Communicates between boats, coast guard and land support. There are other similarly named groups, but this is the one people on Lesvos work with.
/unitedrescueaid
Guidelines for crossing the Aegean, with emergency protocols in many languages
http://alarmphone.org/en/safety-at-sea/
Major camps, services and safe landing spots marked.
/lesrefmap
A Facebook group for discussing next efforts and sharing experiences.
/groups/1052449898161719/
Do you like public speaking? This Facebook group can help you arrange opportunities to talk about your experience.
/groups/1749923628574270/
IRC/Mercy Corps website with info in English / Arabic / Farsi. Covers Serbia, Macedonia, Greece (Athens, Lesvos and Kos). Nicely designed and mobile-friendly. Good internal links to legal details, news, communication tools, etc. Also available as an app.
http://refugee.info
Suggestions for ongoing work at home, with local organizations or through remote support for Greece-based groups.
/helprefugeesfromhome
Lesvos-experienced PR pros' advice for getting the word out.
http://www.bit.ly/lesvolsocialmedia
ICRC's missing-persons team.
http://familylinks.icrc.org
Compiled by PR pros with Lesvos experience--to help you get your message across.
http://www.bit.ly/lesvolpresstalk
Key phrases to help Arabic speakers to communicate with Greeks.
/refphrase
Assembled by the Child Protection Sub-Working Group (CPSWG): NGOs, UN agencies and other partners on Lesvos.
http://rovinggastronome.com/mainblog/files/Kids_work_recs_Greece.pdf
Advisers available via Skype in different languages, depending on the day -- see schedule for days and times. Downloads as PDF. Current as of 8 August 2016.
http://refucomm.com/infopacks/greece-mainland/how-to-apply-for-asylum-relocation-or-family-reunion/skype-schedule/multilingual/greece-mainland_how-to-apply-for-asylum-relocation-or-family-reunion_skype-schedule_MULTILINGUAL.pdf
Collected wisdom and ideas
/lifevestupcycling
Guardian story
http://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2015/nov/26/how-aid-workers-can-stay-healthy-a-psychologists-guide?CMP=share_btn_tw
Giant compilation of phrases in many languages. In a Google Sheet; better used on a laptop than a phone.
http://www.refugeephrasebook.de/basic-conversation/
Excellent compilation of wisdom and resources for maintaining a healthy outlook on Lesvos and after returning home.
/lesvolselfcare2
Link to folder continuing information on the asylum process in (so far) Greece, Germany and Switzerland. Larger PDFs inside. (Current as of February 2016.)
/asyluminfoeurope
Daily updates on the situation, from Turkey up through the Balkans. Also at https://medium.com/.
https://medium.com/
Quick short updates about the situation. Very practical. Multiple languages. From Internews.
https://newsthatmoves.org/en/
For sending international money wires with lower fees. Money earned through this referral link will be donated to refugee efforts.
/trwiseref
Schedule for buses around Mytilene town (including buses to Moria and to the airport). Direct link to a PDF file. In Greek only. Moria schedule is line 15 (weekdays), line 3 (next section, for Saturdays) and line 1 (last section, for Sundays).
http://astika-mitilinis.gr/dromologia_2016.pdf
Guidelines for volunteers and refugees, in English, Arabic, Farsi and Greek.
http://safelyfed.org/resources/
Compiled by w2eu
http://w2eu.info/greece.en/articles/greece-legal.en.html
English language site for buses across the island. This link goes to the interactive schedule page.
http://www.ktel-lesvou.gr/index.php?option=dromologia
Facebook group for discussion
/groups/informationpointforlesvosvolunteers
Illustrated. In color. Prepared by Boat Refugee Foundation.
/hypothermiacprslides
Collected by the Elena organization. List of legal aid groups and other NGOs offering legal support.
/open?id=0Bxi779He2LELYnNQWHFkQVgtWTg
Updated with regular needs. Use Google Translate. Maintained by/RefugeesWelcomeGR/.
/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=z-9ZSW3elwWM.kxE2uqPNsUdQ
General umbrella Facebook group. Ask questions here if you can't find answers at region-specific groups.
