Despina Cochliou | University of Nicosia (original) (raw)
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Journalism Practice, 2024
(Online) hate speech appears as a growing problem in Greece and Cyprus attributed to prejudices t... more (Online) hate speech appears as a growing problem in Greece and Cyprus attributed to prejudices toward specific groups, the evolution of online media, lack of awareness and of appropriate educational tools to recognize and counter it. Communication professionals and media practitioners produce hate speech content both intentionally, to gain visibility and unintentionally due to their inability to recognize it. This paper presents a study conducted simultaneously for the first time in Greece and Cyprus that explored the issue of (online) hate speech, approaching it in a socio-centric rationale as hate discourse. The issue was researched through a qualitative inquiry with semi-structured interviews and focus groups conducted in Greece and Cyprus. According to the personal and professional perceptions of the public communication experts who participated in our research, hate speech impacts predominantly vulnerable social groups, and the deficiency in legal frameworks in both countries enables rather than combats this pathogenesis. This paper contributes toward a better understanding of hate speech in the two countries and how public communication practitioners perceive and experience it.
Journalism practice, Jun 25, 2024
(Online) hate speech appears as a growing problem in Greece and Cyprus attributed to prejudices t... more (Online) hate speech appears as a growing problem in Greece and Cyprus attributed to prejudices toward specific groups, the evolution of online media, lack of awareness and of appropriate educational tools to recognize and counter it. Communication professionals and media practitioners produce hate speech content both intentionally, to gain visibility and unintentionally due to their inability to recognize it. This paper presents a study conducted simultaneously for the first time in Greece and Cyprus that explored the issue of (online) hate speech, approaching it in a socio-centric rationale as hate discourse. The issue was researched through a qualitative inquiry with semi-structured interviews and focus groups conducted in Greece and Cyprus. According to the personal and professional perceptions of the public communication experts who participated in our research, hate speech impacts predominantly vulnerable social groups, and the deficiency in legal frameworks in both countries enables rather than combats this pathogenesis. This paper contributes toward a better understanding of hate speech in the two countries and how public communication practitioners perceive and experience it.
International Social Work, Sep 27, 2023
This article seeks to fill the research gap on the psychosocial and integration needs of unaccomp... more This article seeks to fill the research gap on the psychosocial and integration needs of unaccompanied children and the challenges they encounter to reach autonomy and social integration. To address this issue, the study utilized a qualitative research survey interviewing 18 field professionals, which indicated that the key challenges include insufficient preparation, institutionalization, uncertainty about the future, asylum procedures, and social exclusion, while proposing the implementation of an integration plan focusing on education, vocational training, and contact with the local community. This article aims to offer a better understanding of children’s needs and how practitioners could protect children more effectively.
The purpose of this article is to present the living conditions and services provided at Kofinou ... more The purpose of this article is to present the living conditions and services provided at Kofinou Asylum Reception Centre in Cyprus through a Project funded by the European Refugee Fund and the Republic of Cyprus. It is based on the knowledge gained, when an academic institution initiated the operational transformation of the Centre towards an organisational structure that would adopt modern principles of organisational management, parallel to the provision of comprehensive social welfare support. The main presenting pillars include details about a) The provision of counselling and supporting services, which were provided to the residents of the centre b) Administrative support for the daily operation and c) The design and implementation of educational and recreational activities. Emphasis was drawn upon the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that were identified. It is suggested that both residents and staff’s active participation provided opportunities for those invol...
A description of Asylum System in the Republic of Cyprus with specific reference to the role of s... more A description of Asylum System in the Republic of Cyprus with specific reference to the role of social workers.
European Journal of Social Work, 2009
Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean. It has been inhabited since 10,000 BC an... more Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean. It has been inhabited since 10,000 BC and conquered numerous times throughout its history. In 1954 it became an independent state having formerly been a British colony. In 1974 it was invaded by Turkey and the subsequent division of the country has created extensive numbers of dispossessed people who are both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. The shifting historical background helps describe a cultural identity of the Cypriot people that has been influenced by different populations and civilisations, which have determined the evolution of the country economically, culturally and socially. One could argue that Cyprus has been characterised by its tolerance in which different ethnic and religious communities can live and work together. Nonetheless, it was not until the late 1990s that the first asylum application was lodged (Hajtzivasilis 2009). Annual numbers of applications remained low until it became clear that Cyprus would join the European Union (EU). With the accession of Cyprus to the EU in 2004, 9285 applications were filed that year (Solidarity Funds Sector 2008). Given its size of population, Cyprus has received the largest number of asylum seekers during 200
(Online) hate speech appears as a growing problem in Greece and Cyprus attributed to prejudices t... more (Online) hate speech appears as a growing problem in Greece and Cyprus attributed to prejudices toward specific groups, the evolution of online media, lack of awareness and of appropriate educational tools to recognize and counter it. Communication professionals and media practitioners produce hate speech content both intentionally, to gain visibility and unintentionally due to their inability to recognize it. This paper presents a study conducted simultaneously for the first time in Greece and Cyprus that explored the issue of (online) hate speech, approaching it in a socio-centric rationale as hate discourse. The issue was researched through a qualitative inquiry with semi-structured interviews and focus groups conducted in Greece and Cyprus. According to the personal and professional perceptions of the public communication experts who participated in our research, hate speech impacts predominantly vulnerable social groups, and the deficiency in legal frameworks in both countries enables rather than combats this pathogenesis. This paper contributes toward a better understanding of hate speech in the two countries and how public communication practitioners perceive and experience it.
