The Schoolbox Project

The Schoolbox Project is a 501c3 organization that provides mobile, trauma informed education, art and play to children in refugee camps throughout Greece. Our volunteers come from around the world to go through our specialized training on how to work with children who have been through trauma and are now living in a camp environment. As a committed member of on the ground, anti-trafficking and protection team efforts, we train our volunteers to be watchdogs for vulnerable children and unaccompanied minors that may otherwise slip through the cracks. The Schoolbox Project operates out of converted shipping containers that can be solar powered and can be set up or relocated in just one day.

Each Schoolbox is:

** An art and play program- rotating crafts and art projects for children who have little opportunity for creativity and emotional expression during an extended time of trauma. Quieting, reflective and nature-inspired activities are emphasized to provide balance to the steady diet of "sensory junk food" regularly available to children in refugee camps.

** A schoolhouse- the space allows for organization and structure of instruction based on division of age and languages spoken. Regular, daily and weekly volunteer teachers provide language and other lessons, always through a lens of gentle, trauma informed care.

** A mother+baby safe space- designated hours before and after school for mothers with babies is an opportunity to provide a sense of community as well as to provide culturally sensitive care to women/mothers.

** A solar powered charging and wifi zone (where needed)- one of the greatest needs after food, water and shelter at these camps is for communication and access to information.

Location:

*We currently located in Andravida at LM village, which is on the West coast about 4/5 hours from Athens. 

Needs:

• We are looking for volunteers who have experience working with children - this is essential, and  ideally with a background either in psychology or education. Teaching experience is essential. However, we train every volunteer in the basics re providing trauma-informed care. Volunteers must agree with our ethics, which includes a strict no-photo policy, and commit to abiding to the key principles of trauma-informed care naimly: safety, trust, collabortation, empowerment and choice.

• To enable us to provide consistent quality of care to the children we serve we ask for a minimum commitment of 4 weeks from our volunteers. We understand that this cannot always be possible, so in certain circumstances we are able to accept volunteers for a shorter period of time. 

• Volunteers must be aged 23 or older, as our work is inside LM camp and is very emotionally demanding.