WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER.

We operate with a small team of full-time staff across four global locations: Lesvos, Athens, Ioannina and Paris, providing on-the-ground and support services to our communities.

Stefano

Stefano, from Italy, monitors, evaluates and manages YSR finances; juggling excel columns and metrics like a pro!

Svenja

Svenja, originally a teacher in Germany, is Lesvos' volleyball queen and coordinator.

Malamati

Malamati excels at anything requiring flexibility; yoga, pilates, or raising funds for the team to keep fighting!

Carolina

Hailing from Portugal, Athens manager Carolina has worked as a firefighter and humanitarian for many years.

Estelle

Estelle is the co-founder of YSR and currently manages the Paris project. She's an avid runner and kickboxer.

Rahmatullah

Rahmat is a fighter! He fights for freedom, for glory, and for the YSR Paris project as a coordinator!

Andrea

Andrea, our Lesvos coordinator, hails from Madrid, where she learned to scale the rocks of La Pedriza and developed a passion for climbing.

Yadullah

Yadullah started out as a yoga teacher on Lesvos, and now he helps coordinate the Paris project.

Lola

Lola helps coordinate the Paris project. She loves to run, dance, and brings so much energy to the team!

Mustafa

Mustafa is our newest team member and coach coordinator in Athens. He is a runner and so full of energy and team spirit!

COACH PROGRAM

Coaches are at the heart of everything we do. Recruiting and sustaining these community leaders, who take on the responsibility for running regular sport classes, helps to build both skills and cohesion among our communities. Our coach numbers vary a lot due to the frequent and, often, involuntary movement of people, so the team can vary between 30 and 60 coaches across our four locations.

As people join and participate in our community, we are able to develop and exchange valuable skills, such as teaching and coaching. This helps break down barriers as it gives our participants an avenue to interact and exchange across social, cultural and economic boundaries.

Our coach program provides opportunities for displaced peoples to find meaning and purpose. Many of our coaches are already qualified trainers in their birth country, but find it challenging to have their credentials recognized in their new host country. We provide training and certification opportunities to help with this.

VOLUNTEERS AND INTERNS

VOLUNTEERS

YSR would not run without a dedicated team of rotating volunteers who help keep the day-to-day operations of our gyms running. At any time, we may have up to 50 volunteers across our four locations. And, good news! You can join them!

As a volunteer with YSR you make an impact, by supporting our community on the ground. You will be helping in the gym, organizing events, and be the supporter for any needs in our spaces. Of course, the best part is doing sport with our community and growing stronger together. Are you a sport enthusiast, culturally sensitive, passionate about human rights and supporting newly-arrived communities, and would love to lend a helping hand? Then fill in our survey to apply as a volunteer with us in Paris, Ioannina, Lesvos or Athens.

Follow the link below to register your interest.

INTERNSHIPS

YSR operations are an excellent opportunity for humanitarian, anthropological or geographical research. Many students and researchers join our team for a three, six, or nine month internship to carry out meaningful research and observation on the ground as part of a thesis or doctoral study. You can find some previously published academic materials on our website.

Interested? With YSR, you will have the opportunity to grow your professional skills, take responsibility and contribute to our projects. Interns join YSR in numerous different capacities to support their higher education requirements, as well as support developments, projects and campaigns within YSR. This means interns could be involved with processes such as Monitoring and Evaluation, Finances, Communications and Advocacy, Community Building, Fundraising, Coach Support, Inclusion and more.

Then email us and include your:

(1) CV/Resume
(2) Motivation Letter
(3) Potential Starting Date
(4) Preferred Internship Focus (from list above)

Will you change a life today?

As long as poverty, injustice and inequality exist, we don’t rest.
It isn’t difficult to make a change. Take action, support us and make a difference today.