their self-esteem and dignity in a dehumanising crisis context.

www.connectionhub.org.uk