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Description
The project will enhance the capacity of the Greek authorities to receive asylum applicants and to secure improved first line services. The project will strengthen the capacity of accommodation services for vulnerable applicants with special needs. Furthermore, the project will improve the security in reception facilities, strengthen the knowledge through capacity-building measures and secure the welfare of the staff in the reception facilities.
The project will include the following main activities:
- Operating an open accommodation facility with the provision of specialized services targeted towards vulnerable applicants e.g. women with special needs such as female single-parented families, single women who have recently delivered their babies and women who are victims of sexual and gender-based violence;
- Upgrade of the fire security system and safety facilities in first reception sites;
- Capacity building of staff through training and development of an e-learning platform;
- Provide psychosocial support to staff.
Summary of project results
Faced with significant migratory pressures, Greece prioritized strengthening its reception capacity and safeguarding human rights for third-country nationals entering borders. The Reception and Identification Service (RIS) have responsibility to ensure standards of decent living, housing, security, healthcare, and overall material reception conditions. Additionally, it focused on addressing the "best interests of the child" and the "special situation of vulnerable individuals" in collaboration with other relevant public authorities.
Recognizing many challenges—including staffing shortages, procedural gaps, and system inefficiencies—RIS aimed to enhance its capacity to deliver better services. This effort emphasized supporting vulnerable populations and included creating a new open accommodation facility tailored to their needs. The initiative also encompassed specialized services for residents, recruitment and training of staff via an online platform, psychological support for employees through expert hires, and improved security conditions at temporary accommodation centers like those in Diavata and Corinth.
The activities implemented in the context of Pre-defined Project 7 are described below:
- Operation of an Accommodation Facility, in Pyrgos Ilia, which will accommodate the target group of migrants such as single parent families, single women with infants, victims of sexual violence or victims of gender violence. The project financed all the operating costs of the Facility, which include water supply costs, technical interventions on the existing building - renovation costs, the supply of heating oil for operational needs, the provision of security services for the Pyrgos Accommodation Facility, the provision of Cleaning and Disinfection services, the cost of renting the premises of the Facility, the provision of technical maintenance services for the facilities of the Centre, the supply of office equipment, the supply of beds and mattresses, the recruitment of staff for the operation of the Centre.
- Provision of consultancy services for the administrative support of the Procurement Directorate of the Ministry, handling the tendering procedures related to the implementation of all Predefined Project financed by the European Economic Area.
- Recruitment procedure for the staff with fixed-term contracts, covering the administrative support of both Human Resources directorate and Financial Management Directorate of the Ministry.
The implementation of the predefined project 7 strengthened the operational capacity of the Reception and Identification Service (RIS) in a very critical issue such as the management of third country nationals belonging to vulnerable groups. In particular, the capacity for the provision of effective reception services to vulnerable groups was further upgraded with the operation of the accommodation structure in Pyrgos in Ilia region, since prior to the implementation of the project there was no premise destined to cover the needs of vulnerable persons. More specifically, during the operation of the facility, the total number of medical and psychosocial services received by the residents of the center amounted to 570 persons, while the average stay per beneficiary was 74 days. Throughout the operation of this Facility, 100% of its capacity was used. Moreover, in the context of the project 533 of RIS employees were trained.
In addition to the above, the project supported RIS through the recruitment of staff as existing staff was increased. Also, as regards public procurements, the experience of drafting the procurement in the context of this project, can serve as a guide for future procedure with the provisions of the relevant legislative framework.
In conclusion, the implementation of the Predefined Project 7 was crucial on the grounds that it enabled the Reception and Identification Service to manage the vulnerable target group in the most appropriate way, while at the same, as an overall remark, it added value in terms of developing the necessary skills, attitudes and strategies contributing, in this way, more effectively to the fulfillment of its overall objectives.