The biography of Jai Mexis, the founder and director of "Odyssea", an NGO based in Athens, is deeply multicultural.
Jai Mexis invested in the resourcefulness of Greeks and their Odyssean nature, characterised by the ability to find a solution in difficult situations. He created his own "Odyssey" to help people from vulnerable social groups. The founder and director of the Athens-based Odyssea, which recently opened a branch in Thessaloniki, uses the NGO to integrate people into the labour market through targeted skills development.
He grew up in a village outside Bangalore, India, with Greek parents who were originally from Mani and Spetses. He studied architecture in Scotland and lived for a while in Italy. Ten years ago, at the age of 24, he decided to come to Greece to live and offer what he could to the country he loved.
"I have a love for this place and the people; I think that despite our faults, we have something very unique in us. Having lived abroad, I have experienced different things, with the exception of Indians who are open, welcoming, and accepting of diversity, and we have a warmth of soul. Can someone on the street say 'good morning' to you and look you in the eyes? This is something very authentic that I really haven't found in many places, along with the humanity that the Greek can potentially bring out because he can also bring out the exact opposite, the misanthropy," said Jay Mexis in an interview with the Athenian/Macedonian News Agency, who was recently in Thessaloniki for the opening of a new branch of his organisation.
The provision of condensed knowledge is important.
According to its founder, the "Odyssea" model is practical and simple. It has been operating for years in Athens and is concerned with capturing labour market trends and creating realistic ways of integration for people who want to change their lives.
In particular, through the non-profit organisation, free personalised vocational training is provided in combination with employability services that bridge young people with the world of work and enable them to reach their full potential.
"Especially in Thessaloniki, our action is complemented by the provision of training spaces by the Hyatt Regency where training can take place in its kitchen, repair areas, gardens or pool maintenance," Jai said.
Crash courses are the organisation's recipe for success, where about 60% of people who attend training programs find work and keep it for more than a year.
"Based on the data we have, we found that people find it difficult to invest a year or two in their training, and it makes sense because, when you have a family and the need to recover and find a job immediately, you can't devote a lot of time to your training. So, we created and designed specific fast-paced training seminars, which are a hybrid of practical knowledge and theory together. We created simulation areas of business premises in various sectors with an emphasis on tourism and construction. We made it possible with a short-hour section - 40-60 hours in two months - to get relevant knowledge and take the first step in the job market," he explained.
At present, there are free Barista and hotel clerk programs in Thessaloniki, while in Athens, training is organised for electricians, plumbers, kitchen, and carpenter assistants.
An "Odyssea" job counsellor is connected with a person throughout their training and 12 months after finding a job. They collect data for the social impact assessment study implemented by the organisation.
As for Jai, the most difficult social group to integrate is the homeless, although they have examples of people who managed to find work after 10-15 years of unemployment and homelessness.
The "lesson" of the refugee in Lesvos
At the peak of the refugee crisis about ten years ago, Jai dediced to go volunteer at the Social Kitchen in Lesvos where he found a way to utilise the plastic boats and life jackets of the refugees, making tents in the area of the former camps on the island and provide shelter to people sleeping on the street.
In fact, through his organisation, a Social Kitchen has been operating continuously since 2015, and will also be created in Thessaloniki.
"I came to Greece before the refugee crisis, in 2014, when things seemed to be changing, and I didn't want to watch from a distance. I wanted to be part of the solution. Although I was living abroad, I had been awarded for architecture and social planning projects, and jobs were opening up. I decided to settle in Greece, after all, I have never been a person who chased easy solutions in his life," he emphasised.
Mr Mexis makes it clear that his experience in Lesvos marked him deeply and triggered his creation of an organisation that would change how humanitarian aid is provided.
Where does "Odyssea" continue its journey?
As a 34-year-old and soon-to-be father, Jay Mexis notes with a smile that he doesn't mind the negative part of the word he chose for his organisation's title. He invokes Cavafy about the journey that must be long because "you will never return alone, and you will understand what Ithaca means when you arrive."
“In the future, we want to be able to scale our impact on other people with our successful inclusion model, which also focuses on the use of new technologies. In a society that strongly experiences polarisation, we wish to be a voice of positivity that presses very strongly on evidence and data and offers solutions to very important social problems," he concluded.
READ MORE: Mary Vitinaros Shines at Mouratoglou’s Star-Studded Gala in the French Riviera.
