MEDIA KIT
1. INTRODUCTION 2. PHILOSOPHY 3. SKATEBOARDING CONTENTS 4. ATHENS 5. MISSION 6. IMPACTS 7. DONATE 8. CONTACT
Free Movement Skateboarding is an Athens-based, UK-born non-profit organisation which brings the world of skateboarding to the young Greek and refugee population. Working with young people from Syria, Afghanistan, Greece and many other countries, Free Movement Skateboarding have designed a skatepark which is transported between community centres and refugee camps around Athens; giving young men and women a space to play and socialise. INTRODUCTION
PHILOSOPHY
Why Skateboarding? Skateboarding requires focus and balance, both on and off of the board. It builds self-esteem, relieves stress and is great exercise. Gender Equality In recent years we have witnessed a surge of inspirational female skaters pioneering the shift away from a male-dominated Western skateboarding scene. However, in the East the story is very different. Thanks to the hard work of charity organisations operating where the skateboarding culture is nascent such as SkatePAL (Palestine) and Skateistan (Afghanistan) it has thrived from the outset as a gender-neutral activity. We re delighted to see that the number of women skateboarding in the West is growing fast and we aim to promote gender equality in Athenian skateboarding. Friendship Skateboarding is about community. Girls, boys, young, old, Greek, Syrian, Afghan, British, pros, groms. We re all skateboarders and we re all focusing on improving ourselves and encouraging each other. Skateboarding has done so much for us and there is nothing that excites us more than starting this journey for a new generation who need it more than most. Whilst some areas of society are increasingly hostile towards refugees, we use skateboarding as a tool of solidarity, creating natural bonds in our embracing community. Sanctuary Skateboarding has saved the lives of countless lost adolescents, whether it be through the mental calm it necessitates, the skate scene which supports you, or the lust for new spots and tricks. It allows you to see the city in a different light, explore new places with like-minded people, and even defy gender stereotypes that might limit your ability to participate in other sports. For many, it is a sanctuary. PHILOSOPHY
Why Athens? Athens has a thriving, close-knit, DIY-oriented skateboarding scene. The people are kind, welcoming and open to helping the refugee population at every turn. It s location has meant the refugee population has shot up immensely in recent years, and we aim to harness the inclusive subculture of skateboarding to channel these new residents into positive social platforms. Crisis Athens is in the midst of a brutal economic and refugee crisis. Greece s 323-billion debt has resulted in increasingly harsh austerity deals with the European Central Bank and the IMF. The effects are particularly evident in the capital, where 65,000 refugees inhabit the city for the foreseeable future. Athens is not equipped to house this huge number of people, leaving the burden on squats. Despite these efforts, the housing shortfall is great, leaving people of all ages living on the streets or in parks, giving insecurity in safe Europe. The EU-Turkey deal and other border closures have left refugees awaiting relocation, Greek asylum or potential deportation. This stagnant economy is not equipped to sustain these people, the poverty is palpable and the resistance is more so. Youth unemployment is close to 50%, therefore a strong part of our ethos includes keeping our team local and creating jobs for Greek people as the project grows and expands. First Response The city is a first port-of-call for many refugees who have made it to mainland Europe, but often does not provide the security these people deserve. For Athenians, the face of their city has changed drastically in a very short time. This situation does not bring hopelessness to all though. Through grassroots solidarity networks, which operate outside of the limited provisioning of governments and large NGOs, many inspirational projects have emerged that bring hope to refugees and Greeks alike. We play a small part in this; bringing dignity and well-being to some of the most deserving people in Europe. PHILOSOPHY
MISSION
Facilities As our name suggests, Free Movement Skateboarding is not about being static. We aim to further expand our operations in order to enhance the lives of refugees and locals. The Mobile Skatepark For Refugees We have already achieved our first goal: to build a mobile skatepark which can be transported every day to our sessions at the community centres and camps that house refugees in Athens. Through initial campaigns and with the support of UK grass-roots charity Help Refugees, we built our own ramps, meaning we were able to teach to a higher level than we would have been otherwise able to. The Permanent Skatepark For Refugees Athens is not blessed with official or professionally built skateparks, since the government is not able to invest money in this sort of facility. We are therefore dedicated towards raising enough support to build our own skatepark, a more permanent facility for Free Movement Skateboarding to teach young people. By locating this facility in the centre of Athens, we would be able to open the skatepark to local skateboarders and refugees alike, promoting integration and a social environment. Aside from our regular teaching sessions, we would also offer Girls Only sessions and Beginners Sessions. MISSION
Events/Classes Community is at the heart of our operations in Athens, and being able to offer social and emotional support is crucial when working with young refugees. Social and Cultural Events We are not limited to skateboarding. A key part of what we do is promoting the cultures of the people we work with, and so we organise events to celebrate their traditions, cuisine and music. Mixing local people into these events allows for socialising and understanding of refugee backgrounds, therefore promoting integration, empathy and friendship in the Athenian community. Classes and Education We are working alongside artists to offer the refugees we work with opportunities to learn more than just skateboarding. Through workshops and events we aim to broaden these young people s minds with opportunities to be creative in all sorts of ways. This could include painting, music, yoga or cooking. If they re into it, we re into it. MISSION The First All Refugee Skate Team Using our permanent facility as a base, Free Movement Skateboarding aims to put together a team of refugee skateboarders, male and female, who will be able to benefit from the more broad skateboarding industry and culture. By holding competitions, offering sponsorship and presenting travel opportunities for the most dedicated skateboarders on our programme, we would be able to take these underprivileged people on a journey into a world they love, but wouldn t be able to access easily otherwise.
