When Sylvia Hadjiantoniou stepped into the role of CEO at PRONIA six months ago, she brought with her extensive executive experience in health, education, and infrastructure, and a forward-thinking vision for the future of the Greek-Australian community.
PRONIA’s role more critical than ever
In a rapidly changing landscape, Hadjiantoniou sees PRONIA’s role as more critical than ever—coming together with stakeholders and partners, ensuring services evolve to meet emerging needs, and advocating for the community at every level.
“We need to be thinking about the next fifty-plus years,” Hadjiantoniou shares with Neos Kosmos, outlining a strategic approach built on strong partnerships, clear communication, engagement, and a commitment to delivering essential services.
Looking after the vulnerable and the aged population in the Greek community are two of the organisation’s top priorities.
Building relationships for greater impact
Work has commenced on refreshing PRONIA’s strategic direction.
“Meeting with all of our stakeholders, our partners and governments and starting to build that trust and those relationships in order to explore how we can best work together collectively as a whole -as opposed to individually- for greater reach.”
“It is imperative to be a strong advocate for our Greek Australian community,” Hadjiantoniou says.
PRONIA’s agenda includes Hadjiantoniou says includes dealing with issues such as domestic violence, mental health, and the ageing population, especially regarding the new legislation that is coming into play this year.
“Tackling taboos, through community education and engagement is critical”, Hadjiantoniou adds, referring to the services already in place to support community members experiencing domestic violence, through counselling, financial assistance, and legal advice.
A personal understanding of migration and hardship
Hadjiantoniou says her entire career has been based on social justice. She views housing, health, education, and infrastructure not as separate domains but as interconnected pillars that enable individuals and communities to thrive. “You can’t have one without the other.”
Raised in a working-class Greek Australian family in the western suburbs of Melbourne, and living among a variety of cultures, she has an intimate understanding of the challenges of migration, economic hardship, and social isolation.
Watching her parents establish themselves in a new country, learning a new language, she was deeply influenced by her father’s resilience and his unwavering determination, as well as her mother’s kindness, empathy and giving nature despite the challenges she faced.
“There’s nothing like lived experience in relating to all of the impacts that we’re facing today in our society, whether it be the cost of living and inflation—which is affecting ordinary households every day- or the growing pressure of housing affordability and mental health.
“Access to safe, stable housing is becoming increasingly difficult, and the toll on mental well-being is undeniable. These are not just policy issues; they are real struggles impacting families, communities and the fabric of our society.”
Some of today’s most pressing social issues stem from the aftermath of the pandemic and the global economic conditions. This has created a perfect storm, exacerbating existing inequalities and putting significant pressures on individuals and communities.
“All of this puts additional pressure on some of the very issues we’re addressing, such as mental health, housing insecurity. Rising stress levels, corresponds to the increase in cases of elderly abuse and domestic violence. It’s all connected.”
Engaging and listening to the community PRONIA serves, factors strongly into her daily routine as she meets with community members to discuss their issues during the various activities and programs they run.
Loneliness—A silent crisis
Hadjiantoniou has pinpointed loneliness as a major issue “social isolation” particularly among what she calls “our wiser generation, our ageing parents”.
PRONIA offers services such as the Planned Activity Group (PAG), where people can meet with the community one day a week, have lunch, listen to Greek music.
“Loneliness is now one of the biggest silent killers of our time,” Hadjiantoniou says.
“The isolation many people feel due to economic hardship, social disconnection, or mental health struggles, can have devastating effects on both physical and mental well-being.”
She says that the “crisis” that has “worsened” and addressing means that a concerted effort is required “to rebuild community connections and support systems”.
The organisation also offers physical rehabilitation sessions, storytelling, dancing, and a large network of volunteers who visit elderly individuals experiencing loneliness.
Hadjiantoniou points to a new grant PRONIA received to support people with dementia and their carers.
“We offer support for people who are isolated and looking after their loved ones with dementia. We’ve just been in Tasmania promoting dementia awareness.”
“Our elderly Greek community is the heart and soul of our Greek Australian community, and looking after them is just so incredibly important.”
While PRONIA is built on strong foundations, Hadjiantoniou is focused on sharpening its direction to address the emerging needs of Greek Australians, across generations, as she looks to the future.
“We must continue providing Home Care Packages for our elderly, but we also need to consider how we can support the “sandwich” generation—those juggling work, children, and elderly parents—and their children, the younger generations, facing their own issues with mental health and housing.”
Unity is the key to strengthening the Greek Diaspora for future generations
Making a difference and touching people’s lives has always been what has motivated Hadjiantoniou. She says she is privileged to be in a position where she can serve the Greek community—a community she is both part of and one she can deeply relate to.
Beyond her role at PRONIA, Hadjiantoniou serves on multiple boards in the health and housing sectors, providing her with valuable insight into broader social issues.
“My experience across these areas directly aligns with what we do at PRONIA every day. It’s a privilege to use that knowledge to drive meaningful change.”
Looking back at her career, Hadjiantoniou says that she has always focused on the end outcome, particularly with a strong emphasis on community and engagement, expertly navigating challenges to unlock what is possible.
Her dream is to see Greek community organisations come together, working as one, to build a stronger future for the Greek Diaspora in Australia.
