We support and promote the wellbeing, empowerment and social cohesion of youth in Athens with skateboarding.
Building community
on and off the board
We support and promote the wellbeing, empowerment and social cohesion of youth in Athens with skateboarding.
Through skateboarding, we support and promote the wellbeing, empowerment and social cohesion of youth in Athens. Together, on and off the board, we push for a welcoming and diverse Athenian skate scene and society.
Our Work
We push for the changes we want to see in Athens, on and off the board.
Wellbeing
Skateboarding is mindful exercise, in which focus is necessary to learn new tricks, championing physical and mental health.
Empowerment
We create spaces in which womxn, people of colour, LGBTQI+ and other groups feel safe to develop their skills on and off the board.
Social Cohesion
Through the supportive, communal act of skateboarding, diverse youth share more than just space and build community.
Our mobile skatepark and regular weekly schedule, allows for wide and varied sessions in public spaces across Athens. We create safe, inclusive and calm spaces for young people of all backgrounds, to learn the fulfilling and joyful skill of skateboarding, in order to build their confidence and establish friendships.
Why Athens?
- Athens lacks inclusive and accessible positive recreational activities for young people.
- Years of economic turmoil and mass migration has over stretched existing welfare.
- These gaps increase inequality, discrimination and prejudice in society for the already marginalised.
That’s where skateboarding comes in.
What are the benefits of skateboarding?
In our sessions, skateboarding is a socially levelling activity which can foster perseverance and bind you to an inclusive and welcoming community. This is the skateboarding Free Movement supports.
Our sessions provide the opportunity to learn to skate in a supportive environment teaching the values of
- Cooperation
- Respect for others
- Cheering each other on
- Persistence after failure.
There are no rules or structures within skateboarding, no right or wrong way of doing it. And this is incredibly freeing.