FABRIC REPUBLIC

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Fabric Republic is an innovative and integrated clothing management system that focuses on today’s social needs, sustainability and sustainable development of solidarity organizations.

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The “Fabric Republic” program is based on the Directive 2008/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 November 2008 on waste, according to which, in order to ensure the transition into a European Recycling Society, with a high level of resource efficiency, it is necessary to set some targets regarding the reuse and the recycling of waste.

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Through the Fabric Republic service, a growing network of clothing collection bins has been created, placed in chain stores as well as central public places, where citizens can deposit clothes they no longer wear. After the collection of the excess clothing placed in the bins from all points, an assessment and sorting of the clothing is carried out, through which the clothes are separated into those suitable for reuse and those not suitable.

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The clothes to be reused are then cleaned and disinfected with professional equipment, so that immediately after they are categorized according to gender, size, age and season, and finally they are packed and stored. At this stage, the clothes are ready, either for storage or for immediate distribution to charitable organizations in need. On the other hand, clothes that are unsuitable for reuse are processed and used as raw material in the creation of various accessories and useful items (key chains, pillows, jewelry, bags, etc.).

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Consequently, “Fabric Republic” in terms of its field of activity, includes the provision of free clothing to other organizations the offer clean clothing in very good condition. Also, it is worth mentioning that Fabric Republic stands by the side of Ukrainian refugees by donating clothing.

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Fabric Republic’s vision and action are in full compliance with:

• the commitments of the Paris Agreement to mitigate global warming,
• the 11th and 13th goals of the Sustainable Development Goals (“Ensure sustainable consumption and production standards” and “Action for the Climate”),
• the expanded definition of Human Rights including the right to the environment
• the results of the World Economic Forum
• the report on global risks in Davos to address climate change, which is a damaging factor for both the environment and socio-economic life,
• and the decisions of COP25 and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change of the United Nations to reduce the global temperature by 2°C compared to pre-industrial levels and to strive for a further reduction of 1.5°C.

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Fabric Republic in numbers:

• 283+ raising awareness actions for environmental issues, volunteerism and social needs
• 32+ partnerships with companies and participation in the volunteering festival
• 117+ partnerships with companies with the aim of strengthening clothing collection actions
• 43,082+ kg of clothing from companies, bins, collection points and the community
• 232+ collaborations with non-profit organizations and services
• 23,608+ kg of surplus clothing was recycled and processed
• 25+ tons of clothing have being recycled so far through Fabric Republic
• 35+ tons of clothing are offered to vulnerable social groups

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Today’s inputs  shape tomorrow!

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CIRCULAR ECONOMY

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IASIS is actively involved in the field of Circular Economy, developing and promoting Sustainable Development Action Plans that are in line with the policies of the Ministry of Health, the European Commission and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN.

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IASIS approaches the phenomenon through a biomimetic model where the components of these materials and products are reused and exploited as much as possible, extending their lifespan and significantly reducing the ecological impact of waste, thereby simulating processes with those of natural ecological systems.

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The model of long-term sustainable well-being of the organization takes into account the social dimensions of the issue and not only the ecological ones, applying a holistic model of the Circular Economy where professionals in the field work closely with high-risk groups, whether it is people with mental health issues or victims of natural disasters, social minorities, homeless or other people facing various socio-economic obstacles, with the aim of increasing the well-being of all.

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More specifically, IASIS:

• In 2020, through Fabric Republic, an initiative of the organization, 17,371 kg of clothing were (re)used in the clothing processing workshop as raw material in the framework of the circular economy,
• Works closely with over 75 non-profit organizations and social services each year to create and implement circular economy projects
• Receives more than 25,000 kg of clothing per year for reusing and recycling purposes, from companies and collection points from the community
• Raises awareness of more than 1,000 companies annually through social and environmental awareness campaigns with the ultimate goal of exploring partnership opportunities to implement innovative circular economy projects as well as to promote Social Corporate Responsibility within the businesses.
• Has employed more than 20 people from vulnerable social groups in its services related to sustainable development
• Active recipients of Circular Economy services amount to more than 4,500 annually, while the organization’s services have supported and addressed the needs of more than 180,000 people.

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In conclusion, the significant qualitative and quantitative volumes database that are created at a very rapid pace in the field of application IASIS, can, through their mining and analysis, lead to the identification of patterns, acceptance and rejection of research hypothesis, analyzation of phenomena but also the production of highly repeatable and reproducible results, thus making us a reliable partner in research programs in the field of Circular Economy.

