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Faros is very pleased to announce the opening of a new non-formal school for refugee and migrant teenagers. This initiative addresses the unique challenges this group faces, assisting them in integrating successfully into the education system and Greek society.

Situated in central Athens in a 700-square-meter facility, the school is primed to offer an enriching learning environment with eight fully equipped classrooms, including a state-of-the-art computer lab, a maker space, and a spacious recreational area.

Tailored specifically to the needs of its students, the curriculum encompasses core subjects such as Greek as a foreign language, English, math, and science, alongside technical classes and digital literacy training. Notably, the "Design Your Future" (DYF) course, developed in partnership with MIT D-Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is designed to cultivate creative thinking, innovation, and entrepreneurial skills.

Faros' Co-founder and Director, Patricia Kirk-Biswas, says, "Through education, we wish to unleash the potential of refugee and migrant teenagers and give them the best foundation to integrate into Greek society. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to The Villum Foundation and the King Baudouin Foundation for their invaluable support in making this vision a reality".

Program Director Agi Csonka from The Villum Foundation stated, "We seek to enable young people in Europe to become front runners in the digital and green transitions, and we support social inclusion of at-risk youth and refugee and migrant teenagers. We are indeed proud to support Faros and their amazing efforts when it comes to empower and motivate young people to become self-reliant citizens”.

The General Secretariat for Vulnerable Persons and Institutional Protection under the Ministry of Migration and Asylum has cooperated closely with Faros for the past years and expressed its support for this initiative. Head of the Unit for Integration and Support of Unaccompanied Minors, Dr. Gelly Aroni, stated, “Faros non-formal school acts as a transition tool and a complement to the successful integration of young refugees and migrants into the formal education system. It provides diversity and flexibility in its educational content and delivery methods to meet the students’ specific needs in an active learning environment”.

Faros' non-formal school represents a collaborative effort, offering essential education and empowerment to refugee and migrant teens with the goal of creating a brighter future for them.

Faros' non-formal school is supported by The Villum Foundation and the King Baudouin Foundation and operates in collaboration with MIT D-Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Ministry for Migration and Asylum.