European Scientific Journal, Oct 30, 2013
The purpose of this article is to present the living conditions and services provided at Kofinou ... more The purpose of this article is to present the living conditions and services provided at Kofinou Asylum Reception Centre in Cyprus through a Project funded by the European Refugee Fund and the Republic of Cyprus. It is based on the knowledge gained, when an academic institution initiated the operational transformation of the Centre towards an organisational structure that would adopt modern principles of organisational management, parallel to the provision of comprehensive social welfare support. The main presenting pillars include details about a) The provision of counselling and supporting services, which were provided to the residents of the centre b) Administrative support for the daily operation and c) The design and implementation of educational and recreational activities. Emphasis was drawn upon the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that were identified. It is suggested that both residents and staff's active participation provided opportunities for those involved to investigate possible individual and organisational transformation over time, as participative 'bottom-up' approaches of organisational learning are generated. The knowledge generated could be used as a paradigm to lead policy-makers and central administration to accept the development of cross-system thinking and planning. It is also expected that decision-making flexibility will be increased through constant feedback from the bottom to the upper level and vice versa.
The purpose of this article is to present the living conditions and services provided at Kofinou ... more The purpose of this article is to present the living conditions and services provided at Kofinou Asylum Reception Centre in Cyprus through a Project funded by the European Refugee Fund and the Republic of Cyprus. It is based on the knowledge gained, when an academic institution initiated the operational transformation of the Centre towards an organisational structure that would adopt modern principles of organisational management, parallel to the provision of comprehensive social welfare support. The main presenting pillars include details about a) The provision of counselling and supporting services, which were provided to the residents of the centre b) Administrative support for the daily operation and c) The design and implementation of educational and recreational activities. Emphasis was drawn upon the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that were identified. It is suggested that both residents and staff’s active participation provided opportunities for those invol...
This study explores the Management Information Systems’ (MIS) implementation and utilisation in s... more This study explores the Management Information Systems’ (MIS) implementation and utilisation in social care organisations. The aim of this thesis is to study the level of social work practitioners’ involvement in MIS selection and implementation and to determine the links between the utilisation of MIS in social care organisations and the creation of organisational knowledge. Thus, the thesis endeavours to increase understanding of the importance of MIS implementation for personnel and organisations, to capture its meaning and any implications this may have for organisational knowledge and social work practice. To further this aim, a two case-study design was developed and carried out in two social care organisations in England. Semi-structured interviews and direct observation were used as data collection tools. Interviews with open-ended questions were carried out with practitioners, team managers, senior managers and staff responsible for Information Technology applications and p...
Journalism Practice, 2024
(Online) hate speech appears as a growing problem in Greece and Cyprus attributed to prejudices t... more (Online) hate speech appears as a growing problem in Greece and Cyprus attributed to prejudices toward specific groups, the evolution of online media, lack of awareness and of appropriate educational tools to recognize and counter it. Communication professionals and media practitioners produce hate speech content both intentionally, to gain visibility and unintentionally due to their inability to recognize it. This paper presents a study conducted simultaneously for the first time in Greece and Cyprus that explored the issue of (online) hate speech, approaching it in a socio-centric rationale as hate discourse. The issue was researched through a qualitative inquiry with semi-structured interviews and focus groups conducted in Greece and Cyprus. According to the personal and professional perceptions of the public communication experts who participated in our research, hate speech impacts predominantly vulnerable social groups, and the deficiency in legal frameworks in both countries enables rather than combats this pathogenesis. This paper contributes toward a better understanding of hate speech in the two countries and how public communication practitioners perceive and experience it.
Journalism practice, Jun 25, 2024
(Online) hate speech appears as a growing problem in Greece and Cyprus attributed to prejudices t... more (Online) hate speech appears as a growing problem in Greece and Cyprus attributed to prejudices toward specific groups, the evolution of online media, lack of awareness and of appropriate educational tools to recognize and counter it. Communication professionals and media practitioners produce hate speech content both intentionally, to gain visibility and unintentionally due to their inability to recognize it. This paper presents a study conducted simultaneously for the first time in Greece and Cyprus that explored the issue of (online) hate speech, approaching it in a socio-centric rationale as hate discourse. The issue was researched through a qualitative inquiry with semi-structured interviews and focus groups conducted in Greece and Cyprus. According to the personal and professional perceptions of the public communication experts who participated in our research, hate speech impacts predominantly vulnerable social groups, and the deficiency in legal frameworks in both countries enables rather than combats this pathogenesis. This paper contributes toward a better understanding of hate speech in the two countries and how public communication practitioners perceive and experience it.
International Social Work, Sep 27, 2023
This article seeks to fill the research gap on the psychosocial and integration needs of unaccomp... more This article seeks to fill the research gap on the psychosocial and integration needs of unaccompanied children and the challenges they encounter to reach autonomy and social integration. To address this issue, the study utilized a qualitative research survey interviewing 18 field professionals, which indicated that the key challenges include insufficient preparation, institutionalization, uncertainty about the future, asylum procedures, and social exclusion, while proposing the implementation of an integration plan focusing on education, vocational training, and contact with the local community. This article aims to offer a better understanding of children’s needs and how practitioners could protect children more effectively.
