Programs
Project “Non-profits & Media advocating for good!”
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 € 13,5m 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.
Please find more information about the project in the following link: https://advocatingforgood.gr/en/
Please find more information about the program in the following link: www.activecitizensfund.gr/en/
The innovative and ambitious project Thales II: Evaluation of Greek Non-profit Organisations aims at studying the NPO ecosystem in Greece and more importantly to map and evaluate the Greek NPOs.
The project “Thales II: Mapping and evaluating Greek NGOs” is a continuation of the Thales I Project. It has a duration of two (2) years and is implemented by the Department of Political Science and International Relations of the University of the Peloponnese in collaboration with the Non-profit Organization HIGGS.
Thales II is being funded by five (5) charitable foundations: TIMA Charitable Foundation, Stavros Niarchos Foundation, Athanassios K. Laskaridis Foundation, Captain Vassilis & Carmen Constantakopoulos Foundation, John S Latsis Public Benefit Foundation
Please find more information about the program in the following link: www.greekngosnavigator.org
AMIF Action Grant
ArtsTogether "Integrating migrant children at schools through artistic expression"
Project Duration: 2018- 2020
Project Description: The main objective of the ArtsTogether Project is to create specific measures that target migrant children in early childhood and primary education, aiming to contribute to the elimination of the educational disadvantage and cultural barriers they experience.
It aims also at developing and testing a curriculum based on artistic activities and collaborative approaches that will be used in order to equip teachers for dealing with diversity, fostering mutual understanding and respect among their students and improve the educational performance of migrant students.
Project Consortium
Greece: University of the Peloponnese (Leader), HIGGS, ARSIS, Four Elements
Italy: University of Bologna, Centro Sviluppo Creativo Danilo Dolci, Centro Studi Villa Montesca
Austria: Kindervilla
Belgium: Mediter
United Kingdom: Bath Spa University
Website: https://www.artstogether.eu/home
Erasmus+ Key Action 2
SUM
Project Duration: 2020-2022
Project Description: The project “Designing and Implementing a Corporate Social Responsibility Framework for Start-Ups as a Visibility, Growth and Multiplication Tool-SUM” aims to establish a framework for the implementation of CSR in start-ups. The project is based on improving the existing state of start-ups and proposing a framework that integrates CSR and positions it as a “priority objective” so that they fulfil their responsibilities within their European and national communities.
In summary, the main objectives of SUM are:
– To create a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) framework for start-ups that takes seriously into account the rights and the employability of EU citizens, as well as the accountability, citizen participation, social justice and environmental issues.
– To foster a better understanding of the CSR concept among management and employees of start-ups.
– To raise the issue of corporate transparency as an important component for start-ups to enhance their credibility and solvency. The issue of transparency must be directly linked to the issue of corporate social responsibility, especially for start-ups that, being in their early stages, do not yet have the necessary knowledge and experience in this area.
-To promote an awards programme rewarding the most transparent start-ups.
Project Consortium
Cyprus: CSI CENTER FOR SOCIAL INNOVATION LTD – Leader
Lithuania: MB HOMO EMINENS
Austria: DIE BERATER UNTERNEHMENSBERATUNGS GESELLSCHAFT MBH
Greece: HIGHER INCUBATOR GIVING GROWTH AND SUSTAINABILITY
Spain: CENTRO SUPERIOR DE FORMACION EUROPA SUR
Italy: S.CO.T. VENETO – Centro Sviluppo Commercio Turismo e Terziario
Social and Economic Empowerment of Migrant Women (WINGS)
Project Duration: 2020-2022
Project Description: WINGS project (Social and Economic Empowerment of Migrant Women) will contribute to the empowerment of migrant women in Europe with an innovative and interactive training programme, through the collaboration of six partners – the Netherlands, Cyprus, Italy, Greece, Spain, Malta and the Netherlands. At the same time, the project will enhance the skills of formal or informal educators working with migrant women and provide them with guidance and tools to improve the quality of their work performance. The aim is to foster an active participation of migrant women in the socio-political life and their integration in the labour market. The project will last 2 years and aims to reach at least 1,300 stakeholders across Europe.