/groups/greecevolunteersinfopoint
FB page for ride sharing.
/groups/lesvosridesharing/
Handy photos! Remember: emergency blankets do not *warm* a person; they only keep them from getting colder.
https://bit.ly/lesvolblanket
From the World Health Organization
http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/44647/1/9789241501989_eng.pdf
FB page to share accommodation.
/groups/lesvoshotelsharing/
Learn the difference between mild and severe hypothermia.
/lesvolhypothermia
Updated as frequently as possible. Best to subscribe to the UNHCR newsletter to be sure of getting most current details.
http://rovinggastronome.com/mainblog/files/UNHCR_meetings_Lesvos.pdf
Sheet of common icons for nonverbal communication -- just point! (Different version, simpler, in color: /lesvolcoloricons)
/lesvolicons
News bulletins in Arabic, after the usual Greek news broadcasts on ERT1 (Greek: EPT1) at 16:00, 19:00 and 22:00. Stream online.
http://webtv.ert.gr/ert1/
All the spots on it (shopping, hotels, camps, beaches, etc) are also under 'Places' on this site. Click each point for more info (phone numbers, bus schedules, etc). You can hide layers that aren't necessary, and save the whole thing to your phone (star to save under My Maps).
http://www.bit.ly/lesvolmap
Essential.
http://www.pomocuprchlikum.cz/managing-a-crowd.html
Sign up to receive email bulletins about various topics. (Anyone can sign up--don't be put off by the questions about what organization you're with.)
http://eepurl.com/bxjVDr
Awesome Aegean! Recommended refugee-friendly shops and other services on the islands, and some around Athens and Thessaloniki. Support local business!
http://aegeanshopping.com
With Greek at the bottom.
/volphrasedeutsch
As of October 2016, single best one-stop legal info point for refugees in Greece. Practical bulletins about asylum, relocation and reunification procedures, in Arabic, Farsi, Kurdish, and some in Pashto and Urdu. Pre-registration flowchart from UNHCR is here ("Legal pathways flowchart"), with helpful color-coding. "Preparing for your asylum interview" section, including a long list of questions that may be asked.
http://refucomm.com/greece/
How to safely and effectively distribute food, clothes, etc. Developed for Idomeni but applies anywhere.
/distributiontips
For easiest searching and orientation. All the spots on it are also under 'Places' on this site.
/greececamps
Blog post by Gillian Seely
https://medium.com//10-tips-for-individuals-volunteering-in-a-refugee-camp-3d25652fdd89#.1nb3ez8dn
Higher waves, fewer boats...usually.
http://forecast.uoa.gr/gmap/image/wave_europe.php?latlon=39.429994%2C26.273023
Coordinate with the group you're working with to add signature and registered charity/NGO letterhead, then file with your airline.
/luggageletter
With a bit of Greek at the bottom!
/volphrase
Dispelling rumors, one at a time. The newsletter is circulated weekly, on Fridays. Farsi: https://newsthatmoves.org/fa/category/rumours/ Arabic: https://newsthatmoves.org/ar/category/rumours/ Greek: https://newsthatmoves.org/el/category/rumours/ Email subscription at http://eepurl.com/bMT3L5 .
https://newsthatmoves.org/en/category/rumours/
Some sites require this; others don't. Confirm with the group you will be working with.
/file/d/0B93aaV0tX2RISVNudXI5SFcyNkE/view
Public folder for all signs, phrase lists and other tools for communicating with refugees. (Most developed on the island of Lesvos, so some are very location-specific.)
/lesvolcommunications
Numbers are based on police reports, largely from number of people *registered* (not necessarily arrived).
http://data.unhcr.org/mediterranean/country.php?id=83
Print for use in warehouses, or when preparing donations to send. Designed by Cyril Romann.
http://www.bit.ly/lesvollabels
Developed by Stichting Bootvluchteling and UNHCR -- the best procedure for calm and safety.
