Culture and Sports Youth Centre K.N.A.P. “Hermes”

 

K.N.A.P.“Hermes” is a non-profit organization located in Gastouni in the area of Western Peloponnese in Greece and was founded in 2015 by three active citizens who live in the greater area: Mrs. Leila El Alaoui – Kladi, K.N.A.P.“Hermes” Director is a French Language Professor and a Mobility expert, Mrs. Lina Yannopoulou, K.N.A.P. “Hermes” Executive Director & Events Coordinator is a French and English Language Teacher and a Film Producer and Mr. Dimitris Kladis, Financing and Administration Manager is a retired entrepreneur.

 

The spirit of the creation of this organization is to give hope and motivation to young Greeks as well as to migrants, refugees, Roma and young people in difficulty, realizing joint activities in various fields of Youth - Mobility - Sport and Culture. These multi-ethnic solidarity activities enable young audiences out of their torpor and despair of being unemployed.

 

We believe that all young people, regardless of circumstance, ability or background should have the opportunity to realize their true potential. Our aim is to fervently support the growth and development of young people by strengthening the quality and increasing the availability of experiences offered to them. Young people can grow and develop through powerful, sustained and joyful experiences.

We believe - and our past experience with our students and European youth mobility exchanges proves it—that certain experiences like engaging activities, opportunities to make a difference to others, and continuity of support in every setting in which they live, work, and study help young people to develop fully and successfully. That kind of approach is the basis of our vision and shapes our work since our foundation less than a year ago.Being involved in the activities of youth organizations, a young person acquires communication skills, self-confidence, planning and implementation skills, ability to assess efficiency and quality, cooperate with other people and organizations, as well as combine different interests.

 

We are creating partnerships with community and regional organizations all over Peloponnese, schools, State Organizations and International Youth Organizations in order to create programs, to train people on Youth field and develop sustainable opportunities that will enable young people to transit successfully to adulthood.

Our target group is young people aged 15-35 and professionals involved in the youth field.

 

Our mission is to attend to and satisfy common needs and interests of young people, as well as to fight social discrimination, to foster civic responsibility, equality and, to carry out informal education, to organize employment, sport, tourism, cultural and professional activities based amongst others on sustainable development principles, to promote international co-operation between youngsters, to foster voluntary youth work both in local, regional and international level.

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Our vision is to empowercross – cultural European internship and volunteer exchange experiences with a focus to empower young people towards a positive impact on society.

 

K.N.A.P. “Hermes” activities involve the implementation of European programs for youth and the organization of seminars, workshops, conferences and round table discussions, training courses – both on national and international level- cultural, educational and environmental activities, mobility exchanges and projects that will be carried out partly by volunteers.

 

We are in the process of creating and ensuring partnerships with Greek and European organizations and public bodies, such as CEMEA Aquitaine-Limousin-Poitou Charentes, CEMEA France, INFA France, INSUP Bordeaux, CCI France, MFR France, IRTS Aquitaine, OFAJ (dfjw.org), Naunynritze Kinder-Jugend und Kulturzentrum in Berlin, Gangway.de in Berlin, School Clash in Berlin, LOK.a.Motion GmbH in Berlin, Agiantza in Bilbao, EDRA in Athens and K.A.N.E. in Kalamata.