The purpose of this article is to present the living conditions and services provided at Kofinou ... more The purpose of this article is to present the living conditions and services provided at Kofinou Asylum Reception Centre in Cyprus through a Project funded by the European Refugee Fund and the Republic of Cyprus. It is based on the knowledge gained, when an academic institution initiated the operational transformation of the Centre towards an organisational structure that would adopt modern principles of organisational management, parallel to the provision of comprehensive social welfare support. The main presenting pillars include details about a) The provision of counselling and supporting services, which were provided to the residents of the centre b) Administrative support for the daily operation and c) The design and implementation of educational and recreational activities. Emphasis was drawn upon the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that were identified. It is suggested that both residents and staff’s active participation provided opportunities for those invol...
A description of Asylum System in the Republic of Cyprus with specific reference to the role of s... more A description of Asylum System in the Republic of Cyprus with specific reference to the role of social workers.
European Journal of Social Work, 2009
Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean. It has been inhabited since 10,000 BC an... more Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean. It has been inhabited since 10,000 BC and conquered numerous times throughout its history. In 1954 it became an independent state having formerly been a British colony. In 1974 it was invaded by Turkey and the subsequent division of the country has created extensive numbers of dispossessed people who are both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. The shifting historical background helps describe a cultural identity of the Cypriot people that has been influenced by different populations and civilisations, which have determined the evolution of the country economically, culturally and socially. One could argue that Cyprus has been characterised by its tolerance in which different ethnic and religious communities can live and work together. Nonetheless, it was not until the late 1990s that the first asylum application was lodged (Hajtzivasilis 2009). Annual numbers of applications remained low until it became clear that Cyprus would join the European Union (EU). With the accession of Cyprus to the EU in 2004, 9285 applications were filed that year (Solidarity Funds Sector 2008). Given its size of population, Cyprus has received the largest number of asylum seekers during 200
(Online) hate speech appears as a growing problem in Greece and Cyprus attributed to prejudices t... more (Online) hate speech appears as a growing problem in Greece and Cyprus attributed to prejudices toward specific groups, the evolution of online media, lack of awareness and of appropriate educational tools to recognize and counter it. Communication professionals and media practitioners produce hate speech content both intentionally, to gain visibility and unintentionally due to their inability to recognize it. This paper presents a study conducted simultaneously for the first time in Greece and Cyprus that explored the issue of (online) hate speech, approaching it in a socio-centric rationale as hate discourse. The issue was researched through a qualitative inquiry with semi-structured interviews and focus groups conducted in Greece and Cyprus. According to the personal and professional perceptions of the public communication experts who participated in our research, hate speech impacts predominantly vulnerable social groups, and the deficiency in legal frameworks in both countries enables rather than combats this pathogenesis. This paper contributes toward a better understanding of hate speech in the two countries and how public communication practitioners perceive and experience it.
European Scientific Journal, Oct 30, 2013
The purpose of this article is to present the living conditions and services provided at Kofinou ... more The purpose of this article is to present the living conditions and services provided at Kofinou Asylum Reception Centre in Cyprus through a Project funded by the European Refugee Fund and the Republic of Cyprus. It is based on the knowledge gained, when an academic institution initiated the operational transformation of the Centre towards an organisational structure that would adopt modern principles of organisational management, parallel to the provision of comprehensive social welfare support. The main presenting pillars include details about a) The provision of counselling and supporting services, which were provided to the residents of the centre b) Administrative support for the daily operation and c) The design and implementation of educational and recreational activities. Emphasis was drawn upon the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that were identified. It is suggested that both residents and staff's active participation provided opportunities for those involved to investigate possible individual and organisational transformation over time, as participative 'bottom-up' approaches of organisational learning are generated. The knowledge generated could be used as a paradigm to lead policy-makers and central administration to accept the development of cross-system thinking and planning. It is also expected that decision-making flexibility will be increased through constant feedback from the bottom to the upper level and vice versa.
The purpose of this article is to present the living conditions and services provided at Kofinou ... more The purpose of this article is to present the living conditions and services provided at Kofinou Asylum Reception Centre in Cyprus through a Project funded by the European Refugee Fund and the Republic of Cyprus. It is based on the knowledge gained, when an academic institution initiated the operational transformation of the Centre towards an organisational structure that would adopt modern principles of organisational management, parallel to the provision of comprehensive social welfare support. The main presenting pillars include details about a) The provision of counselling and supporting services, which were provided to the residents of the centre b) Administrative support for the daily operation and c) The design and implementation of educational and recreational activities. Emphasis was drawn upon the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that were identified. It is suggested that both residents and staff’s active participation provided opportunities for those invol...
This study explores the Management Information Systems’ (MIS) implementation and utilisation in s... more This study explores the Management Information Systems’ (MIS) implementation and utilisation in social care organisations. The aim of this thesis is to study the level of social work practitioners’ involvement in MIS selection and implementation and to determine the links between the utilisation of MIS in social care organisations and the creation of organisational knowledge. Thus, the thesis endeavours to increase understanding of the importance of MIS implementation for personnel and organisations, to capture its meaning and any implications this may have for organisational knowledge and social work practice. To further this aim, a two case-study design was developed and carried out in two social care organisations in England. Semi-structured interviews and direct observation were used as data collection tools. Interviews with open-ended questions were carried out with practitioners, team managers, senior managers and staff responsible for Information Technology applications and p...