/lesvolboatlanding
Police registration for groups and individual volunteers is required, and can be done via email before you arrive, or at the Ministry of the Aegean in person. **If link is not working (site goes down periodically), the form is here: /lesvolregistration Return to **
http://www.ypai.gr/site/home/Basic+Menu/Volunteer_registration_forms.csp
Want to volunteer on Lesvos? This is all the information you need to get started--and plenty more after that.
http://www.bit.ly/voldoc
Best practices. Every volunteer should read these. Links to the main Lesvos info doc.
/document/d/1fhy55KRvfXG3PDj2oUKt9Agi58spQUH4vebA4S9_shc/edit#heading=h.bd29mzf3flad
What to say to claim asylum in Greece. Note that this guide is somewhat out of date--it was *not* written for the current situation, and is not totally accurate in some spots. But for an overview, and in the absence of other details, it is a helpful starting point.
http://asylo.gov.gr/en/?page_id=99
Basic info to get started, with brief profiles of camps and lists of which camps need which language skills.
http://www.bit.ly/howtovolunteeringreece
Facebook group where volunteers on the ground can request one-off donations from people at home, to buy supplies for refugees.
/groups/reimbursementsforrefugees
Dig down for lots of maps and reports.
http://data.unhcr.org/mediterranean/regional.php
Good overview of what to expect as a volunteer -- mental prep, rather than logistical. Compiled by Campfire Innovation.
/RefugeeRealityCheck
In-depth analysis of the refugee situation, following the model of Syria Deeply.
/refugeesdeeply/
Compiled documents for Athens volunteers. Please read first if you are headed to Athens.
Facebook group with a pool of translators available to help with projects in many languages.
/groups/967662446627830
How to calm down a volatile situation, how to soothe angry people.
/open?id=0B5eHzYChsokiWFpoTjNZSnViRFU
This main document provides all the basic info for volunteering at Katsika.
/katsikavoldoc
Facebook group for coordination
/groups/499191100288450
Facebook group for coordination.
/groups/infopointforidomenivolunteers/
Facebook group for coordination.
/groups/204202716585823/
Facebook group for sharing information in Spanish for volunteers
/bienvenidosrefugiadosgrecia
Facebook group for coordinating placement of people with medical skills.
/groups/135609506795670/
For registration of *groups*, via the ministry in Thessaloniki
/REGIORG
Facebook for sharing rooms and rides in Thessaloniki and around (formerly for Idomeni area only)
/groups/1733037613592266/
Basic orientation document, with work tips and more.
/northgreecevoldoc
Thessaloniki and northern camps and services. *For general orientation only. For the most current collection of pins, see the Places directory on this site.*
/northgreecevolmap
collected by Anastasia Shepherd For a list of all shopping pins in Athens (dynamic, on this site), see www.bit.ly/GVAthensShopPins, then click 'show results on map' to create a Google Map.
/notes/anastasia-shepherd/sources-for-buying-aid-for-refugees-in-athens/10153994615186997
/groups/1637579959839129/
main coordinating group on Chios
/groups/421759534684819/
Facebook community/page.
/LifeafterLesvos/
In the Lesvos volunteer doc, a detailed packing list (some items are just for winter).
/document/d/1fhy55KRvfXG3PDj2oUKt9Agi58spQUH4vebA4S9_shc/edit#heading=h.eblfgs6gcwa1
info doc with orientation for volunteers
/document/d/1DhWnKfWb39qt22A0WkJrbySJb4b9YzjIT_au2ti2vW4/mobilebasic?pli=1
From this site: all Chios map pins on a Google Map.
https://greecevol.info/map.show.html?type=place&SQL=SELECT+%2A++FROM+%60places%60+WHERE+++%28+%28places.ID+in+%28SELECT+tableID+from+tags_table+where+%60table%60+%3D+%27places%27+and+tagID+%3D+14%29+%29+%29++order+by+timestamp+desc+%3B
Sign-up sheet for volunteering on Chios
/forms/d/16QtQn9EBx7o1O_ixq-lvWKAZO2yVF8l4dUkhCi4VtKI/viewform?c=0&w=1
Collection of PDFs listing organizations providing support, in a variety of categories (food, Greek language lessons, psychological support, accommodation, education, legal and medical support). Allegedly in multiple languages, but currently (mid-July 2016) seeing only English. All info was collected April-June; not certain of plans to keep updated.
http://refugees.gr/en1/2016/06/30/social-benefits/
What refugees are discussing -- good way of seeing current problems, issues, concerns at camps. Also available in Greek: https://newsthatmoves.org/el/category/in-the-loop/ Subscribe: http://eepurl.com/b71Bar
https://newsthatmoves.org/en/category/in-the-loop/
Maintained by Bienvenidos Refugiados en Grecia.
