Meet GO Alive

GO Alive is a youth-focused, non-profit, non-governmental organization officially established in January 2020 and based in Kozani, Western Macedonia, Greece. The organisation’s primary mission is to empower and support young people—including those with fewer opportunities due to social, economic, or geographical challenges— mostly through mindfulness and wellbeing, by enhancing their educational, professional, cultural, and mental capacities.

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Μάρκος Χιόνος

Legal Representative & Co-Founder

Μαρία Στεφανίδου

HR Manager & Co-Founder

Μάρκος Χιόνος

Markos Chionos leads GO Alive as Legal Representative, co-founder, Organisation Manager, and head of the project writing and development team. He is a youth worker, economist, and PhD candidate in Mindfulness and Innovation, holding a master's degree in European Economic Law, SALTO ToT certification, and membership in the Greek National Agency's pool of trainers.

Raised in Siatista, Greece, he earned a degree in Finance and Accounting from the University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki. After his studies, he returned to work for the National Bank of Greece in Kozani’s Regional Unit and to support his community through the "Greek Odysseuses" informal youth group, organizing international projects. Since 2015, he has gained banking experience; since 2013, he has implemented educational programs; and he hosted a weekly TV show for 3 years on personal and professional youth development.

His motto—"Men have to create their own destiny"—reflects his passion for self-empowerment, sports, and a growth mindset.

Markos actively represents GO Alive at national and international events, including the Eurodesk Greece Multipliers Meeting in Athens and the Youth Zone annual conference in Niš, Serbia. He has signed cooperation memorandums with Voios Municipality Mayor Christos Zeuklis, Kozani Municipality Mayor Ioannis Kokkaliaris, and Katerini Municipality Mayor Ioannis Ntoumos to advance local youth initiatives. Also, Markos leads GO Alive’s project writing and developing team.

Μαρία Στεφανίδου

Maria Stefanidou founded GO Alive Youth NGO alongside Markos Chionos, serving as HR Manager, Contact Person and Project Manager.

Raised in Athens and Katerini, she graduated from the Medical School at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, including a semester as an Erasmus+ student at the University of Tartu, Estonia and a month as an exchange medical student in Faculdade de Medicina ULisboa, Portugal, through IFMSA.

Maria now works as a Resident Doctor in General/Family Medicine at Mamatsio General Hospital in Kozani and serves as a Board Member of the HIPPOCRATES Association of GP/FM in Greece since 2021. Her interests include health promotion, prevention strategies, and a holistic approach to health; she blends medical expertise with mindfulness practices since 2017, contributing to GO Alive’s health, mindfulness, and wellbeing projects.

A former professional volleyball player for three years with Thessaloniki teams—after playing for over a decade—she brings strong teamwork experience to her role.

Maria holds SALTO YOCOMO ToT certification and facilitates youth projects on various topics, while handling team building and group dynamics in these initiatives. She manages recruiting, supporting, and integrating new team members, including ESC volunteers and interns, using her strong time management and organizational skills to create GO Alive’s yearly activity plans.

Western Macedonia, Greece

Western Macedonia —GO Alive’s home region— ranks among Greece’s regions most affected by unemployment, poverty, and the shift away from lignite mining. Recent data show an unemployment rate of 16.7% in Western Macedonia in 2023 (EURES – EURopean Employment Services)—higher than the national average of 8.2%—with youth rates especially challenging. And high NEET rates driven by rural isolation, skills gaps, and the shift from lignite mining.
The region remains largely rural and remote and brain drain intensifies as young people migrate for opportunities, leaving behind limited access to education or jobs.
GO Alive counters these barriers with targeted programs in empowerment, employability, mindfulness, and active citizenship efforts, positioning the organization as a key partner for inclusion, skills development, and social cohesion in transition areas.
By partnering with rural municipalities, schools, and civil society, GO Alive delivers high-quality European projects that create real local impact—serving as a vital anchor in one of the EU’s most vulnerable territories.

Κοζάνη

Kozani, located in northern Greece, is the capital of the Kozani Regional Unit in Western Macedonia and lies in a largely rural and mountainous area. Life in the city is calm and safe, with a strong sense of community, but young people often face limited opportunities for non-formal education, youth participation, employment and international exposure. The presence of the University of Western Macedonia brings energy and a diverse student population, highlighting both the potential and the unmet needs of local youth. With a continental climate, good infrastructure, essential services and road connections to the rest of Greece, Kozani offers an ideal setting for youth work. GO Alive operates in this context to empower young people, strengthen their skills, and create opportunities for active participation, inclusion and connection with Europe.

Our office

GO Alive’s office is located in the Mpliourio building, opposite Saint Nikolaos Church, in the centre of Kozani, and serves as a welcoming hub for young people, volunteers and international participants. The space includes three main areas: a co-working area for collaboration and informal meetings, the organisation’s headquarters, and a multifunctional lab. The lab can host small workshops, trainings and youth activities for up to 25 people in a small amphitheatrical layout. The office is fully equipped with technical equipment as well as materials for non-formal learning, youth work and creative activities. In addition, it serves as a local multiplier information point for Eurodesk, providing young people with access to information about mobility, volunteering and European opportunities.

GOAL 1: HEALTH, MINDFULNESS & WELLBEING

GO Alive promotes health, as is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO):

Health is, as a multifaceted concept, the state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity

The mission of GO Alive is to equip young people with the necessary skills, knowledge, and mindset to actively participate in their communities, undertake leadership roles, and pursue their personal and professional development. The vision of the organisation is a society in which all young people, regardless of background, are empowered to reach their full potential and contribute to a healthier, more inclusive and sustainable Europe.

GOAL 2: MOBILITIES & EMPOWERMENT

GO Alive supports the mobility of young volunteers, trainees, and workers, and promotes youth employment and youth initiatives.

We aim to provide educational, professional, cultural, and intellectual empowerment and development of young people (especially those with limited opportunities due to social, economic, or geographical barriers) as well as improving their skills and abilities, with the aim of facilitating active citizenship, employability, and their transition to the labor market.

GOAL 3: NON-FORMAL LEARNING

GO Alive promotes the values of non-formal education with a participatory character and informal learning, contributing to the socio-educational development of individuals, as well as education at all levels, especially for those who have dropped out early due to circumstances.

For this reason, we implement a variety of programs to improve the quality of human life and protect the social and natural environment.

COLLABORATE WITH US!

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OUR POLICIES

Check out GO Alive's official policies.