Opening the door to recognition

Counseling, as a task and a procedure, aims at enhancing the self- understanding of individuals, the establishment of values and selection criteria, the realization of their own competences and weaknesses without any interference and the principle of free choice among the variety of available alternatives.

Consultation is provided through an examination of the individual’s problems, which mainly depends on the close co-operation between the individual and the counselor. The provision of such services is usually indirect, based on the study and analysis of the individual’s interpersonal relationships. That means that consultation services avoid the direct provision of specific advice, recommendations and proposals. Contrary, they seek the active involvement of the individual as well as the activation of his/ her available resources, not always effectively utilized in the past, in order to overcome the problems and difficulties that they encounter.

KMOP provides consultation services in Perama, in Piraeus –Greater Athens- and in Thessaloniki. In Perama, KMOP’s social service has been operating continuously since 1978, in Thessaloniki since 2007, and in Piraeus since July 2008. In the past, KMOP operated social services in Athens and Grevena as well.

KMOP’s social services provide individual and group counseling. In the former, the counselor draws up an individualized approach which promotes the social adjustment -integration of the person, while in the latter, the members of the group are encouraged to jointly reach their goals through the understanding of their common problems. At the same time, the recognition of the common goals promotes a greater self-discipline and self-commitment for their realization.

Consultation is usually delivered by social workers and psychologists, while in many cases other specialized staff members are involved, as occupational therapists, special educators, legal practitioners and economists. The advisory services of KMOP mainly target disadvantaged groups, individuals facing financial, social, professional or personal problems and children at risk of social exclusion or illiteracy.

In addition, KMOP provides ad hoc counseling to unemployed people or individuals who risk unemployment, persons with mental disorders and children. KMOP’s accumulated knowledge and experience in vocational counseling, aiming at improving the employability condition of an individual, is presented in the corresponding section. Counseling services addressing the needs of mentally ill people, in particular in terms of social integration, are provided through the mental health centers of KMOP, principally in the context of the Ariadne Day Care Center. Finally, KMOP’s services provide ad hoc counseling to youngsters, mainly through the Social Service of Perama. In 1999 the social service of Perama initiated the program “Prevention of dropping out of school”, targeting children between 12- 15 years old, which is still running.