The IMPACT project – Improving Monitoring and Protection Systems Against Child Trafficking and Ex... more The IMPACT project – Improving Monitoring and Protection Systems Against Child Trafficking and Exploitation – was implemented through a partnership cooperation of four non-governmental organisations in Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Portugal. It was conceived as part of a longer-term strategy for studying and informing the development of innovative approaches to prevent the exploitation of children, from a perspective focused on the rights and well-being of the child.
IMPACT builds on a method developed for GATE1 (‘Guardians Against Child Trafficking and Exploitation’) and informs RESILAND2 (‘Participation, capacities and resilience of children on the move against trafficking and exploitation’). These projects are implemented in continuity by a core group of partner organisations with funding from the Prevention of and Fight Against Crime (ISEC) Programme of the European Commission – Directorate-General Home Affairs.3
The research objectives were: • To record the current situation including difficulties and obstac... more The research objectives were:
• To record the current situation including difficulties and obstacles faced by teachers and Third Country Nationals students in the school context.
• To record the effectiveness of the intervention program but also its impact on the school context, their family and their subsequent behaviour in relation to the development of any deviant and/or antisocial behaviour.
• To generate and submit proposals aiming to improve the practices and policies implemented by the project for better monitoring and propose other tools as well as training towards the scientific personnel involved in schools.
• To recommend improvements and/or alternations within the institutional/legislative framework as well as to ameliorate the procedures for the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of this social intervention program.
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Σκοπός της παρούσας ερευνητικής έκθεσης ήταν η Αξιολόγηση Προγράμματος Κοινωνικών Παρεμβάσεων του Δήμου Λεμεσού σε Δημοτικά σχολεία με σημαντικό αριθμό παιδιών Υπηκόων Τρίτων Χωρών», λαμβάνοντας υπόψη διαφορετικές παραμέτρους που αφορούν διαφορετικές πτυχές της Δράσης, όπως ποιότητα παροχής υπηρεσιών, συνεργασία οργανώσεων, αξιολόγηση του βαθμού ένταξης των παιδιών των ΥΤΧ στο σχολικό πλαίσιο αλλά και στην ευρύτερη κοινότητα, της βελτίωσης της λειτουργίας του συστήματος της οικογένειας αλλά και του σχολικού πλαισίου. Για την επίτευξη του σκοπού αυτού διενεργήθηκε ποσοτική και ποιοτική έρευνα με τη συμμετοχή εκπαιδευτικών, γονέων, παιδιών και των λειτουργών του Προγράμματος έτσι ώστε να υλοποιηθούν οι παρακάτω ενέργειες
α) Καταγραφή της υφιστάμενης κατάσταση και της αποτελεσματικότητας των παρεμβάσεων των κοινωνικών λειτουργών στα σχολεία με υψηλό ποσοστό παιδιών από οικογένειες μεταναστών ΥΤΧ.
β) Υποβολή προτάσεων και καλών πρακτικών από άλλες χώρες σε ευρωπαϊκό και διεθνές επίπεδο για τη βελτίωση του θεσμικού πλαισίου αλλά και τη βελτίωση των διαδικασιών εφαρμογής, παρακολούθησης και αξιολόγησης της Δράσης.
γ) Καταγραφή της αποτελεσματικότητας της Δράσης αλλά και της επίδραση της στο σχολικό πλαίσιο, στην οικογένεια αλλά και σε μια μετέπειτα συμπεριφορά των παιδιών σε σχέση με ανάπτυξη τυχόν παραβατικών ή/και αντικοινωνικών συμπεριφορών.
δ) Υποβολή προτάσεων για τον τρόπο διαχείρισης της Δράσης και την οργανωτική δομή σε σχέση και με τα αποτελέσματα της έρευνας σε ότι αφορά την εμπλοκή και άλλων φορέων.
Η πρώτη φάσης της ερευνητικής αξιολόγησης περιελάβανε τη διεξαγωγή ποιοτικής έρευνας και ειδικότερα τη διενέργεια συνεντεύξεων με γονείς, εκπαιδευτικούς και λειτουργούς του Προγράμματος κοινωνικών παρεμβάσεων.
Συμπεραίνεται η ιδιαίτερα σημαντική συμβολή του Προγράμματος, τόσο για τα ίδια τα παιδιά που συμμετείχαν σε αυτό και τις οικογένειες τους όσο και για τους εκπαιδευτικούς και για το σχολικό περιβάλλον. Η συμβολή του Προγράμματος αναδείχθηκε πολύπλευρη και πολυπαραγοντική όσον αφορά τη βελτίωση των σχέσεων και της επικοινωνίας που επιτεύχθηκε μέσα στη σχολική κοινότητα μεταξύ παιδιών και εκπαιδευτικών αλλά και εκπαιδευτικών και οικογενειών των παιδιών αλλά και στην ψυχοκοινωνική ανάπτυξη των παιδιών.
Μέσα από τις συζητήσεις με τα στελέχη της παρέμβασης διαφάνηκε ότι η συγκεκριμένη παρέμβαση συνέβαλε στην ενίσχυση των ατόμων που απαρτίζουν τις διάφορες ομάδες της σχολικής κοινότητας (μαθητές, εκπαιδευτικοί και γονείς). Αναδείχθηκε ότι η αναγνώριση της προσωπικότητας των μαθητών αλλά και ο σεβασμός στη δική τους αντίληψης αναφορικά με την ερμηνεία των εμπειριών τους, συμβάλλει στη γενικότερη βελτίωση της προσωπικότητας και της αποδοτικότερης προσαρμογής τους στο σχολικό πλαίσιο.
