PARTNER INFORMATION

BACKGROUND & EXPERIENCE

Details / Brief Presentation of the organization:

SYNERGY EUROPEAN is a Greek based, smart and flexible organisation, specialising in Entrepreneurship development, Skills and Competences enhancement, Project Development and Management, Communication, Strategy and Policy Consulting, Culture, Innovation & Creativity.

Our Vision and Mission is to support professionals, NGOs, public Organisations, local authorities, and policy makers to design better and efficient projects, innovative policies, strategies, and services, and to conduct sectoral analysis and research surveys. We help individuals and businesses, organisations, and NGOs, to develop creative thinking, to define their market and customer needs, to recognise opportunities, and develop out-of-the-box solutions to produce innovation. 

SYNERGY EUROPEAN also develops and host various training and capacity development activities, focusing on Management, Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Social Economy, Participation, Networking and other topics. We offer courses, workshops, and coaching, aiming to enhance personal and management competences of professionals from different sectors, to empower an extroversion mentality and a networking spirit of organisations and enterprises, as well as to develop the employment skills of young people and adults with fewer opportunities.

SYNERGY EUROPEAN is also an active member of the European Commission’s Pact for Skills flagship initiative. The Pact aims to support public and private organisations with upskilling and reskilling, so they can thrive through the green and digital transitions. It is firmly connected to the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights and supports the goals of the Green Deal and the Digital Transformation.

Being very active and efficient in its area, SYNERGY EUROPEAN has a wide network of close partners and associates including universities and educational institutions, municipalities, chambers of commerce, start-ups, NGOs, social enterprises, and European networks. 

What are the activities and experience of the organisation in the areas relevant for this project?

What are the skills and/or expertise of key persons involved in this project?

Although a newly found organisation, the staff of SYNERGY EUROPEAN and the team of cooperating experts, gathers an experience of more that 15 years in EU projects implementation, including Interreg Projects, Erasmus+, IPA Adriatic 2007-2013, URBACT Ι, II & III, and NSRF 2007-2013 & 2014-2020 large scale interventions, mainly in Social, Environmental, Entrepreneurship, Urban, Cultural and Tourism related fields.

Currently they are implementing an EU funded project called “Green Skills for Entrepreneurship”, funded by the ERASMUS+ program, aiming to enhance the skills and competencies of entrepreneurs to enable them to innovate and drive the transition towards a greener and circular economy.

Recently, SYNERGY EUROPEAN completed two important and innovative Action Plans, based in participatory procedures, community-led policy making, and co-design, for Local Authorities in Greece:
– We supported the Municipality of Igoumenitsa (Region of Epirus), in the formation and coordination of the Local Support Group of Stakeholders under the THRIVING STREETS project, funded by the URBACT III Program, and we completed the Integrated Sustainable Mobility Action Plan for the city.
– Under the framework of WONDER Project, funded by the INTERREG ADRION Program, we developed the Action Plan for the Network of “Children and Family Friendly Touristic Destinations” in the Adriatic and Ionian Sea region.

SYNERGY are also contractors to the Regional Health Directorate of Western Greece and support them in the HEALTH4EUKids Project (EU4HEALTH Programme) in the Communication Plan and material, Visual Identity, Meetings preparation and project website development.

Having worked with Local and Regional Authorities, Public and Private Sector, NGOs, Non-Profit Organizations, Cultural and Creative Industry stakeholders, our team have developed an extensive experience in planning, designing and delivering innovative projects, sustainable policies & strategies, measure their impact, identify opportunities for growth and development. Our multidisciplinary team bring together an entire spectrum of expertise, experiences, and know-how, merging creativity, innovation, business, economics, and social sciences.

GEORGE SARLIS / Director, Project Coordinator (Mr):
George is an EU and International Relations Expert (BA & MSc) and Cultural Manager (MSc). He has gained extensive experience in Local Authorities and governance in Greece working for almost a decade, as a Project Coordinator at Patras Municipal Enterprise for Planning and Development and then he was the Mayor’s Consultant on Development Issues at Patras Municipality.
As an EU Project coordinator he had been involved in a wide range of projects and initiatives both in the implementation process as a coordinator or a team member. Lately (2019-2020) he developed and implemented Training Incubation Program for young entrepreneurs and was also responsible for an Acceleration Training Scheme for Creative enterprises (both under Interreg Projects).

TONIA SATOU / Project Manager (Mrs.)
Tonia is a Project Manager in cultural sector and a Certified Translator (GR/EN/FR/IT). Tonia graduated from the Ionian University and the Department of Foreign Languages Translation & Interpreting in 2017. After that, she completed her MA at the National Kapodistrian University of Athens (2019), in European & International Studies.  She has worked as a trainee translator for the European Commission and as a museum guide. She has been certified on Digital Marketing.

EFSTATHIOS SIDERIS / Financial Manager (Mr.) 
Efstathios is an Economist, holding an MSc in Banking and a bachelor’s degree in business economics & finance. He has a significant experience of over ten years in large-scale European and National Co- funded EU programmes as an external expert Finance / Administration Manager in many firms and has participated in more than 30 projects targeting the Vulnerable groups, Environment, Employment, Social & Cultural Affairs, Business Initiatives, Sustainable networks and services, Local Development & Sustainability, Accessibility, e-Government.