The training courses on xenophobic and racist conflict resolution addressed to OASA drivers and executives, who will become the “Agents of Change” within the Organization of OASA, have been completed.

Three two-day seminars took place from 16 to 22 October with the participation of 44 people, 28 of whom were drivers, 8 trainers and 8 supervisors at the OSY premises in Ag. Ioannis Rentis.

Acknowledging the challenges drivers face daily and, especially, under the pressure of constant tension and conflicts which occur among passengers of buses and trolley buses, the training seminars aimed to empower and increase the resilience of the drivers / executives of OASA and to improve their responses when dealing with xenophobic and racist incidents.

More specifically, the topics covered were:

  • Human rights, xenophobia and racism
  • The psychosocial condition of the refugee
  • Stereotypes and prejudices as a source of conflict
  • Types of conflict: intra-personal, intra-group and inter-group
  • Non-violent conflict resolution
  • Reporting xenophobic and racist incidents in public transport

The training courses were carried out by experts in their fields, and in particular, by Mrs Stamatia Gratsani, Psychologist, who supervised the procedure, Mr. Gionakis, Psychologist and Scientific Coordinator of Syn-Eirmos, who conducted the psychosocial condition of the refugee session. Mr. Theodoros Zeis, Lawyer of Solidarity Now and Spyros Koulocheris, Lawyer, Scientific Head of the Legal Service of The Greek Council for Refugees’ (GCR) who trained the drivers/ executives of OASA on Human rights. Mrs. Eleni Takou, Deputy Director and Advocate of the HumanRights360, who thoroughly informed about the topic of reporting xenophobic and racist incidents in public transport. Finally, Mr. Giorgos Stamoulos, Head of t Commercial Exploitation in OSY (OASA) contributed greatly to the training course.