IMPACTS
Gender Equality Skateboarding is for everyone. We promote female participation in our sessions by promoting skateboarding as a mixed activity, using female instructors and offering all women sessions. Western skateboarding is often a male-dominated activity, but we hope to address this imbalance in the refugee community, where these gendered pre-conceptions are not so strong. Whereas the gender gap is greater in this community for many activities, we hope presenting skateboarding as an activity for all will empower girls and women beyond our sessions. CASE STUDY: Name: Haya Age: 10 Story: Haya is a young girl who lives in one of Athen s refugee camps. After the first session she attended, we congratulated her on how passionate she had been about skateboarding. As we were packing away our equipment, she approached one of our instructors and, holding up the board she had been using, asked Excuse me, what is this? This was a fascinating moment, since she really dominated Western view of skateboarding, allowing us to get girls and boys involved equally. I really love skateboarding. - Haya, Age 10 IMPACTS had had no preconceptions or knowledge of skateboarding. This also meant none of the male
Integration The majority of the refugees in Athens are awaiting asylum here or further afield, and this wait can take years. During this time, people need a sense of community beyond the camps and squats they stay in. The skateboarding community always welcomes new faces, something each of our founders have experienced first-hand, not least in Athens. By employing local skateboarders and including Greek young people in our sessions, we are creating a new diverse generation of Athenian skateboarders. Everyone slams when skateboarding. Everyone can help up a friend. Everyone likes to land new tricks. Everyone likes to see friends do the same. CASE STUDY: Name: Said Age: 17 Story: Said has lived in Athens for one year, and when he saw we were teaching skateboarding classes he joined right away. He talks about how much he enjoys the challenge of learning new tricks, and how it has brought him closer to new people. - Said, Age 17 IMPACTS I have made many friends some people in the lessons you teach that I didn t know before, and also other skateboarders. They are friendly and it is good to practice my Greek with them!
Physical/Mental Health Undeniably, refugees have suffered trauma and loss, dramatically effecting physical and mental wellbeing. This is especially apparent in the behaviour of some of our young skateboarders. Without a mindful focus, you will never learn a new skateboard trick. Our sessions promote physical and mental health using a short skate yoga warm up, encouraging focus and discussing further issues when appropriate. CASE STUDY: Name: Atena Age: 13 Story: Atena has been skateboarding with us for four months, she had never been on a skateboard before she attended one of our classes, he didn t even know what a skateboard was. Now she skates every week with boys and girls, both young and old. She says, I find it very hard but I will keep trying to get better and better because I like to skate so much. - Atena, Age 13 IMPACTS It makes me feel like I am in the sky! Or like there is a big, long road and I can go right down it really fast!
Your donations go a long way, and even the tiniest amount can make a big difference to what we re able to offer to refugees. - Creating jobs for Greek locals and refugees - DONATIONS training and hourly wages - Equipment: Boards, Pads, Helmets - Skate obstacles: Ramps, Rails, Blocks - Permanent Skate Facility - Transportation: Van, fuel, transporting kids - Merchandise: Boards, Tshirts, to promote sales for more money.
CONTACT PRESS/PR/COMMS osh@freemovementskateboarding.com OPERATIONS/GENERAL will@freemovementskateboarding.com ruby@freemovementskateboarding.com