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Today’s inputs shape tomorrow. 

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ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIONS

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IASIS supports actions aimed at promoting the green economy and also raising environmental awareness.

IASIS participates in numerous European projects with the aim of exchanging good practices, activating citizens and adopting “green” practices.

Also, the most important contribution of IASIS regarding the promotion and support of ecology is the creation of FABRIC REPUBLIC.

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Fabric Republic is a highly innovative and integrated clothing management system that focuses on today’s social needs, sustainability and sustainable development. Through Fabric Republic, IASIS has created a growing network of clothing collection bins, placed in stores as well as central public places, where citizens can deposit clothes they no longer need. After the collection of the excess clothing placed in the bins from all points, an evaluation and sorting of the clothing is carried out, through which the clothes are separated into clothes that are suitable for reuse and clothes that are not suitable.

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Below, you may find some of IASIS’s eco European Projects:

• YOU.th RO.und TRIP. for climate action (acronym: YOUROTRIP) is a European project implemented in the context of the funding programme Erasmus+ “Support for Policy Reform – European Youth Together” with Agreement Number 614827, aspiring to foster youth participation in democratic procedures of decision making through discussions on the high priority topic of Climate Change.
• The European project “Take It“, in which IASIS participates as a partner, aims to create an educational guide on raising awareness regarding environmental issues.
• “Fashion 4 Inclusion” in which IASIS participates as a partner, aims to promote the integration of migrants and refugees in the fields of sewing, recycling, fashion and design as well as the adoption of the social and work integration of immigrants and refugees at a European level, enhancing their access to VET in the field of sustainable and intercultural fashion.
• “Care What You(th) Wear“, in which IASIS participates as a partner, aims to activate and train Youth Workers on the fight against polluting clothing industries.
• YOUWEEN which aims to provide effective tools to young women living in rural areas in order to start their lives thanks to a specific business training in sustainable development, to enhance their employability and socio-educational and personal development.

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IASIS environmental actions in numbers:

• 35+ tons of clothing are offered to vulnerable social  groups through Fabric Republic
• 25+ tons of clothing have been recycled so far through Fabric Republic
• 3000+ individual environmental actions (public space cleaning interventions, etc)
• 10+ tons of clothing have been donated to Ukrainian refugees

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Today’s inputs shape tomorrow

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YOUTH PARTICIPATION

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IASIS has been running Student Internship Programs in which students from the field of social sciences and humanities are trained in fields related to their academic subject, in a well-organized working environment.

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Additionally, the organization is a member of KESETHEA, the central council for juvenile delinquency issues, which is under the Ministry of the Interior and the International Youth Justice Observatory. It is also an implementation body of the community service measure, i.e., it undertakes, following the suggestion of the Juvenile Court and with the coordination of the Juvenile Probation Service, the compulsory employment and supervision of young delinquent persons.

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Since 2017, IASIS has started operating the first Connect Your City Youth Center in the area of Kato Patisia in Athens. IASIS operates and manages  seven (7) Youth Centers, two (2) in the Municipality of Athens, one (1) in the Municipality of Nea Philadelphia, one (1) in Porto Rafti, one (1) in the Municipality of Amarousion, one (1) in Cyprus and one (1) in Brussels.

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CONNECT YOUR CITY is a Network of Youth Centers, which is aimed at young people from 16-30 years old. Its aim is to empower young people, and in general NEETs through entertainment services, education, and pre-vocational training. The organization’s Youth Centers have a wide range of activities ranging in the following 5 axes:

• Axe 1.  CONNECT YOUR CITY Application, which functions as a platform where all the actions of the CYCs as well as of all the collaborating bodies of the CoC active in the field of youth, education and the environment, are broadcast as a challenge. It is worth mentioning that the application lists more than 7,500 users.
• Axe 2. Sports & Wellness: Organization and participation in sports events, cooperating with the Hellenic Olympic Committee, the National Olympic Committee, and the General Secretariat of Sports.
• Axe 3. Culture & Creative Expression: Support and promotion of young artists and  individuals who want to be involved in the field of Culture and Art.
• Axe 4.  Education: Support, train and empowerment of  young people to join the labor market and/or business
• Axe 5.  Active Participation:  Local Youth Councils, where young people discuss the issues that concern them such as climate change, accessibility, etc., and make policy proposals .

