Organizations database

Aetoi Thessalonikis

The main objectives of AETOI Thessalonikis (AETOI) is supporting people with disabilities. Our organization works directly with about 70 children and adults with disabilities, together for the common goals of social participation and inclusion. AETOI is one of the two non public organizations in Greece that have the accreditation by the Greek Ministry of Culture and Sports to develop and implement “Sports for all” programs and one the few (organisations) certified as “body of Sports, Tourism and Alternative Activities of Sports Recreation and Training”. The permanent staff of our organization are the physical trainers, and we have external collaborators such as doctors, psychologists, social workers, IT specialists etc. Besides the managing board, several people are offering their voluntary work. Our goal for our staff is to get acquainted with further informal and non-formal educational techniques and to improve their techniques for promoting volunteering, supporting athletes and social inclusion. Therefore, our activities are divided in three sectors:
1. Sports: AETOI is operating “sport for all” teams (3 in athletics, 2 in basketball, 1 in swimming, 1 in boccia, and 1 in table tennis) with 50-60 athletes participating in those teams, while our more than 10 elite athletes (world level) are training individually with their coaches. Annually, all our athletes participate in the national championships and the best also participate at international level as members of the Greek National Team. In 2017, 2018 and 2019, AETOI was the club with the most athletes in the national championships among about 80 athletic clubs for disabled. In addition, as part of our dissemination strategy, our club annually organizes a basketball tournament for special education schools.
2. Educational/European programs: AETOI occasionally participates and develops educational programs for people with disabilities as a part of their overall education. Moreover, the staff, the board, and the athletes participate in several European programs such as Erasmus+. The common place of all EU programs that AETOI participate in is disability and vulnerable groups in generally.
3. Training programs and actions: AETOI organizes/participates in seminars and conferences for professionals connected to sports disability and disability in general. In addition, we accept and guide/mentor students from universities that are willing to have an internship/practice in our structures. Occasionally, AETOI organizes/participates in actions that promote the goals of the organization.