Description
The project „4 ACCESS: Activating Citizens in 4 Communities for Equity in Social Security” tackles the limited access to quality public services of economically vulnerable groups. We aim to increase capacity of people in a vulnerable situation by involving them in decision-making processes that affect their lives, through two specific objectives: promoting active citizenship for vulnerable groups through creating 4 community organizing groups in 4 communities and influencing decision-making on public service delivery in those communities. At organizational level, we will add court representation for low income people as a new service provided by NACAB. The project results consist of 4 local decisions influenced by the community organizing groups, decisions that will improve vulnerable communities’ situations. The methodology is based on community organizing methods and techniques and the target group consists of people at risk of poverty.
Summary of project results
The project came as a response to the community organising issues NACAB’s branches experienced. NACAB - the National Association of Citizens' Advice Bureaus is a network comprised of associations that keep active local citizens' advice bureaus in Romania. After an internal evaluation of the network, 4 communities were selected to be part of the project: Ghirbom, Racos, Roman and Corbu Vechi. Within those communities, the project team used community organising approaches in order to increase the citizens’ capacity of dealing with local authorities in order for them to better respond to their needs. The project tackled the limited access to quality public services of economically vulnerable groups for the 4 selected communities; its main aim was to capacitate people in a vulnerable situation by involving them in decision-making processes for decisions that affect their lives. The project had two specific objectives: promoting active citizenship for vulnerable groups through creating 4 community organising groups in 4 communities and influencing decision-making on public service delivery in those communities. At organisational level, the project developed court representation for low income people as a new service provided by NACAB. The project results consist of: 4 local decisions influenced by the community organising groups, decisions that improved vulnerable communities’ situations; 4 cases to be represented in the court; skills development through a workshop of storytelling and one for community outreach / community organising abilities. A total number of 636 people coming from vulnerable groups benefited from project activities, out of which 187 are Roma (almost 30% of the main target group).
Summary of bilateral results