Από την πλευρά των επαγγελματιών, εκπαιδευτικών και λειτουργών του Προγράμματος, επισημάνθηκαν καθημερινές προκλήσεις που αντιμετωπίζουν λόγω της έλλειψης θεσμοθετημένων δομών και διαδικασιών, οι οποίες θα επέτρεπαν για παράδειγμα την υλοποίηση του Προγράμματος από την αρχή της σχολικής χρονιάς. Επίσης τονίστηκε η ύπαρξη γραφειοκρατικών εμποδίων που ενίοτε παρεμποδίζουν τη λειτουργία του Προγράμματος αλλά και τη διεπιστημονική συνεργασία μεταξύ των επαγγελματιών. Πιθανόν για αυτό το λόγο και η συγκεκριμένη παρέμβαση είτε σε καταστάσεις κρίσης, είτε αναπτύσσοντας ένα πνεύμα συνεργασίας και συνεχούς στήριξης των εκπαιδευτικών απέδωσε, ώστε οι εκπαιδευτικοί να αναφέρονται με θετικά, ή/και ακόμα με ένθερμα λόγια για τη συνέχιση του συγκεκριμένου προγράμματος. Σαφώς και ανέφεραν περιορισμούς, όπως η μη συνεχής παρουσία λειτουργού, η οποία, εξαιτίας της φύσης της χρηματοδότησης, ξεκίνησε στη μέση ή προς το τέλος της σχολικής χρονιάς στο πρώτο έτος. Επιπλέον αναφέρθηκε η ανάγκη για την παρουσία της κοινωνικής λειτουργού σε σχεδόν καθημερινή βάση, γεγονός που μπορεί να ενισχύσει την εικόνα της παρέμβασης αλλά και να αναλάβει πιο ενεργό ρόλο στη συμβουλευτική των παιδιών και της ένταξης των πολιτισμικά διαφερόντων μαθητών.
Η δεύτερη φάση της αξιολόγησης επικεντρώθηκε στην αποτύπωση των απόψεων των συμμετεχόντων μαθητών με τη διενέργεια δειγματοληπτικής έρευνας ανάμεσα στους μαθητές των σχολείων όπου και πραγματοποιούνται οι παρεμβάσεις. Το συγκεκριμένο ερωτηματολόγιο χωρίστηκε σε δύο βασικά μέρη. Ζητήθηκε αρχικώς από τους μαθητές να αποτυπώσουν την καθημερινότητα τους στη σχολική μονάδα, τη συμπεριφορά τους και τον τρόπο επίλυσης τυχόν δυσκολιών που αντιμετώπισαν/ζουν. Στόχος του δεύτερου μέρους ήταν να αξιολογήσουν, εάν υπάρχει κάποια παρατηρούμενη αλλαγή στη συμπεριφορά τους μέσα από την επαφή και τη συμμετοχή τους στα βιωματικά εργαστήρια. Ζητήθηκε επιπλέον να αξιολογήσουν τα βιωματικά εργαστήρια, ιδιαίτερα το εάν η συμμετοχή τους σε αυτά γίνεται αντιληπτή με θετικό ή όχι πρόσημο και το τι άλλο θα πρότειναν για την περαιτέρω ενίσχυσή της λειτουργίας τους. Τα συμπεράσματα από τη λειτουργία του Προγράμματος Παρέμβασης κρίνονται πολύ θετικά. Οι ερωτώμενοι μαθητές στην πλειοψηφία τους έμειναν πολύ ικανοποιημένοι από τη συμμετοχή τους στις σχετικές ομάδες. Διαφάνηκε ότι αναγνωρίζουν την ποιότητα υλοποίησης και τη διάθεση να τους βοηθήσουν για να αναπτυχθούν. Ανέδειξαν επίσης περιοχές που θα ήθελαν να διαφοροποιηθούν εν μέρει, όπως το να γίνουν πιο διαδραστικά. Πιθανόν για το λόγο αυτό και κάποιοι πρότειναν να έχουν ένα πιο έντονο σωματικό χαρακτήρα, τύπου γυμναστικής. Από την άλλη πλευρά εμφανίστηκαν και κάποιες αρνητικές απόψεις τόσο προς το σχολικό πλαίσιο, όσο και προς τους δασκάλους που σε συνδυασμό με μικρό βαθμό ασφάλειας και σιγουριάς που νιώθουν στο σχολικό πλαίσιο, τα κατατάσσει σε ομάδες υψηλού κινδύνου, γεγονός που προτρέπει προς την ανάπτυξη ενός συνεκτικού πλαισίου στήριξης.
Many people all over the world are prepared to risk arduous land journeys and dangerous sea cross... more Many people all over the world are prepared to risk arduous land journeys and dangerous sea crossings to escape persecution or conflict for the chance of a new and safe start in a new country. EU has received vast numbers of displaced populations, mainly from Middle East and Africa due to political changes and wars. The continuous Syrian conflict refueled the number of applicants for the case of Cyprus. Asylum seekers’ applications as of June 2017 are estimated to be around 3000+. Nevertheless, any improvements on the legislative and integration policies, the population of asylum seekers still experiences several daily difficulties. For example, difficulties are noticed in accommodation (limited available space in reception centre or other forms provided by local councils), education (adult learning, language), social services (benefits and care), regeneration (training, employment, financial exclusion), health (access to medical services) and finally but most importantly low access to labour market.
