PLOES(Astiki Etaireia Psichokoinonikon Meleton) is a Non-Governmental Organization, founded in 1998, by mental health professionals from different scientific sectors and training fields.
It is active in the field of mental health and social inclusion of citizens who belong to vulnerable social groups (mainly people with mental illness, intellectual disability and autism), with the aim of developing programs and structures that respond to their multi-level needs. Now, more than 100 people are employed in all of its facilities. Mental health professionals, social workers, occupational and speech therapists, special education professionals, child psychiatrists, psychologists, are under the umbrella of PLOES.
Our ongoing projects and services are aimed at citizens affected by autism spectrum disorders, mental and psychiatric disabilities, in the urban environment of Piraeus and the surrounding suburbs.
PLOES is committed to tackling social exclusion by enhancing the social and mental well-being of service users: Our services are based on the principles of social psychiatry, which consider mental health and mental challenges as a multi-factorial and complex phenomenon.
It is our strong belief that negative current and future consequences can be limited by using appropriate and effective scientific methods of prevention and intervention. The fundamental principles of all our services and action plans derive from this approach.
To date, our organization has developed self-financed structures and actions in the following areas:
Prevention – in collaboration with the Local Self-Administered Organizations, the Parents’ Association and other social shareholders of the region of Piraeus and suburbs,
Internal Training – emphasizing on training of our professionals on the latest techniques and approaches for effective interventions,
Social Care – by developing Therapeutic Units, Integration Services, Social circles, etc.
Developed actions of intervention and integration: for people with mental disorders, such as the “ΣΧΕΔΙΑ” Social Club.
Our Facilities
PLOES provides services funded by European Social Fund and National Fund resources, such as:
Ostria boarding house: hosting 15 adolescents and adults with autistic spectrum with low functionality and self-service, funded by Athens Regional Authority for two years (2020-2022).
Day Centre: for treating children with autistic spectrum disorders (K.HM.A). (European Social Fund “ΨΥΧΑΡΓΩΣ – PSYHARGOS” having the funding responsibility with National Funds acting as supportive funding (National Ministry of Health and Social Solidarity) up to 2018).
Specialized Centre of Professional Training: for adult disabled people.
Funded by European Social Funds.
Developed actions of intervention and integration: for people with mental disorders, such as the “ΣΧΕΔΙΑ” Social Club.
Diagnostics and Therapeutics Units: for prevention and psychosocial rehabilitation of children and adult mental disorders developmental delays, mental retardation, and other disorders.
Funded by Insurance Organizations, Grants, Donations, etc).
Day Center for Adolescents: to address to young people grew up in institutional places intending to be an open place for cultural and informative interventions to community.
Funded by the National Ministry of Health and Social Solidarity.
Two innovative Adolescent Shelter Facilities: for 12-18 years old children accomplishing the need of transition on a new era, where deinstitutionalization will consist the main approach for social inclusion.
Funded by the National Ministry of Health and Social Solidarity.
Vocational Training, Mental Health named “ΚΑΤΑΡΤΙ”: offers training courses and seminars in dedicated fields of mental health by certified trainers, both for the general population and for those with special needs.
Day Care Centre: for adolescents and adults in the autistic spectrum funded by Athens Regional Authority for three years (2017-2020)
Aided by the financial support of the European Union.
PLOES EPSYME recognises the need of creation of new ideas, as one of the most important and viable ways to surpass the economic crisis. As a result, following actions are taken:
CO-founded of the social enterprise “The garden of hope”, aiming to integrate people with disabilities into the labour market, mainly in the primary sector through the production of agricultural products and various services in cooperation with external partners.
supports the work of social enterprise “ΡΟΤΑ”, based in the western suburbs of Piraeus, which aims at the socialization, prevention and treatment of vulnerable social groups.
Last but not least, PLOES EPSYME has recently created the Research and Development department, thus entering the field of European projects management. We are participating in two projects:
“Easy Cooking” ως εταίρος.
“Easy Cooking” as a partner organisation
Last but not least, E.PSY.ME. a few months now has created a new department, which manages the European projects. We are participating in two projects:
“Easy cooking” as a coordinator of “Margarita”
“Alive and Kicking: program for intellectual disability” as a leader organization.
Our goals are supported by
Panhellenic Association of Professional Footballers
Panhellenic Association of Professional Basketballers
Hellenic Association of Veteran Basketball Players
Baker Master