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It is also worth mentioning that IASIS has been certified by the Foundation for Youth and Lifelong Learning (INEDIVIM), as an institution for receiving and sending volunteers within the framework of the European Solidarity Corps program (formerly European Voluntary Service /EVS).

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IASIS actions in the field of youth participation in numbers:

• 3000+ volunteering actions
• 50+ participations of organizations in volunteering actions
• 7500+ users of the Connect Your City App
• 80+ European programs for young people
• has 12 volunteering programs in the framework of the European Voluntary Service/European Solidarity Corps program

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Today’s inputs shape tomorrow

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MENTAL HEALTH

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IASIS is active in the field of Mental Health by offering psychosocial support, psychological, and counseling services to all high-risk groups, including those with mental illnesses, individuals affected by natural disasters, social minorities, survivors of violence, people who are homeless, and others who are facing various socioeconomic barriers.

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In an effort to realize the deinstitutionalization of the beneficiaries, i.e., by offering care at the local community level as opposed to the care offered at long-stay psychiatric hospitals, IASIS provides on an annual basis:

• more than 20,000 group and individual sessions by licensed psychologists, psychotherapists and social workers who host the Boarding Schools, Short Stay Units, Day Centers, Sheltered Apartments, Asylum Seekers’ Temporary Accommodation Hostels and Homeless Accommodation Apartments that the organization coordinates
• but also, more than 15,000 psychosocial interventions (at home, through mobile mental health units, onsite crises interventions, etc.) around Greece, with the aim of improving psychological health, strengthening mental resilience, support in matters of daily living but also the entertainment of the beneficiaries.
• Active recipients of mental health services amount to more than 4,500 annually, while the organization’s services have supported and addressed the needs of more than 180,000 people.

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In conclusion, the significant qualitative and quantitative databases that are created at a very rapid pace in the field of application of IASIS, can, through their mining and analysis, lead to the identification of patterns, acceptance and rejection of research hypothesis, analyzation of phenomena but also the production of highly repeatable and reproducible results, thus making us a reliable partner in research programs in the field of Mental Health.

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Today’s inputs shape tomorrow.

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SOCIAL INCLUSION

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IASIS is active in the field of Social Inclusion by offering psychosocial support, counselling and services that promote social and employment integration of all high-risk vulnerable groups. Having a human-centered perspective, the organization annually offers more than:

• 20,000 group and individual counseling sessions by psychologists and social workers in Boarding Houses, Short Stay Units, Day Centers, Semi-Protected Apartments, Asylum Seekers Temporary Accommodation Hostels and Homeless Accommodation Apartments coordinated by the organization
• 15,000 psychosocial interventions (at home, through mobile mental health units, onsite crisis interventions, etc.) across Greece, with the aim of supporting, guiding, and reintegrating the beneficiaries into the community
• 40,000 overnights of accommodation for beneficiaries in houses, apartments, and hostels and 35 tons of clean clothing for people from socially vulnerable groups.
• The active recipients of social inclusion services amount to more than 4,500 annually, while the organization’s services have supported and addressed the needs of more than 180,000 people.
• More than 5,000 user-volunteers were mobilized just through the Connect Your City mobile application in 2020, leading to the coordination of 350 different volunteering initiatives, while more than 500 different volunteer acts were carried out by the Youth Centers to promote Social Inclusion.

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It is important to note that a network of committed volunteers across Greece continuously supports the organization’s activities. The organization oversees 8 Youth Centers through Connect Your City, a network of Youth Centers, of which:

• 5 are in the Region of Attica
• 1 in Thessaloniki
• 1 in Nicosia
• 1 in Brussels

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In order to combat social stigma, the group conducts more than 6,000,000 acts annually to increase awareness and educate the public about those who endure social oppression in any form

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In conclusion, the significant qualitative and quantitative volumes of data (Big Data) that are created at a very rapid pace in the field of application IASIS, can, through their mining and analysis, lead to the identification of patterns, acceptance and rejection of research hypothesis, analyzation of phenomena but also the production of highly repeatable and reproducible results, thus making us a reliable partner in research programs in the field of Social Inclusion.

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Today’s inputs shape tomorrow.

