Active citizens fund in Greece: Project «Non-profits & Media advocating for good!»

Advocacy is an internationally acclaimed tool for Civil Society, in its efforts to bring institutional change to important social problems. In Greece, especially in the periphery, advocacy activities are either limited or of limited efficiency, with exceptions in human rights, environmental or social welfare issues. This is attributed to 2 factors:
– Firstly, non-profit organizations (NPOs) in Greece lack knowledge and expertise regarding advocacy’s methodology and tools, in order to design and implement effective relevant activities
– Secondly, the negative image of non-profits in the media and the general public pose as an obstacle to the potential communication and collaboration of all parties for a good cause and their active participation to decision-making.

Τhe project “Non-profits & Media advocating for good!” aims to strengthen civil society advocacy and watchdog role in Greece. To achieve that, the project offers a framework of experiential training and collaboration, benefitting 32 media representatives and 32 non-profits’ staff in 4 cities of Greece, selected based on that fact that they have both vibrant NPO communities and media as well as significant social issues, in order to co-create and implement together advocacy activities.

The project «Non-profits & Media advocating for good!» is being implemented under the Active citizens fund in Greece by HIGGS (Project Promoter) and its partners, the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Open Knowledge Foundation Greece and Journalism Initiative.

The Active citizens fund in Greece is supported through a € 12m grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway as part of the EEA Grants 2014 – 2021. The program 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.

For more information: www.activecitizensfund.gr

Project Promoter                             Partners