Paperwork, patience and Crafting Careers

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At ANKAA we offer free educational courses to anyone who wants to learn. We strongly believe in education being openly accessible and we therefore have only one prerequisite for potential students - that they are motivated. The courses not only aim to teach a new skill or language, but also to build confidence, to create a community.

In May 2023 we piloted the “Crafting Careers” program, an intense 9 week tailoring course with an added goal of preparing students for the fashion and garment production sector in Greece. Seeing the success of the program and the number of people who wanted to enter this sector we decided to add another component: offering graduates internships in our own tailoring lab. This would not only serve as a practical experience and an addition to the graduates’ CV, but would also be an opportunity for students to obtain all necessary paperwork in order to apply for jobs anywhere else. Many of our students are in fact from the migrant/refugee community and have not been able to get these documents. We were so excited about this idea, offering internships is simple in theory and yet so vital for people to be able to work.

we strongly believe in education being openly accessible [...]

Moreover, at ANKAA we stand for ethical working conditions and offering a short experience to our students would hopefully highlight what that term means in practice. The most  broadly acknowledged definition of it is likely grounded in the framework established by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the UN body that is devoted to promoting social justice and internationally recognized human and labor rights. It encompasses principles such as Respect for Fundamental Rights, Safe and Healthy Work Environment, Fair Wages and Working Hours, Social Protection, Dignity and Respect and Sustainability.

Crafting Careers One Stitch at a Time. Sewing courses at ANKAA Project.

My name is Isabella and I am, among other things, the one who works on all HR tasks at ANKAA Project. However, this would be the first time that I would get involved in this step of the HR process, namely supporting people to get the documents needed for a job contract. I did not see this fact as an obstacle, rather, I viewed it as much else, an opportunity to learn, get acquainted with the processes in Greek administration and work on my patience. I know this might not resonate with many people, but I am not ashamed to admit that the nerd inside me is actually feeling quite proud when I attempt to navigate the complexity, and often absurdity, of Greek bureaucracy.

So with this in mind, and with the awareness of how big a difference the success of this might make in the life of one of our students, I started researching and found a very simple document outlining the process of how to get an AMA. AMA is yet another identifying number the Greek social security system uses, and no it’s not a spelling mistake, this one is different from the well known AMKA, and without it one cannot have a work contract. A variety of documents are needed and I was confident I wouldn’t fall into one of those frustrating catch-22 loops. You know the ones, where in order to get document X you need document Z, but to get document Z you need document X and so on. Armed with confidence, patience and a clear plan in mind I started the process with one of our oldest and most motivated students whom for anonymity purposes I will call B.

[...] A variety of documents are needed and I was confident I wouldn’t fall into one of those frustrating catch-22 loops

B has been in Greece for more than a decade, and in her time here has had various jobs. However, all of them were unofficial and even though she had tried to get social security, she had given up as it was quite challenging to understand how the social security system works in Greece. To be honest we also almost gave up when we were trying for months to get her the AMA. But even though B was frustrated and tired, I could see her determination, and it’s that determination that helped me see it through. After all, we had acknowledged this would be a test of our patience levels.

[...] even though she had tried to get social security, she had given up as it was quite challenging to understand how the social security system works in Greece.

So after 7 months, after numerous phone calls with the accountant, multiple appointments at EFKA (ΕΦΚΑ) and many emails to her embassy in Italy we made it! The day we got the final document we hugged and celebrated our accomplishment. B thanked me for my patience and support, and explained how much this means to her. She very proudly called her husband and even sent him a photo of the stamped document.

I was very happy also, and my inner nerd was ecstatic that we managed to make it to the end. But at the same time I was furious that B had to go through all of that only to be able to work legally. For most this number is just a number on some paperwork. But it actually is the way with which someone can have an employment contract and access public healthcare. The unfortunate reality is that there is a lot of exploitation in the labor market with undeclared jobs, under-the-table payments, and overall a high loss in worker’s rights. These are issues that, sadly, are all too commonly faced by our students. 

For most this number is just a number on some paperwork. But it actually is the way with which someone can have an employment contract and access public healthcare.

Crafting Careers. Our intensive program for experienced students that want to work in the fashion production industry

This is why an important part of the “Crafting Careers” program is to promote the concept of fair workplace standards to our interns and make sure all our interns are aware of their rights and their obligations. We do this by partnering with organizations that specialize in employability and can offer workshops and informative seminars on the subject. The aim  is that when our interns move on from ANKAA they can assess the conditions in another job properly. 

[...] an important part of the “Crafting Careers” program is to promote the concept of fair workplace standards to our interns and make sure all our interns are aware of their rights and their obligations.

The journey from student to intern is often tiring and complex, but the opportunity to support our students in such a meaningful way makes it all worthwhile. To date we have been able to offer more than 400 hours of internships in this program and we plan to continue growing this number with every cycle and I am ready and excited to navigate the challenges of bureaucracy once again—knowing the impact it can have on our students' futures.

[...] we have been able to offer more than 400 hours of internships [...] and we plan to continue growing this number.