These conditions triggered the initiation of a research study sponsored by UNHCR Cyprus which focused on determining their living conditions. The overall aim was to develop a roadmap for both the government and policy makers to introduce effective and realistic policy measures for better integration outcomes.
The empirical part used a mixed research method to gather reliable and valid data. 500+ questionnaires were collected to identify the living conditions of adult asylum seekers and reflect their views about the degree of reformation needed; a systematic random sampling approach was applied to ensure research validity. Qualitative semi-structured interviews (82) were conducted to collect the views of professionals and representatives of organizations involved in the implementation and monitoring of the asylum and integration process as well as of a sample of asylum seekers.
On the one hand, the group of asylum seekers expressed their disappointment and anger towards the public services, for delays and the poverty status they are living in, while they acknowledged the role of individual professionals and NGOs to help them. Non-existed programmes for education and employment were the most identified difficulties they face. The current voucher system was also heavily critisised as inefficient and unresponsive. Finally, differences were noticed about the level of integration and interaction with the local communities.
On the other hand, the professionals, while they identified several multi-layered consequences for the local society, stated the absence of national coherent integration policy and collaboration among the public, voluntary and private sector. They highlighted specific social and organisational challenges which hinder its further development such as the lack of sustainable integration policies along to the need of suggested of specific educational, housing, employment and integration measures for the State to follow such as quick, fair, and accurate processing of asylum requests, early integration measures, effective provision of information, strong incentives and sanctions to participate in the workforce, thoughtful location choices, obligatory acquisition of the host country language and many more. However, that is only the first step in a multifaceted and years-long process of integrating them into society—a responsibility that social workers have also to undertake..
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Το κύριο αντικείμενο της μελέτης, που ανατέθηκε από την Ύπατη Αρμοστεία για τους Πρόσφυγες (UNHCR) στην Κύπρο, είναι η κατανόηση και η κριτική αξιολόγηση των συνθηκών διαβίωσης των Αιτούντων Άσυλο στην Κύπρο, ώστε να στοιχειοθετηθεί μια ολοκληρωμένη προσέγγιση για την αποτελεσματικότερη αντιμετώπιση των προβλημάτων που αντιμετωπίζουν οι αιτούντες άσυλο, κατά της διάρκεια της παραμονής τους στην Κύπρο και μέχρι την επεξεργασία της αίτησής τους καθεστώτος από τις αρμόδιες αρχές. Παρουσιάζει, υπό κριτική προσέγγιση, τα ερευνητικά δεδομένα που προέρχονται από τους ίδιους τους αιτούντες άσυλο, τους κυβερνητικούς υπαλλήλους και τους επαγγελματίες των ΜΚΟ, αξιοποιώντας τις ερευνητικές στρατηγικές της ποσοτικής και ποιοτικής έρευνας. Διερευνά και εντοπίζει τις τρέχουσες συνθήκες διαβίωσης των αιτούντων άσυλο σε αστικές και αγροτικές περιοχές, αλλά και στο Κέντρο Υποδοχής και Φιλοξενίας, στην Κοφίνου.
Η μελέτη στηρίχθηκε σε δύο μεθοδολογικά σχήματα: ποσοτικά και ποιοτικά. Για τη διενέργεια της ποσοτικής έρευνας, οι συμμετέχοντες επιλέχθηκαν με βάση ένα ειδικά σχεδιασμένο στατιστικό δείγμα. Η μέθοδος δειγματοληψίας που χρησιμοποιήθηκε ήταν η αναλογική, στρωματοποιημένη τυχαία δειγματοληψία, με στόχο την αποτύπωση των απόψεων και αντιλήψεων των συμμετεχόντων. Το ερωτηματολόγιο διοχετεύθηκε σε 600 συμμετέχοντες. Ωστόσο, 511 συμμετέχοντες ολοκλήρωσαν πλήρως τις ερωτήσεις, ενώ οι υπόλοιποι 89 συμμετέχοντες αποσύρθηκαν από τη διαδικασία. Η ανάλυση των δεδομένων απεικονίζεται και παρουσιάζεται σε εννέα θεματικές κατηγορίες που αντιπροσωπεύουν τα πιο σημαντικά στοιχεία.
Η ποιοτική έρευνας διενεργήθηκε με την αξιοποίηση, ημι-δομημένου τύπου συνεντεύξεων σε τρεις ομάδες συμμετεχόντων: (i) επαγγελματίες από σχετικές κρατικές υπηρεσίες και υπουργεία, (ii) επαγγελματίες ΜΚΟ που εργάζονται σε ευρύ φάσμα της μετανάστευσης και iii) αιτούντες άσυλο που ζουν εντός και εκτός του Κέντρου Υποδοχής. Συνολικά πραγματοποιήθηκαν 77 συνεντεύξεις. Η ποιοτική ανάλυση της έρευνας αναδεικνύει, σε μεγάλο βαθμό, ανάλογη ομοιότητα με τα αποτελέσματα της ποσοτικής έρευνας, γεγονός που ενισχύει περαιτέρω την εγκυρότητα και την αυθεντικότητα του ερευνητικού σχεδιασμού και των αποτελεσμάτων.
