The Hellenic Association of Youth Informatics (HAI) is a non-governmental, non-profit Youth organization (NGO) that was founded in 1992 (legal status). In 1999 the Association became full member of the Hellenic National Youth Council (ESYN), higher expression body of youth stakeholders in the country.
The main objective of HAI and of its activities has been, since its creation, to raise awareness about the role that informatics can and should play in promoting young people' and society members' participation and active involvement in a broad spectrum of issues (of social, cultural, environmental, etc nature), in diffusing and distributing updated and reliable information and in encouraging the utilization of information for the shaping of virtuous and socially viable behaviors.
A young person are faced with many different challenges in the present societies and, in this frame, the use of technological means and of informatics is assuming an ever-growing importance. Although the general dominating opinion is very neutral and indifferent in its consideration of modern information technologies as a valuable tool we are convinced that young people and society can benefit, especially after the expansion of Internet, of unlimited possibilities of participation, information, expression of opinions at a low cost and easy access.
We think that informatics can be a very important tool for the promotion and wide spreading of relevant social information, of ecological and environmental messages and its use by young people will contribute to the amelioration of their personality and to their empowerment as active members of the society.
The HAI is the only organization active in Greece promoting the ideal of social activation and involvement through the use of modern information technologies. We cooperate with many other stakeholders' active in the research fields, but also in social and informatics related issues and we inform and involve our members in events, exhibitions, conferences and exchanges, either organized by us or in cooperation with other groups and associations.
In this frame we participate since many years to the European Voluntary Service (EVS) Program of the European Union promoting the cooperation of Young Greek volunteers with organizations/associations from other European countries in the frame of socially useful projects with the aim to encourage voluntarism, sensitization and mobility of young people as well as to raise awareness about the potentialities of information technologies and their practical application for the promotion of social useful objectives.
In line with these principles we have created Internet sites, one relating to the information of young people through 'positive news' and the other to the alternative discovering of the travel. The HAI has sent, up-to-now, more than 30 volunteers to social, cultural and environmental NGOs active in European countries in the frame of the EVS program, has participated in information events about youth policy issues in cooperation with several social stakeholders in a lot of countries (Europe and Euromed) and has participated very actively to youth exchanges and international meetings (more than 10 times per year - seminars and exchanges, all around Europe).
Except from them, why build a network of contacts with young persons and collaborated in programs of social institutions in Greece and Europe. Our most volunteers (in EVS) participate in action of social institutions (persons with special needs, briefing of young persons, social policy etc) in countries of southern Europe.
The HAI is also member of the Greek Network of Research and Technology, member of Anna Lindh Foundation in Alexandria - Egypt (about Euro-Mediterranean dialog and culture) and full member of EPYD (European Platform for Youth Development, established at June 2006 www.epyd.eu).
HAI take part in the lunch meeting of EuroMed Youth Platform in Malta (September 2003) and have a strong cooperation with El-Taler International Organization (Tunis) and IOM International Organization of Immigration UN (Tunis) about immigration problems (seminars, common projects etc). Also, provide free lessons to youth people with all type of problems (minorities, disadvantages, girls and women's with family and social problems etc).

http://ec.europa.eu/youth/evs/aod/hei_form_en.cfm?EID=34000125474