{"id":2879,"date":"2026-02-01T21:07:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-01T19:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tandem-org.gr\/?p=2879"},"modified":"2026-04-15T01:08:29","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T22:08:29","slug":"institutions-are-not-the-solution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tandem-org.gr\/en\/institutions-are-not-the-solution\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cInstitutions Are Not the Solution\u201d – Points of Support Programme"},"content":{"rendered":"


<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

According to research, children who grow up in institutions face serious challenges on multiple levels: lower IQ scores, delayed psychomotor development, attachment disorders, and impaired brain development.<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition, they experience inadequate nutrition, insufficient medical and psychological care, and limited educational support. They often face learning difficulties, social isolation, stigma, and are highly vulnerable to abuse.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

The consequences are shocking: they are <\/span>10 times more likely<\/b> to be involved in prostitution, <\/span>40 times more likely<\/b> to acquire a criminal record, and <\/span>500 times more likely<\/b> to attempt suicide in adulthood.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In Greece, placing children in institutions remains the primary response when children are removed from their families. Young people who grow up in these environments lack essential skills for independent living in community-based settings and for entering the labour market. They remain \u201cinvisible\u201d to society, while a lack of awareness fuels prejudice and exclusion. Institutions\u2014especially for children and young people with disabilities\u2014often function as abusive environments that violate fundamental human rights. <\/span>Deinstitutionalization is therefore an urgent necessity.<\/b>
\n<\/b>(Source: Special Report of the Greek Ombudsman for Children\u2019s Rights;<\/span> www.wearelumos.org<\/span><\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n

The program <\/span>\u201cInstitutions Are Not the Solution\u201d<\/b> actively promotes deinstitutionalisation through a set of targeted, people-centred actions.<\/span><\/p>\n

It empowers young people with disabilities living at <\/span>P.A.A.P.A.B. (formerly PIKPA Voula)<\/b> by developing critical life and social skills (soft skills), enabling them to build autonomy and prepare for independent living outside institutions.<\/span><\/p>\n

The program provides <\/span>specialised, individualised career counselling services<\/b> to five young residents, strengthening their self-confidence, decision-making abilities, and life planning.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n

At the same time, it enhances the <\/span>visibility and social participation<\/b> of young people with disabilities through weekly outings, activities outside the institution, and meaningful interaction with the local community.<\/span><\/p>\n

As part of its public awareness efforts, the program produces <\/span>eight podcasts featuring life stories<\/b> of people who have lived in institutions or have been involved with them as foster parents or volunteers. These narratives highlight the real impact of institutional life and challenge deeply rooted stereotypes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"Photo designed by<\/span><\/i> www.freepik.com<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n

\n

Finally, the program <\/span>mobilises society<\/b> through a petition calling for the establishment of a <\/span>World Deinstitutionalisation Day<\/b>, strengthening public dialogue and advocacy for change.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\ud83d\udce2\" <\/span>Our online campaign is launching soon \u2014 stay tuned!<\/b>
\n<\/b>Your support is invaluable. Together, we can prove that institutions are not the solution.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\"\ud83c\udf08\"<\/span>Because the life outside the institution should not be a privilege \u2014 but a right.<\/b><\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

\"\" The program is funded by the <\/span>John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation<\/span><\/a> <\/span><\/p>\n

within the framework of the <\/span>\u03a3\u03b7\u03bc\u03b5\u03af\u03b1 \u03a3\u03c4\u03ae\u03c1\u03b9\u03be\u03b7\u03c2 – Points of Support program<\/span><\/a>, <\/span><\/p>\n

which is co-funded by 10 charitable organisations.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3093,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[97,98],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2879","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-deinstitutionalization","category-points-of-support"],"yoast_head":"\n\u201cInstitutions Are Not the Solution\u201d – Points of Support Programme - TANDEM NGO<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/tandem-org.gr\/en\/institutions-are-not-the-solution\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\u201cInstitutions Are Not the Solution\u201d – Points of Support Programme - TANDEM NGO\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/tandem-org.gr\/en\/institutions-are-not-the-solution\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"TANDEM NGO\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-02-01T19:07:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-14T22:08:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/tandem-org.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/25_0-1-1200x1600-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"900\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Katerina Sarantidou\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Katerina Sarantidou\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tandem-org.gr\\\/en\\\/institutions-are-not-the-solution\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tandem-org.gr\\\/en\\\/institutions-are-not-the-solution\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Katerina Sarantidou\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tandem-org.gr\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/52095c55125caf09a9682409138e0ab7\"},\"headline\":\"\u201cInstitutions Are Not the Solution\u201d – Points of Support Programme\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-02-01T19:07:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-14T22:08:29+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tandem-org.gr\\\/en\\\/institutions-are-not-the-solution\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":543,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tandem-org.gr\\\/en\\\/institutions-are-not-the-solution\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tandem-org.gr\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/25_0-1-1200x1600-1.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Deinstitutionalization\",\"Points of Support\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/tandem-org.gr\\\/en\\\/institutions-are-not-the-solution\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tandem-org.gr\\\/en\\\/institutions-are-not-the-solution\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tandem-org.gr\\\/en\\\/institutions-are-not-the-solution\\\/\",\"name\":\"\u201cInstitutions Are Not the Solution\u201d – Points of Support Programme - 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