Η τρέχουσα μελέτη αποκαλύπτει τις προβληματικές περιοχές και τις αιτίες, που τόσο οι επαγγελματίες και οι οργανώσεις τους, αλλά και οι ίδιοι οι αιτούντες άσυλο αντιμετωπίζουν στη σημερινή εποχή. Η ανάλυση των συνθηκών υποδοχής για τους αιτούντες άσυλο αποδεικνύει ότι τόσο οι υλικές συνθήκες υποδοχής αλλά και η γενικότερη παροχή κοινωνικής πρόνοιας έχουν σημαντικούς περιορισμούς. Οι περιορισμοί που αντιμετωπίζουν οι αιτούντες άσυλο αναφορικά με την πρόσβασή τους στις υπηρεσίες ψυχοκοινωνικής υποστήριξης έχουν επίσης επαληθευτεί από τα ευρήματα της έρευνας. Τα ευρήματα των συνεντεύξεων τόσο από τους εξυπηρετούμενους όσο και από τους επαγγελματίες υποδηλώνουν την ανάγκη ανάπτυξης εναλλακτικών στρατηγικών διαχείρισης της παροχής υπηρεσιών, οι οποίες θα μπορούσαν να βελτιώσουν σημαντικά την ποιότητα των παρεχόμενων υπηρεσιών.
Η ΕΞΕΛΙΞΗ ΤΗΣ ΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΚΗΣ ΕΡΓΑΣΙΑΣ ΣΤΗΝ ΚΥΠΡΟ: ΠΡΟΤΑΣΕΙΣ ΓΙΑ ΤΗ ΧΡΗΣΗ ΝΕΩΝ ΕΡΓΑΛΕΙΩΝ ΑΞΙΟΛΟΓΗΣΗΣ & ΣΥΓΧΡΟΝΩΝ ΠΡΑΚΤΙΚΩΝ, 2017
Το βιβλίο αυτό αποτελεί την πρώτη συγγραφική προσπάθεια για την παροχή γνώσεων και την επίτευξη α... more Το βιβλίο αυτό αποτελεί την πρώτη συγγραφική προσπάθεια για την παροχή
γνώσεων και την επίτευξη αποτελεσματικότερων υπηρεσιών προς τους
εξυπηρετούμενους των κοινωνικών οργανώσεων είτε δημόσιων είτε
εθελοντικών.Κρίθηκε αναγκαία η διερεύνηση νέων μεθόδων και επιστημονικών
εργαλείων, που θα βοηθούν τους επαγγελματίες να ανταποκρίνονται
αποτελεσματικότερα στην καθημερινή πρακτική τους και οι αποδέκτες θα
αισθάνονται ικανοποίηση από την επαγγελματική κατάρτιση και κατανόηση
που θα λαμβάνουν από τη συνεργασία μαζί τους.
‘Σύγχρονες Έρευνες Παιδοψυχολογίας: Θεωρία και Πρακτικές’ Τόμος Πρακτικών στο πλαίσιο των Προγραμμάτων Ψυχικής και Κοινοτικής Υγείας του Πανεπιστημίου Αιγαίου, 2019
Περίληψη: Οι μεταναστευτικοί ρυθμοί, σε Ευρωπαϊκό επίπεδο, τα τελευταία χρόνια είναι τόσο εντατικ... more Περίληψη:
Οι μεταναστευτικοί ρυθμοί, σε Ευρωπαϊκό επίπεδο, τα τελευταία χρόνια είναι τόσο εντατικοί, που θα μπορούσε κάποιος να ισχυρισθεί ότι εισερχόμαστε στην εποχή, όπου η μετανάστευση γίνεται "το ορατό πρόσωπο της κοινωνικής αλλαγής". Πολιτικές, υπηρεσίες και επαγγελματίες είναι υποχρεωμένοι να αναστοχαστούν τον τρόπο παρέμβασης, να οργανώσουν νέες υπηρεσίες και προγράμματα αλλά και να αναθεωρήσουν υπάρχοντα μοντέλα εργασίας. Το κεφάλαιο αυτό συζητά ευρήματα από μια συνεχιζόμενη μελέτη για την αποτύπωση αποτελεσματικών προσεγγίσεων συμβουλευτικής σε δικαιούχους διεθνούς προστασίας που διαμένουν στην Κύπρο. Η συγκέντρωση των δεδομένων ξεκίνησε το 2014 στο πλαίσιο υποστηρικτικής εποπτείας σε κοινωνικούς λειτουργούς και κλινικούς ψυχολόγους δομών παροχής συμβουλευτικών υπηρεσιών. Η έρευνα ανέδειξε ότι οι σύμβουλοι προσαρμόζουν μια ποικιλία θεραπευτικών μεθόδων στις ανάγκες και στις ιδιαιτερότητες των εξυπηρετούμενων τους στο πλαίσιο της θεραπευτικής σχέσης. Υπάρχοντα μοντέλα χρειάζονται, επίσης, να μελετηθούν εκ βάθρων και να εμπλουτισθούν, ώστε να περιλαμβάνουν διαφορετικές πολιτισμικές και κοινωνικές αξιώσεις.
Λέξεις-κλειδιά: μετανάστευση, προσεγγίσεις συμβουλευτικής, δικαιούχοι διεθνούς προστασίας, Κύπρος.
