Volunteering is an act of selfless giving and also a movement that is finding more and more supporters. At IASIS, our volunteer network and voluntary actions is a priority. The organization has more than two thousand (2,000) registered volunteers and fifty (50) volunteers are trained and involved in our activities on a weekly basis, the majority of which has a background in humanitarian studies. The organization takes a holistic approach to volunteer training. Before participating in any action, each volunteer attends a thirty (30) hour training, which includes the following steps:
- Introduction to the work and actions of the body
- Participation in educational – experiential – psycho-educational workshops
- Visit to the social structures of the organization
- Job shadowing
Volunteering enhances the communication and social skills of both volunteers and beneficiaries and eliminates stigma. Volunteers help build a sense of solidarity with society while also providing them with benefits both for their personal and professional lives.
It is worth noting that the majority of our volunteers are in the age group of 18-34, and include people of both sexes and persons of different nationalities. Last but not least, the volunteers are actively involved in the design and implementation of voluntary actions of general interest through CONNECT YOUR CITY Youth Center.
These actions mainly concern:
- events such as workshops, street events, festivals on topics related to mental health, tolerance for diversity, interculturalism, environment, and generally on issues of youth concern
- The contribution of tangible goods and essentials to vulnerable social groups, such as the supply of food in collaboration with BORUME, and clothing in collaboration with Fabric Republic
- Contributing to extraordinary natural disasters: more specifically our volunteer network provided significant assistance to flood victims in Mandra, Attica in 2017, as well as to flood victims in Rafina and Mati region Attica.
Our organization is a certified training institution for trainees in the humanities, such as psychologists, social workers, etc. In all the structures of IASIS, students from major Universities (such as Panteion University,etc.) and recognized Colleges (such as Mediterranean College, Metropolitan College, Aegean College) have the opportunity to do their internships. Its scientific staff has extensive experience in the education and training of young scientists providing them with the opportunity to link theoretical and practical training.Trainees play an active role in the actions of the body and have many opportunities to participate in European Programs that the body participates in or implements.
In particular, through our service, we create a bridge between academic education and the labor market, as we contribute to:
- the development of the soft skills and hard skills of young people and provision of facilities for a smoother integration into the workplace and into the wider social environment
- helping students discover their comparative advantages in workplaces and research, to help them choose the right career path or postgraduate studies
- acquaintance with research, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship
- the creation of health professionals who are trained to subsequently transfer the professional philosophy, methodology and know-how of the organization to their subsequent work environment.