EBEN 2020

AMBASSADORS CLUB OF EBEN BOOKLET 2020 31 The World of Difference programme marks 10 years of social contribution Vodafone Foundation in Greece has been running the World of Difference programme since 2010. This project has become an institution that supports the social employment of young people and reinforces the work of Non- profit Organisations in Greece, while at the same time highlighting the role of new technologies and the power of collective action in Civil Society. This is, after all, Vodafone Foundation's philosophy which aims at improving the lives of vulnerable groups, using technology as its vehicle. More specifically, the World of Difference programme gives young people aged 18-35 the opportunity, every year, to work in the Non-profit organisation of their choice for 6 months, and Vodafone Foundation finances their salary and employer social security contributions. Young people with innovative ideas, a passion for contribution and a vision for social change, are requested to find the NGO they would like to work for, and design collectively a project that can make a difference, taking advantage of the unlimited possibilities of technology. During the last ten years, this project has supported dozens of young people and organisations that have worked to resolve a variety of issues. Making education, employment and culture accessible, integrating refugees, the unemployed and released prisoners, establishing the right of the disabled to participate in sports, eliminating stereotypes and exclusions, raising awareness for disability, supporting the LGBT + community's rights, managing stray animals, reversing low birth rates and protecting the planet, are just some of the goals set by ambitious young people, who were able to address a wide range of social needs within six months of work. The project's positive impact on Greek society On the occasion of completing the first decade of the World of Difference programme, Vodafone Foundation in collaboration with HIGGS - Higher Incubator Giving Growth & Sustainability, its strategic partner in the project, conducted a survey aimed at capturing the project's positive impact on Greek society. The results of the survey highlighted the social value generated by the World of Difference programme and embodied its substantial course over the years. More specifically, since 2010, the project has received more than 2,000 applications, it has offered employment to 89 young people (it is worth mentioning that the ratio of women to men is 60-40%), and at the same time, it has actively reinforced the work of 81 Non-profit Organisations across Greece, and has indirectly benefited nearly half a million of our fellow citizens. Taking into account the high unemployment rate of young people in Greece that reaches 37.5%, it is also important to mention that 52% of young people who participated in the project still work in Civil Society, while 35% of young people are still employed in the organisations where they started working through the project. In addition, most of the young people who participated in the survey, aknowledged that not only has the project helped them gain significant work experience by reinforcing their CV, but also helped them develop important skills. They were able to gain a better understanding of Civil Society and the needs of the beneficiaries, they improved their skills in project implementation and monitoring, and realised just how important the action of Non-profit organisations is. In addition to acquiring a new employee, 50% of the NGOs that took part in the survey have stated that they benefited from participating in the project in various ways, as it helped them transform digitally, enhanced their performance, maximised their visibility and credibility, while expanding their network. Finally, it is important to mention that the majority of all survey participants stated that this project helped them understand that new technologies and collective action can help address the critical issues that Greek society faces. These findings demonstrate the importance of the World of Difference programme, which is fully in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), as it promotes SDG 8, which addresses the need for decent work and economic growth, as well as SDG 10 for reduced inequalities. Consequently, the World of Difference programme is making history by using the power of technology to support every year both the objectives of the NGOs, as well as the winners, who may belong to vulnerable social groups themselves. VODAFONE