Abstract:
Migration, at European level, is occurring on a historically unprecedented scale. It has been argued that we are entering a new era – the age of migration – where migration is increasingly “the visible face of social change”. Policies, services and professionals are required to reflect on how to intervene, to organize new services and programs, and to revise existing working models. Τhe chapter discusses findings from an ongoing study on setting up effective counseling approaches for beneficiaries of international protection residing in Cyprus. The collection of data began in 2014 in the context of supportive supervision of social workers and clinical psychologists of advisory services for migrants. Some key findings are that counselors adapt a variety of counselling models to the needs of their clients within the therapeutic relationship. Existing models also need to be studied and enriched to include different cultural and social claims.
TRAINERS’ MANUAL, 2019
The Trainer Manual was developed as part of a project entitled Alliance for Children on the move:... more The Trainer Manual was developed as part of a project entitled
Alliance for Children on the move: Standard Operating Procedures
for Guardians - REC-764244-ASOP4G co-funded by the
European Union’s Rights, Equality and Citizenship Program
(2014-2020). More specifically, this deliverable (D2.5) provides
guidance for the implementation of a three-day Basic Trainer’s
Training, as designed by the transnational ASOP4G Project Team
(D2.3 “Training Module”) and supported by the Standard Procedures
and Guidelines Manual for Guardians (D2.2) which are all
part of the second Project Work Package (WP2) «Developing a
Guardian Training Methodology».
Many people all over the world are prepared to risk arduous land journeys and dangerous sea cross... more Many people all over the world are prepared to risk arduous land journeys and dangerous sea crossings to escape persecution or conflict for
the chance of a new and safe start in a new country. EU has received vast numbers of displaced populations, mainly from Middle East and Africa
due to political changes and wars. The continuous Syrian conflict refuelled the number of applicants for the case of Cyprus. Asylum seekers’
applications as of June 2017 are estimated to be around 3000+. Nevertheless, any improvements on the legislative and integration policies,
the population of asylum seekers still experiences several daily difficulties. For example, difficulties are noticed in accommodation (limited
available space in reception centre or other forms provided by local councils), education (adult learning, language), social services (benefits
and care), regeneration (training, employment, financial exclusion), health (access to medical services) and finally but most importantly, low
access to labour market.
These conditions triggered the initiation of a research study sponsored by UNHCR Cyprus which focused on determining their living conditions.
The overall aim was to develop a roadmap for both the government and policy makers to introduce effective and realistic policy measures for
better integration outcomes.
The empirical part used a mixed research method to gather reliable and valid data. 600 questionnaires were collected to identify the living conditions of adult asylum seekers and reflect their views about the degree of reformation needed; a systematic random sampling approach
was applied to ensure research validity. Qualitative semi-structured interviews (100) were conducted to collect the views of professionals and
representatives of organizations involved in the implementation and monitoring of the asylum and integration process as well as of a sample
of asylum seekers.
On the one hand, the group of asylum seekers expressed their disappointment and anger towards the public services, for delays and
the poverty status they are living in, while they acknowledged the role of individual professionals and NGOs to help them. Non-existent
programmes for education and employment were the most identified difficulties they face. The current voucher system was also heavily
critisised as inefficient and unresponsive. Finally, differences were noticed about the level of integration and interaction with the local
communities. On the other hand, the professionals, while they identified several multi-layered consequences for the local society, stated the
absence of national coherent integration policy and collaboration among the public, voluntary and private sector. They highlighted specific
social and organisational challenges which hinder its further development such as the lack of sustainable integration policies along to the need of suggested of specific educational, housing, employment and integration measures for the State to follow such as quick, fair, and accurate processing of asylum requests, early integration measures, effective provision of information, strong incentives and sanctions to participate inthe workforce, thoughtful location choices, obligatory acquisition of the host country language and many more. However, that is only the first
step in a multifaceted and years-long process of integrating them into society—a responsibility that social workers have also to undertake.
This paper aims to analyse the structural and cultural barriers for women in developing a career ... more This paper aims to analyse the structural and cultural barriers for women in developing a career in the IT. Based on data obtained from women returners who work in both the public and private sectors, the paper illustrates the variations between the two sectors for female professionals and the barriers which constrain their career prospects. This cross-sector comparison enlightens the current literature on women's employment by providing views and experiences as well as recommendations. The study shows that both sectors provide opportunities but simultaneously constrain women's career development in different ways.
Journalism Practice, 2024
(Online) hate speech appears as a growing problem in Greece and Cyprus attributed to prejudices t... more (Online) hate speech appears as a growing problem in Greece and Cyprus attributed to prejudices toward specific groups, the evolution of online media, lack of awareness and of appropriate educational tools to recognize and counter it. Communication professionals and media practitioners produce hate speech content both intentionally, to gain visibility and unintentionally due to their inability to recognize it. This paper presents a study conducted simultaneously for the first time in Greece and Cyprus that explored the issue of (online) hate speech, approaching it in a socio-centric rationale as hate discourse. The issue was researched through a qualitative inquiry with semi-structured interviews and focus groups conducted in Greece and Cyprus. According to the personal and professional perceptions of the public communication experts who participated in our research, hate speech impacts predominantly vulnerable social groups, and the deficiency in legal frameworks in both countries enables rather than combats this pathogenesis. This paper contributes toward a better understanding of hate speech in the two countries and how public communication practitioners perceive and experience it.