Greece's Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family is adding 200 workers to the country's Social Welfare Centers, following an initiative by Minister Domna Michailidou to address staffing shortages in social care facilities. A special employment programme will provide up to 200 full-time positions for unemployed people registered with the Public Employment Service, known as DYPA.
According to the ministry's announcement, the move came after officials recorded staffing needs and the minister pushed for additional personnel to strengthen facilities that provide daily care and support to vulnerable citizens. The new workers will be placed in the regionally supervised Social Welfare Centers, which form part of Greece's National Social Care System.
More staff for social care services
Michailidou said her ministry had pushed for the reinforcement of the Social Welfare Centers and had secured 200 new full-time positions.
She said the government was strengthening facilities where the need existed and giving 200 unemployed people the chance to work for a full year, with insurance coverage and pay reaching up to 1,250 euros a month. She thanked Labour and Social Insurance Minister Niki Kerameus and Secretary General for Labour Relations Nikos Milapidis for responding quickly to the need to reinforce the centers with staff, adding that the government was supporting those who care for the country's most vulnerable citizens every day and securing more personnel for social care services.
Pay reaching 1,250 euros a month
The positions will run for 12 months. Gross monthly pay will reach up to 1,250 euros for university-educated staff, 1,200 euros for those with technological education qualifications, 1,170 euros for secondary education graduates and 1,090 euros for workers with compulsory education only.
Those hired will receive full insurance coverage through e-EFKA, Greece's unified social security fund. Eligible programme costs include insurance contributions and, where applicable, an allowance for hazardous and unhealthy work.
Selection will be carried out through DYPA using a points-based system that will take into account, among other factors, the length of time a candidate has been unemployed, their income, age, number of minor children, and any disability affecting the candidate or their child.
Programme budget and next steps
The next step is determining how many positions will go to each Social Welfare Center, broken down by sector and specialty. DYPA will then issue a Public Invitation, opening electronic applications, once the Supreme Council for Civil Personnel Selection, known as ASEP, gives its required approval.
The programme's total budget comes to up to 3,504,000 euros.
The joint ministerial decision was co-signed by Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance Athanasios Petralias, Deputy Minister of Interior Paraskevi Charalambogianni and Minister of Labour and Social Insurance Niki Kerameus, according to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency.
