Today, Greece is ranked first on youth unemployment both in the EU and the OECD rankings, with almost 1 in every two 18-30 year olds in Greece unemployed, forced to put their dreams on indefinite hold.
We believe that empowering our youth not only ensures our society’s future, it enables our most passionate change agents to foster innovation, openness and learning. We created “Desmos for Youth” as a testament to the capabilities of young people living in Greece today and the amazing accomplishments they can achieve, when given the opportunity to work!
Fulfilling our role as society’s hub, we wanted to connect youth employment with a common challenge among charitable organization: lack of funding for competent human resources. With “Desmos for Youth” we fund unique employment positions at charitable organizations for unemployed youths with three goals: to help youths gain significant professional experience, to help organizations build their capacity and develop their work, and ultimately, to help maximize their social and humanitarian impact.
In the program’s fifth year, we are overwhelmed with pride when witnessing how Desmos for Youth has changed the lives of its young participants, the charitable organizations for which they work, and the lives of every single person they support through their work across Greece. For the majority of youths their employment through Desmos for Youth is their first job, and for many organizations the youth hired through the program is their first employee.
“The “Desmos for Youth” program has changed my life. Desmos inspires me and I feel very lucky to have participated in the program!”- Marilena Kakkou, “Desmos for Youth” participant, Educational Programs Manager, Organization Earth
Since 2015 through “Desmos for Youth” we have been able to create 51 diverse high-impact jobs all over covering not only a wide geographical range, but also a wide range of professions, specialties and areas of impact, seeing the multiplier effect of the program from early on. For each youth participating in the “Desmos for Youth” program and covering a job opening, tens and even thousands of vulnerable people were further supported through their work!
Up to date, over 100,000 individuals from over 20 locations across Greece have received crucial support exclusively thanks to the youths employed through the “Desmos for Youth” program, while organizations report great confidence in the enrichment of their operation and youths have gained significant professional experience and financial independence and stability.
