Europeana Strategy meeting “Migration and culture: how can our past educate our present” on 23 & 24 May in Malta 2017. Presentation: Sole Greece by Maria Calafatis

1. A self organized learning environment
for refugee children in Greece
Educating through “BIG QUESTIONS”

3. Click to play

5. BIG QUESTIONS
We carefully choose broad questions that are non-political and non-religious but are challenging
to the groups while also being accessible to all ages. We encourage learners to dig deep into each
challenge. We follow up each answer with a "but why?!?", constantly driving our participants
inquisitiveness to uncover a new layer of knowledge.
Below are a few examples of "Big Questions"
WHAT MAKES PEOPLE HAPPY?
How important are friends? Is a family important? What about society and it's structure? What about school?
WHY ARE BEES IMPORTANT TO THE WORLD?
What do bees produce? How many bees in a hive? What do they eat? Why are they useful?
WHERE DO RAINBOWS COME FROM?

6. Why here, why now, how?
 War – journey – being stuck: children are out of school for way too long
 Ongoing challenge for the next months & years
 Soft approach needed - children arrive traumatized,
discouraged, soon bored of the monotony in the camps
 Parents feeling overwhelmed, helpless, worried about their
children
 No occupation for adults in camps: can act as mentors/ teachers

7. The Goal
• Establish Self Organized learning environments with regular
learning sessions in:
 official refugee camps
 unofficial refugee camps
 squats used as refugee housing
 in or near to hotels/appartments hosting families that qualify for the
relocation program
 Include adult refugees as mentors –
 Arabic, Farsi, Kurdish & other main languages besides English

8. Adapted Concept
• No permanent classes: people move on, new children join
• Classes/groups split by language
• Mixed classes - common projects
• Mixed classes with refugees & local children
• Mentors/ Granny network expands constantly as refugees
move on: stay connected in future lessons via Skype

9. Fundraising
• 10 computers (Rpi and KB/Mouse combo‘s )
• Catering during learning sessions (snacks, juices)
• Pens, colour pens
• NotebooksA4
• Colour paper, large paper sheets
• Scissors, glue
Needed Resources to run classes of up to 20 children

10. Scalingthe Concept
• Pilot Phase  30 children at Cube facility (funded byThe Cube – target €2 000)
• Phase 1  Athens  Attica (Funded by Greek corporates, Charities - target €12 000)
• Phase 2  mobile units throughout Greece (Crowd funding - target €90 000)
• Refugee classes  mixed classes with local children
 Invite local school classes to visit camps and join sessions
• From temporary classes to permanent classes with children who stay in Greece
 Focus on integration – mixed classes
Growing network - Growing impact

11. Team/Granny Cloud
Refugee/Migrant mentors:
• Arabic Farsi, Kyrdish speaking mentors
• (Tigrynia speaking mentors (Eritrea) )
 Get people in camps/shelters involved
 Stay connected in cloud when moving on
 Nominate & brief new mentors before departure
+ Local volunteer educators: English, Greek

12. Content of Learning Sessions
 Big Questions
 Invite parents & others to final presentations
 Artistic classes / creative projects with mixed classes
 Tech related classes - basic coding, playful introduction to technology

13. SOLEs