On Friday 16 February, the closing ceremony of the “Empowerment and vocational training for youth neither in employment nor in education or training (NEETS)” was held, a project implemented with the support of the Active citizens fund financed from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. Fund operator for the Active citizens fund in Greece is Bodossaki Foundation in consortium with SolidarityNow. Odyssea aims through the funding was to develop its core business with the flexibility to adapt to learning initiatives and effectively evaluate the impact of its programmess.

The funding, which started in July 2023 and ended in February 2024, marked an important step towards offering solutions to young men and women who face challenges in accessing education and employment. Through this initiative, Odyssea sought to empower young people, equip them with essential professional and technical skills and support them in finding meaningful employment opportunities through a wide range of services including job readiness , professional orientation and their connection with work.

“We are incredibly grateful for the support of the Active citizens fund, which enables us to advance our mission, that of empowering young people by facilitating their transition and integration into the workforce,” said Iro Baka, Operational Manager of Odyssea. Loukas Oikonomakis, Co-founder and CTO of Odyssea added “This funding aligns seamlessly with the goals of our strategic plan for the period 2022-2024, allowing us to invest in long-term initiatives that strengthen our operational capacity and ensure the sustainability of of our organizational activities“.

Active citizens fund  provided Odyssea with the necessary flexibility in allocating resources to address emerging needs and adapt to the ever changing environment. The grant’s streamlined reporting process saved valuable time, allowing the organization to focus on strengthening its core services and the impact of its work.

The project “Empowerment and vocational training for youth neither in employment nor in education or training (NEET’s)” is being implemented under the Active citizens fund in Greece by Odyssea.

The Active citizens fund in Greece is supported through a €15 m grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway as part of the EEA Grants 2014 – 2021. The programme aims to develop the sustainability and capacity of the civil society sector in Greece, and to strengthen its role in promoting and safeguarding democratic procedures, active citizenship and human rights. The Fund Operator for the Active citizens fund in Greece is Bodossaki Foundation in consortium with SolidarityNow.

More information: www.activecitizensfund.gr/en/

Learn more about the project: https://bit.ly/4c0JiJX