Refugee Law in Theory and Practice: Summer School hosted by Defence for Children International - Greece
- Team SolidariTee
- May 18
- 5 min read
Updated: May 19
For the second year running, we are delighted to be sharing a call for registrations for a week long Summer Academy hosted by SolidariTee partner Defence for Children International (DCI) - Greece. This week-long intensive, focused on Refugee Law in Theory and Practice, is hosted in-person on the island of Lesvos, Greece, and will be taking place from Monday 30th June to Friday 4th July 2025. As far as we're aware, this is the only programme of its kind focusing on migration and asylum within the Greek and European context in this way. In addition to bringing together legal experts for in-depth seminars focused on the frameworks that surround migration policies and human rights law, the academy also engages with crucial concepts surrounding humanitarian response and NGO management that are applicable across the globe. This programme has been designed for students seeking a career in humanitarian response, law, or in the charity sector more broadly, as well as early and mid-career professionals looking to develop a more in-depth, critical understanding of the migration and asylum landscape and the political machinery which drives it. Follow the link below to view the flyer for this year's programme, and read on for more information about the academy and last year's highlights!
About the 2024 Summer Academy The first ever cohort of participants in this unique academy experience took place last year, in July 2024. The programme was attended by a number of current and SolidariTee team members, as well as those who had heard about the programme via social media or through our annual conference. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive from all who attended. In addition to learning more about the legal landscape for people seeking safety in Greece, as a case study for the principles of International Refugee Law that are applicable globally, participants also had the opportunity to meet with representatives from UNHCR, MSF (Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders), and the senior leadership teams of numerous other NGOs supporting people on the island, including the DCI-Greece team themselves. Participants also had the opportunity to critically explore thorny issues relating to access and advocacy, engaging with the tensions that are involved when criticising rights violations whilst also needing to cooperate with key stakeholders. Discussions about humanitarian funding, and the precarious nature of this type of work in a world where media (and therefore donor) attention tends to be pulled away from protracted and ongoing situations of human rights crisis, gave participants the opportunity to reconsider what it means to sustain the vital work of organisations in Greece and beyond. Alexa, SolidariTee's CEO, was also invited to host a session focused on accountability to affected populations (termed AAP in humanitarian response). This session began by exploring the concept of 'subjective assessments of credibility'; in other words, the fact that in many ways, whether a person receives international protection or not depends on whether the person conducting their asylum interview believes them. There are all kinds of factors that can affect these subjective decisions, ranging from neurodiversity and post-traumatic effects impacting the person seeking asylum through to language barriers and the influence of implicit bias amongst decision-makers. These are unpacked in-depth within the Therapeutic Legal Assistance Model professional development programme co-developed with SolidariTee, and a headline overview was covered within the Summer Academy. The discussion also covered approaches to incorporate evaluation and continual learning and reflection into the design of responses that seek to support refugees and other people on the move.
FAQs about the programme Why is the Summer Academy hosted on Lesvos?
In short, because it's where most of the experts and session facilitators live and work, and where most of the organisations you'll have the chance to meet are based! SolidariTee, and DCI-Greece, stand firmly against 'voluntourism' - in other words, participants absolutely won't be visiting people living within the camp itself, or engaging in harmful forms of short-term volunteering.
However, having the opportunity to visit a grassroots refugee context, experience the setting where a large part of DCI-Greece's work takes place, and engage with NGO workers and volunteers in the context within which they operate on a day to day basis makes the world of difference in being able to truly understand the space and dynamics at play, in a way that just wouldn't be possible over Zoom.
Lesvos has a long history of migration, and is also a very unique and special island to visit for many reasons. In the aftermath of the Greco-Turkish war in 1922, Lesvos received large numbers of people seeking safety by boat, and today, more than 100 year's on, it is once again home to Greece's largest refugee camp. Aside from its history and current context, it is also an absolutely beautiful place to visit with an incredible culture and unique biodiversity, so we would very much encourage anyone participating to consider adding on an extra few days to see the rest of the island!
What does my contribution go towards? The course 'cost' is actually a donation as opposed to a fee, and goes towards hosting the programme itself, as well as sustaining the vital work of DCI-Greece itself. Venue hire and other operational costs, alongside time and expertise from a diverse array of facilitators in developing the programme itself mean that a majority of registration income is directly invested in the course experience. In addition, any additional funds will be used to help ensure that DCI-Greece is able to continue providing legal assistance, alongside targeted mental health support, for young people and their caregivers in 2025 and beyond. Flights and accommodation aren't included, but the DCI-Greece team are able to make a number of more cost-effective recommendations. If anyone would very much like to attend but is facing a financial barrier to doing so, we encourage you to reach out to the DCI-Greece team, as they are likely to be able to offer a small number of sliding scale spots and/or payment plans over a longer time period.
What does a typical day in the Academy look like?
Every day is completely different! Mixed in with some in-depth seminars and roundtables, last year's programme included a visit to Paréa Lesvos, the community centre close to the camp where a consortium of NGOs provide vital services including hot meals, laundry, and legal assistance, as well as interactive seminars, guest lectures, and a visit to the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) offices on the island. There are a huge number of opportunities for socialising and networking including several team dinners, as well as downtime in the evenings for those who want to swim or explore the island, and accommodations can be provided for anyone with any additional accessibility requirements.
About DCI-Greece
SolidariTee have supported Defence for Children International - Greece for several years. As their name suggests, DCI-Greece are particularly expert in supporting children and young people, both accompanied (those who have arrived in Greece with a parent or guardian), and unaccompanied. They also provide targeted, holistic support to caregivers, including through their Stepping Stone Academy that brings legal and mental health support together alongside activities designed to support social and academic development for children, and positive parenting and employability skills for parents and caregivers. They operate on Lesvos as well as in Athens, and reach hundreds of children and families with targeted case management each year. To get in touch with any questions about the programme, please reach out to Iris Pappa, Academy Coordinator and ChildRights Helpdesk lead, to discuss at irispappa.dci@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing many of you soon!
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