Who We Are
Apano Meria is a Social Cooperative Enterprise that is populated by
people who have chosen to live, work and study at the island of Syros,
Greece.
The Issue
Dealing face-to-face with the risk of Syros becoming a mass tourism destination, our goal is to make the natural, geological and cultural wealth
of the island globally renowned, making the area an attraction for activities
with both low impact and high quality, as well as creating jobs for
young unemployed scientists. We strive to prove, in action, that a
sustainable lifestyle can improve the everyday lives of locals whilst
attracting visitors who appreciate the peculiarities of the place and
need an authentic experience. Our Social Cooperative Enterprise focuses on creating tangible
examples of sustainable practices in the protected area of Syros.
The Program
Our
policy and law team does comparative research of legal and policy
provisions and practices in countries around the world regarding
environmental issues (protected areas, renewable energy, endangered
species etc).
Your Role
Your research outcomes will contribute to the creation of
an open-access scientific database regarding issues of the Cycladic
ecosystem, as well as publications of informational materials and policy
proposals. You will also have the freedom to propose new research
topics and thus support your own research projects.
Living and Working Conditions
All participants in our projects live and work communally on our Research base, on the outskirts of Ermoupolis. The base is conveniently located near a mini bus stop (city buses are free) and another inter-city bus stop. There are abundant supermarkets, restaurants bars and cafes in the vicinity especially given the fact that Ermoupolis is an extremely walk-able city. As far as living conditions on the base, volunteers and researchers share our 3 bedrooms along with a fully equipped kitchen and a big living room. There are also 2 co-working spaces where we can all work together.
Our Team
The SCE team consists of 4 people, Io, Marina, Helen and Andrian. Io is the president of the as well as the supervisor of the Environmental Policy & Law program. Marina is the admissions manager responsible for any and every issue or question volunteers might have before, during or after their participation on our programs. She also supervises the Support a Social Co-operative & Primary Production programs. Helen runs our social media and supervises the Communication, Digital Marketing & Graphic design program as well as our product design Internships. Lastly, Andrian manages our Precious Plastic Syros lab and is supervising our Plastic Recycling & Upcycling program.
What We Expect From You
Researchers are expected to bring their own laptops and be punctual regarding their responsibilities. For us, direct, clear and respectful communication is key. For any issues or questions that might arise you are always welcome to contact us. Someone from the Apano Meria team will always be available.
