Impact Week Greece 2024 - Refugee edition

Embarking on a transformative journey, this upcoming Impact Week promises to be nothing short of extraordinary. In a unique seven-day program, we are set to unite refugees and citizens of Athens with a shared purpose – to ignite a wave of innovation for the betterment of those residing in local refugee camps.

While Greece may not be geographically classified as a country of the Global South, it finds itself at the epicenter of challenges that resonate globally. The ripple effects of climate change, political conflicts, and other pressing issues have led to an increase in migration, creating a nexus that transcends borders. Together with our partner Leven and a variety of other organizations we are commited to use Design Thinking for good!  - join us!

With our two-module approach, we will train a new batch of Junior Coaches by guiding them through a 3-day „Train-the-Coach“ phase. The international and local participants will then take their new role as Design Thinking Coaches and work together with refugees to find solutions for challenges refugees are confronted with. This defines the „practical phase“ and will give the new Coaches the unique opportunity to directly implement what they have just learned, while being guided by experienced Senior Coaches along the journey.

The innovative and customer-focused orientation of the Design Thinking methodology helps all participants to foster their way of tackling a challenge and the unique spirit of the Impact Week experience will definitely inspire you to look at entrepreneurship and social innovation in a completely different light.

We work very closely with the local organization Leven. 

Leven is a community development agency that uses human-centered design to address societal needs. The organization is well-connected to other relevant stakeholders and helps us understand the needs of refugees. We are very grateful for the collaboration and are looking forward to creating impact together!

Then apply to secure one of our limited spots on the international Junior Coach Team!

With completion of our program you can call yourself „Design Thinking Coach“ and become a multiplier of the methodology in your professional and private life.

Applications are open until April 26.

The dual concept of Impact Weeks consists of two modules. In a three-day learning phase, international innovation talents and participants from local NGOs and universities are trained as Design Thinking coaches. During the practical phase, the trained coaches apply their new skills and help the challenge participants identify challenges within their respective societies and solve them using innovative business models.

Upon completion of the program, you will be a trained coach who has already applied the methodology. You'll gain key skills through Design Thinking, such as innovation, customer focus, and implementation orientation. In addition, Impact Week promotes local entrepreneurship and social innovation. We enable universities to apply Design Thinking themselves and run their own Impact Weeks.

Each participating team will work on one focus area. The challenge participants can choose their focus area in the application process and get matched accordingly. Then it is up to them to own the challenge and create an innovative idea to tackle it – always keeping the Design Thinking methodology at heart.

We will update the challenges once they are determined. 

This Impact Week is scheduled in the Central European Time (UTC +2:00)

Contact the organizing team for Impact Week Greece 2024:

We cordially thank Lufthansa Group Airlines for their support in the form of special fares for Impact Week!