By Sillogos Travlismou

In May 2011, a group of PwS in Greece took the initiative to form an association for Stuttering. This initiative came from the need to support PwS and the need to create awareness to the general public.

The luck of awareness is manifested in the way other people see us. They tend to think that PwS are people of low mental capacity. Unfortunately in Greece there is no institution or legislation to protect and defend PwS. In schools and other educational institutions the awareness and knowledge of the educators is vestigial. Children that stutter should have equal treatment from their teachers as well as from their peers, but this rarely happens. Unequal treatment is found in all aspects of the life of a PwS.

Seeing that, we had the need to give psychological and emotional support to PwS, we felt the need of unity and support between us and the need to gain knowledge on stuttering.

That was how the association “Initiative of PwS” was created. It’s goals are set in the memorandum and they are:

  • The support and the defense of PwS rights
  • The distribution of information about stuttering for children (and their parents) – teens – adults who stutter.
  • Create and increase public awareness about stuttering
  • Inform PwS about all the professional institutions and associations that provide specialized help and support
  • Communication and co-operation with other associations of PwS world wide
  • Collaboration with associations, organizations and institutions for the promotion and support of the rights of PwS
  • Increase awareness and distribute information about stuttering to health professionals and educators

To contact  Initiative of PwS, e-mail sillogostravlismou@yahoo.gr

-From the Winter 2012 Newsletter