Project Consortium
Netherlands: Netwerkpro (leader)
Cyprus: SYNTHESIS
Greece: HIGGS
Italy: Global Factory
Spain: GEI
Malta: Skills Zone
Website: https://wingsprojecterasmus.eu/
SIM4CSOS
Project Duration: 2020-2022
Project Description: The project intends to empower the operation of non-profits within Civil Society by enhancing their effectiveness, transparency and governance through application of social impact measurement methods. SIM4CSOs promotes the development of a comprehensive training material delivered through an interactive online platform that enhances the knowledge required for the design and the implementation of a social impact measurement system. This material includes a manual and a training activity specially designed for staff working in the Third Sector aiming in identifying the gaps in their knowledge, providing them with the skills required, and enabling them to measure their social impact. In addition, the project brings together different sets of stakeholders (foundations, academic institutions and researchers, state officials, representatives of CSR departments, social entrepreneurs etc.) through a co-creation process that enhances interactions and potential partnerships between relevant parties. By enhancing the processes of measuring the impact of CSOs activities SIM4CSOs strengthens existing and future cooperation arrangements as their work can be better assessed and connected with the outcomes envisaged by Third Sector other stakeholders.
Project Consortium
Greece: HIGGS (Coordinator)
Cyprus: CSI Center for Social Innovation Ltd.
Norway: OSLOMET – Storbyuniversitetet
Israel: MIDOT – Reflecting and Rating NPOs Ltd.
Croatia: ACT GRUPA
Poland: Centrul Edukacji Badan Spoleczynch (CEBS)
Italy: CESIE
Portugal: INOVA+ – Innovation Services, SA
ECSTALE
Project Duration: 2020-2022
Project Description: This project aims at bringing together seven (7) organizations from 6 different program countries (Greece, Cyprus, Italy, Bulgaria, Estonia, Serbia) and 1 partner country (Israel) who support civil society and are experts in a particular field (e.g. fundraising, networking, advocacy, volunteer management, social entrepreneurship, etc.) in order to identify best practices and share their experience. Furthermore, an open learning environment for all stakeholders will be created where each partner will share best practices and strategies. By having access to this environment, organizations will be able to interact and understand how other actors have dealt with similar situations and challenges and will be able to make better and informed decisions more promptly. Therefore, they will be able to improve their efficiency and implement outstanding practices. Finally, all partners, as well as their beneficiaries (civil society organizations), will have the chance to elevate their work, advance their performance and enhance their social impact.
Project Consortium
Greece: HIGGS (Coordinator)
Italy: Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini S.R.L. SB
Bulgaria: Black Sea NGO Network
Estonia: Vabauhenduste Liit
Cyprus: SYNTHESIS Center for Research and Education Limited
Serbia: Civic Initiatives – Citizens Association for Democracy and Civic Education
Israel: MIDOT – Reflecting and Rating NPOs Ltd
Storytelling for Youth Work
Project Duration: 2020-2022
Project Description: Τhe project «Storytelling for Youth Work: a Tool for Connection and Understanding in Changing Times», aims at addressing the needs of youth and supporting their well-being, their development and their growth; empowering them to connect to each other and whoever they need, lead healthy and conscious lives and have good interpersonal relationships even when more effort is needed, all through work with youth workers and tools to support them. Through the project outputs, youth workers will obtain new practical skills, improved their competences and gain insight into how to implement storytelling as a method both in their work with young people. Moreover a concrete project result will be the Storytelling board game, which function will not only be as a learning tool but a bridge for communication between the youth workers and the young people.
Project Consortium
Austria: Komm!unity (Coordinator)
Bulgaria: The Future Now Association
Greece: HIGGS
Serbia: Iuventa Nevladina Organizacija Udruzenje
Slovenia: Celjski Mladinski Center, Javni Zavod Za Mladinsko Kulturo, Izobrazevanje, Informiranje In Sport
DiGi YOUTH
Project Duration: 2020-2021
Project Description: The “DiGi YOUTH” project aims to promote quality youth work through open and innovative practices in the digital era. Youth workers and youth organizations’ staff who lack digital competences or skills will be fully benefited and further educated from the intellectual outputs and the useful material developed by this project, delivering high quality youth work and further engaging with disadvantaged youth through the use of digital tools.
