Groups of teachers in collaboration with local grassroots collectives kicked off solidarity school-tutoring, demanding the use of local schools for this function or holding solidarity classes in local social centres. Departing from the experience of solidarity teaching for second generation migrants and refugees, these schools are self-organized, horizontal and engage parents, students and teachers in decision-making processes, linking also the school with the local community and broader socio-political issues.
More information about solidarity schools and the coordination network here: http://solidarityschools.gr/
Open Lab Athens and Solidarity Schools
OLA members participate actively in the everyday activities of the solidarity school of Mesopotamia (for example through providing English language courses, co-organizing cultural events, participating in assemblies etc.).
Currently we support the network and subsequent solidarity structures and more specifically the solidarity school of Mesopotamia through the configuration and maintenance of the school’s e-class systems (http://mesopotamia-eclass.gr/) and the design of the school’s self-assessment questionnaires. The data collected through these questionnaires are analysed and presented every semester to the school’s public assembly. The data presented informs the school’s next steps and reciprocal actions of the school to the neighbourhood and city of Moschato. Other initiatives involved the co-funding of a two days meeting of solidarity schools in Athens (see video of the event here )
Our engagements with the solidarity schools and the school of Mesopotamia has contributed significantly to our understanding of the operation of solidarity structures in Greece and played an important role for our most recent HCI and solidarity publications.