/spanishdoc
In addition to the Volunteers Needed listings here on the site, also search the Teams directory by 'medical / health care.' And join and post in the Facebook group Medics for Greece, /groups/135609506795670/
Speakers of Arabic, Farsi, Kurdish, Urdu and more are needed all over. Many of the camps are a majority of one nationality. Please see www.bit.ly/howtovolunteeringreece (work by skill set) for a chart of camps organized by majority language. Also of course see the Volunteers Needed section of this site for specific calls (check the 'language' box when searching) and search the Teams directory for other organisations that need translators but which may not be actively recruiting.
www.bit.ly/howtovolunteeringreece
Short answer: yes. As for where...it's hard to say in advance, as the situation changes frequently. Please prep by reading /howtovolunteeringreece. You can safely commit to buying a ticket to either Athens or Thessaloniki, then adding on tickets to specific destinations later. Reach out to various organizations, but understand that administrative support is limited, and you may not get a response immediately if your planned trip date is more than a few weeks away. It's stressful, we know...but trust that plans will fall into place and you will be useful in the end.
There are so many talented volunteers with great skills--but very few admins, and no one with the capacity to sift through a huge list of volunteers and their skills and trip dates.* This is why we leave it up to you to read the Volunteers Needed listings and browse the Teams directory to see what groups are working where, and decide which might be a good fit for you. (*Group coordinators: We don't mean to underestimate you; we're just basing this on past experience. If a volunteer database would be useful to you, please let us know: .)
Collected wisdom from the Immigrant and Refugee Support Group in Athens on Facebook.
/open?id=0B5eHzYChsokic012ZzFWLW5FQk0
Dynamic list of all Athens pins from this site. Click 'show results on map' to see a Google Map.
https://greecevol.info/map.show.html?type=place&SQL=SELECT+%2A++FROM+%60places%60+WHERE+++%28+%28places.ID+in+%28SELECT+tableID+from+tags_table+where+%60table%60+%3D+%27places%27+and+tagID+%3D+16%29+%29+%29++order+by+timestamp+desc+%3B
All pins from this site in Western Greece on a Google Map.
https://greecevol.info/map.show.html?type=place&SQL=SELECT+%2A++FROM+%60places%60+WHERE+++%28+%28places.ID+in+%28SELECT+tableID+from+tags_table+where+%60table%60+%3D+%27places%27+and+tagID+%3D+33%29+%29+%29++order+by+timestamp+desc+%3B
From this site: dynamic Google Map of all Lesvos shopping locations
From this very site: all Athens shopping pins in Athens, on a Google Map.
/GVAthensShopMap
From this site: all northern Greece shops on a Google Map.
Compiled by major aid agencies with guidelines for volunteers to provide mental-health support to refugees. Provides "advice on protecting and supporting the mental health and psychosocial wellbeing of refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants in Europe. It describes key principles and appropriate interventions." Link leads to website with links to a downloadable report in numerous languages (English, Arabic, Croatian, German, Greek, French, Italian, Portuguese, Slovenian, Spanish). Click further to download PDF.
/greecerefmentalhealth
Yes, definitely! This whole response has been driven by regular people with energy and time to commit. See the "volunteer starter kit" page on this site, particularly the main Google doc.
https://greecevol.info/charts.php
Facebook group for coordinating room / hotel sharing and arranging rides and rental-car shares.