Project Consortium
Slovakia: European Dialogue (Leader)
Bulgaria: The Future Now Association
Greece: HIGGS
Turkey: Yasar Universitesi
Website: https://digi-youth.com/#/en
Virtual Intercultural Reality Active Learning for local communities (VIRAL)
Project Duration: 2018-2021
Project Description: The VIRAL project intends to provide anyone working in the adult education sector (training and language schools, public bodies and public administration, first reception centers, cultural associations and libraries) with a useful tool to help refugees’/migrants’ integration and local communities’ mutual knowledge through the use of VR technology.
The final output will be what has been called as “Cross Cultural Toolbox”, a digital platform, absolutely free and accessible to everyone. Entering the TOOLBOX you will be able to download any instructions and material needed to introduce VR in cultural projects. Indicatively, the following material will be included: educational material, pilot learning units, the VR videos produced by all partners and an instruction manual on how to develop your own VR videos.
Project Consortium
Italy: Nkey srl (Leader), University for Foreigners of Perugia
Greece: HIGGS
Poland: CEBS
Romania: ASPES
Website: https://viral.nkey.it/el/
European youth Network for dIversity and TolerancE (E-UNITE)
Project Duration: 2018-2019
Project Description: The E-UNITE project aims to promote community-led initiatives in the fields of tolerance, inclusivity and diversity. The main output of the project – the E-UNITE Online Hub allows for the convergence of young minds and exchange of ideas, as well as supports such initiatives; likewise, the Online Hub is a base for exchange of know-how and good practices of youth workers, which are interested in working on those community-led initiatives or alternatively – youth workers, who wish to develop youth networks of their own. The Online Hub serves as a platform where youth workers and youth from around Europe will have the opportunity to converge, exchange ideas and help each other achieve community and network goals.
Project Consortium
Cyprus: University of Nicosia (Leader)
Bulgaria: Law and Internet Foundation
Greece: HIGGS
Romania: CENTRUL ROMAN DE POLITICI EUROPENE
Slovenia: Celje Youth Center
Kosovo: Institute for Economic, Political, and Social studies (IEPS)
Website: http://e-unite.eu/#/el/
Advancing the Third Sector through Innovation and Variation (ATSIV)
Project Duration: 2016-2019
Project Description: The ATSIV project aims to shape and enhance the skills of adult NGO workers through an open access virtual learning environment (VLE) and an online game. In particular, it aims not only to enhance NGO worker’s skills, but also to promote active citizenship and further develop the Third Sector at EU level.
Project Consortium
Greece: University of the Peloponnese (Leader), HIGGS, South East European Research Centre (SEERC)
Poland: Fundacja Wspierania Organizacji Pozarzadowych «UMBRELLA»
Romania: National School of Political Studies and Public Administration
Website: http://ngotraining.eu/
HIGGS & HUMAN RIGHTS 360 organized the ‘Green Ideas Greece 2020’ competition for the first time in Greece with the support of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, in the context of the ‘Balkan Green Ideas’ competition, a project of the Balkan Green Foundation.
The ‘Green Ideas Greece 2021’ competition is organised for the second year with the support of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Helidoni Foundation, Whitetip Investments, and the Erasmus+ Program.
It aims to stimulate and encourage innovation for green ideas while engaging local communities to generate green initiatives that utilize local resources and community-based markets. By supporting innovative, local sustainable economic development initiatives, Green Ideas aims to substantively contribute to building a peaceful, competitive, and prosperous Balkans.
Local competition-winning ideas in 2020:
Category (a) New ideas:
‘Green School Days’ – by the Green Community of Thessaloniki, in collaboration with Commons in Residency
Category (b) Early stage initiatives:
‘Mediterranean Cleanup: Chalkida’ – by Enaleia
‘The Barn Owl Project’ – by TYTO
Please find more information about the project in the following link: https://greenideasgreece.org/
The 1st TechCamp Athens 2018 was implemented for the first time in Greece on the 22nd -23rd of January by HIGGS with the support of the Cultural Attaché of the U.S. Embassy in Athens. The TechCamp is a training that is implemented in several countries around the world and aims at bringing together Nonprofit Organizations with distinguished experts at digital tools and marketing.
During the 2-day seminar, 42 NPOs from 5 countries (Greece, Albania, Bulgaria, FYROM, and Romania) had the opportunity to engage with leading experts in the areas of Communication, Marketing, Social Media, Crisis Management, Fundraising, and Crowdfunding, to generate hypothetical challenges for their organizations and create digital material.