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT

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IASIS has plenty of experience and expertise in the field of psychosocial support. More specifically, IASIS has developed Crisis Intervention teams consisting of experienced staff and trained volunteers, who with specific methodology, provide support to the populations that have been affected by some extraordinary condition (natural disasters, severe weather etc.), both during the crisis and afterwards, at the level of recovery and empowerment.

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NATURAL DISASTERS

Since 2017 and 2018, when flood victims were supported in Mandra Attica and fire victims in Rafina and Mati Attica, until today, when the fire-affected areas of North Evia, Penteli, Pallini, Anthousa and Gerakas are holistically supported, IASIS intervenes supportively in crisis situations, organizing, providing mental health first aid and other support services, through its experienced staff, trained volunteers of Connect Your City Youth Centers, and the Fabric Republic.

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It is worth mentioning that IASIS together with the Argo Federation of Mental Health Agencies and its member agencies, provide support to the population of North Evia in the areas that were affected by the fire and the flood  on a daily basis from August 8, 2021, supporting and mapping the needs of approximately 2,500 people, sharing over 10 tons of clean clothing and basic necessities, and supporting 60 villages of N. Evia. Now, one year later after the devastating fires, it remains in stages in the area, providing the population with psychosocial support, empowerment through trainings and implementing awareness actions.

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At the same time, in 2021 in order to support the region, it organized the Digital Love Marathon “The solution is you”, the first virtual telethon which was broadcast live for 30 hours with the participation of more than 80 guests. In addition,  IASIS through its staff and its network of volunteers, supports the affected people in the areas of Penteli and Pallini every day by providing them with material and psychosocial support (first aid items, medical care, etc.).

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IASIS has practically stood by the side of the Ukrainian people since the first moment when the Russia-Ukraine war broke out. More specifically, IASIS responded directly to the humanitarian crisis by collecting basic necessities, long-lasting food, clothing, hygiene items, blankets, bedding, etc. A group of staff together with volunteers of IASIS crossed the Romanian-Ukraine border twice and found themselves inside the refugee camps with the aim of offering immediate humanitarian aid to the Ukrainian people.

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The intervention of IASIS in crisis situations in numbers:

• 2,738+ people received psychosocial support in North Evia
• 50+ mental health professionals and 50 volunteers provided psychosocial support in North Evia
• 200+ connections were made by IASIS staff with psychosocial support services
• 25+ tons of food and 7+ tons of clothing were donated to fire-affected areas of North Evia
• 113+ interventions in crisis situations in Athens
• 35+ interventions in crisis situations in Thessaloniki
• 800+ first aid items in the areas of Penteli, Pallini, Anthousa and Gerakas
• 22+ tons of basic necessities were offered to Ukrainian refugees

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Today’s inputs shape tomorrow

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EDUCATION

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IASIS is actively involved in the area of Education by designing and developing cutting-edge educational interventions and programs. It is an interdisciplinary Facility for Psychosocial Education & Training and a recognized VET center by the National Organization for The Certification of Qualifications & Vocational Guidance [E.O.P.E.P.E.P. (code 2100625)], offering young scientists high-quality education and training in a variety of professional subjects, primarily the humanities. It should be noted that IASIS provides psychoeducational services to all high-risk groups, including those with mental illnesses, those affected by natural disasters, members of social minorities, those who are survivors of violence, those who are homeless, and others who face various socioeconomic challenges.

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With the goals of empowering lifelong learning, promoting equal access to education, enhancing access to the labor market and promoting the methodology of Experiential Learning, where the learner experiences the studying through observation, reflection, research and practical application of the training material, IASIS:

• Implements more than 60 active educational programs co-financed by the European Commission, which aim to develop innovative curricula and educational tools and methodologies while it has so far completed the implementation of more than 150 European educational programs
• Provides more than 40,000 hours of training annually with the aim of assisting its beneficiaries and enhancing the qualifications of professionals working in the humanitarian area and other professions
• Trained more than 300 young interns and volunteers in social studies and humanities on high in-demand competences areas

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Active recipients of educational services amount to more than 4,500 annually, while the organization’s services have supported and addressed the needs of more than 180,000 people.

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In conclusion, the significant qualitative and quantitative indicators that are created at a very rapid pace in the field of application IASIS, can, through their mining and analysis, lead to the identification of patterns, acceptance and rejection of research hypothesis, analyzation of phenomena but also the production of highly repeatable and reproducible results, thus making us a reliable partner in research programs in the field of Education.

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Today’s inputs shape tomorrow.

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