/groups/1733037613592266/
Click over for a one-page feed of organisations working on Lesvos. (Not totally up-to-date. --Sept 6, 2016.)
https://greecevol.info/greece-islands-lesvos.php
Click over for a one-page feed of organisations working on all the island *except* Lesvos.
https://greecevol.info/greece-islands-other.php
Click for one-page feed of major organisations working in central Greece (Athens and beyond).
https://greecevol.info/greece-mainland-central.php
Click over for a one-page feed of the organisations working around Thessaloniki and into eastern Greece.
https://greecevol.info/greece-mainland-north-east.php
Click over for a one-page feed of groups working in western Greece and in the Peloponnese.
https://greecevol.info/greece-mainland-west.php
This disinformation and propaganda on Syria takes three distinct forms. The first is the demonization of the Syrian leadership. The second is the romanticization of the opposition. The third form involves attacking anyone questioning the preceding characterizations. [posted by Thierry]
http://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2016/09/10/dissecting-propaganda-syria.html
What is the Syrian death toll now? 400,000? Less? More? [posted by Thierry]
http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/05/26/the-death-toll-in-syria-what-do-the-numbers-really-say/
In Greek, English, Arabic, Dari
http://asylo.gov.gr/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/nisia.pdf
refugee-produced reports التحدث عن معاناة الاجئيين
/1992mahmoudabdulrhim/
"Boring and nerdy" -- you were warned :) -- "but a really reliable informative look into the problems surrounding relocation, how it's progressing and how the Greek Asylum Service is functioning behind the scenes."
http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/what-we-do/policies/european-agenda-migration/proposal-implementation-package/docs/20160928/sixth_report_on_relocation_and_resettlement_en.pdf
For refugees who don't read, RefuComm maintains this helpful collection of videos. Always expanding!
/channel/UCgxoiWtizRFBdJhInUeNllw
Translators on call via video.
https://www.vento.tv
Find your appointment time using your registration number. If that fails, consult the entire list of appointments, through April 2017, sorted by registration number: /greeceapptlist
https://search.rescueapp.org
Set aside a little time to read this gorgeous essay--it's about a lot of things, but very key are her details about how individual experience gets flattened in news coverage in translation. [posted by Zora]
http://lithub.com/war-in-translation-giving-voice-to-the-women-of-syria/
A central player of the region is mostly overlooked. With a $30 Billion arms budget and US/UK backing, Saudi Arabia plays a key role in destabilising its neighbours.
https://theintercept.com/2016/10/10/u-s-and-u-k-continue-to-actively-participate-in-saudi-war-crimes-targeting-of-yemeni-civilians/
City bus app (download for Android, iOS, Windows) is highly recommended.
http://oasth.gr/
For buses from Thessaloniki to surrounding towns
http://www.ktelmacedonia.gr/en/routes/tid=21
Compiled by Sumita Shah. Instructions for (highly recommended) procedure of getting official clearance to work with children.
/open?id=0B5eHzYChsokiX2xFSmZNVnlFanM
The United States destabilized Yemen with a massive killing spree known as a “drone war.” The United States armed Saudi Arabia to bomb Yemen with jets, supplied the jets, supplied the bombs (and cluster bombs), refueled the jets midair, provided the targeting information, provided the cover at the United Nations, and deployed its ships to the coast of Yemen as part of its effort to achieve U.S./Saudi power in Yemen through mass murder and devastation. If one group or another or nobody in Yemen fired some harmless shots at a U.S. ship the outcome is the same: zero legal or moral or practical justification to continue or escalate the killing, and zero logic in calling such escalation “defensive.”
https://zcomm.org/znetarticle/will-the-gulf-of-tonkin-fit-into-the-red-sea/
Robert Fisk on the motives behind the invasion of Mosul Syria’s army and Hezbollah and Iranian allies are preparing for a massive invasion by thousands of Isis fighters who will be driven out of Iraq when Mosul falls. The real purpose behind the much-trumpeted US-planned “liberation” of the Iraqi city, the Syrian military suspect, is to swamp Syria with the hordes of Isis fighters who will flee their Iraqi capital in favour of their “mini-capital” of Raqqa inside Syria itself.
https://zcomm.org/znetarticle/when-mosul-falls-isis-will-flee-to-the-safety-of-syria-but-what-then/
Facebook group for coordinating hotel and room shares and transport.
/groups/236125173408995/
Right here on this very site.
https://greecevol.info/notes.list.php?tagID=1
Arabic: http://w2eu.info/greece.ar.html Farsi: http://w2eu.info/greece.fa.html PDFs in all languages: http://w2eu.info/greece.en/articles/greece-guide.en.html This guide includes a whole chapter on the special situation on the islands for all refugees arrived since March 20, 2016, in addition to a larger section for those on the mainland, plus detailed information on family reunification and relocation, plus a lot of useful contacts mainly in Athens and Thessaloniki.
http://w2eu.info/greece.en.html
Monitors treatment of refugees forcibly returned to Turkey. Contact for legal support if needed; click 'contact form' for link to secure browser form.
https://returnwatch.org/contact
Google Drive of materials for teaching English and German materials, courtesy of No Border School. Includes Farsi-English and Arabic-English materials.
/drive/u/0/folders/0B4sZFhP0vZp-UktCOTdIaU56dk0
App for coordinating aid shipments.
http://aidlogistics.charity-apps.net/
Open-source tool for managing warehouse stock
http://charity-apps.net/social-warehouse
See this post on FB for instructions on how to join various WhatsApp groups (including translation ones)
/GreeceVolWhatsApp
Site that compares money transfer. Not tested.
https://www.monito.com
Link to Facebook post listing major organizations and help centers in Athens. Many are also listed in the Places directory on this site (search 'LGBT').
In English, Arabic and Farsi. Prevent fires!
http://advocatesabroad.org/safety
FB page where Lesvos boat arrivals are posted. (May not be totally complete.)
/pg/boatreportlesvos
This article is the first in a two-part series of one Western journalist’s journey to Aleppo, a city ravaged by an insurgency supported by the United States, NATO member states, and their allies in the Gulf states and Israel.
http://www.mintpressnews.com/journey-to-aleppo-exposing-the-truth-buried-under-nato-propaganda/220563/
New information and Co-ordination Group for Athens assisting: 1) volunteers on the ground with guidance, hints and tips on volunteering in Athens 2) new and existing volunteers with information on where to volunteer in Athens and surrounding areas 3) with distribution to squats, camps and shelters from Ellinikon Warehouse and other major suppliers/donors in Athens. 4) providing information, help and support to individuals and organisations to connect vulnerable refugees with housing and other urgent and immediate needs (such as access to shelters, food, clothing, medical, psychological, lgbtq support)
/groups/AthensVolunteersInformation/
Refugee-staffed call center, based in Thessaloniki.
(Mon - Fri 10.00 - 16.00)
FacebooK:
Updated weekly. Generally matches UNHCR numbers. Map also shows which medical teams are working where.
Caveats:
--camp locations are imprecise (don't use for navigation; use pins here in Places directory or www.bit.ly/greececamps).
--individual camp populations are not necessarily up to date; every camp does not report every week (applies to UNHCR data too).
--total population listed here does not include people in apartments, etc. For total refugee population in Greece, see UNHCR numbers (copied to www.bit.ly/campsmapsheet).
Spreadsheet (feeds to map at www.bit.ly/campsmap) showing population numbers, copied from weekly "summary statement of refugee flows." Easier than finding on Greek government site or digging through UNHCR site. Note that not all camps report every week, so data on specific camps may not be accurate at any given time.
If you need regular transportation from Thessaloniki city center/ to nearby camps, safe and quick by car, just drop me line. - Can host 1-3 people for car. Only for fuel cost :)
whatsupp/viber: (upon request and availability)
Facebook group for organizing aid shipments to Greece. Join if you will be sending large amounts.
From this very site: all warehouses in the Places directory, pinned on a map.
Map of the days and locations of the street markets ("Laiki") where affordable prices for fruits and vegetables can be found, especially later in the day (2-4 pm) when stands are starting to close.
Also has dairy vending machines and supermarkets.