Description
The project proposed by Romani CRISS is addressing the problem related to the inter-ethnical relations in rural communities and the gaps between Roma and Non-Roma children’s’ pre-scholar and scholar activity. Main objectives: reducing the gaps between roma and non-roma children when it comes to school performance at the level when they are enrolled into the first class, combating social exclusion and intercultural conflicts, improving the access of the Roma and non-roma to early childhood services by facilitating the access to quality early childhood education for minimum 80 children between 0 – 6/7 and 50 children between 7-14. Expected results: increasing the numbers of the children enrolled to kindergarten, increasing the attendance, improving the relation between roma and non-roma, involvement of the parents in the educational process of their children, 130 children benefiting of the moral and material support through the project, 150 counseled parents, a day center for early childhood education established in the community, 8 roma paraprofessionals trained, materials for early education developed.
Summary of project results
Romani CRISS chose Glina community for this project as here lives one of the biggest Roma communities near Bucharest, it is very poor, but has great potential to change this situation through education. The main objective of the project was to create an Educational Centre for reducing the gaps between Roma and non-Roma children. The Educational Center was established and different types of activities were implemented for 80 children under 6/7 years old and 50 children aged between 7 and 14 years: preschool educational activities, educational and cultural activities, psychological counselling and speech therapy sessions. Beyond the educational activities, the involved experts underlined the importance of promoting Roma culture and increasing children's self-esteem through different activities: the Roma Corner, the Roma Doll, and debates with Roma personalities (local musicians and teachers). One of the most notable results was the involvement of Roma parents (especially Roma mothers) in the educational process of their children through educational parenting sessions. Within the project, over 100 Roma and non Roma children were enrolled in kindergarten, preparatory class and 1st grade, by supporting the parents and through information campaigns. Romani CRISS also focused its attention on the health issues of the community and involved a health mediator in the project. The health mediator did a lot of field work (door to door approach), informing people about the health insurance, nutrition and hygiene issues and importance of early childhood education. Children without birth certificates were also identified and the promoter started legal procedures to register them. In this way, the project generated changes not only at the level of the target group, but also at the level of the entire community.
Summary of bilateral results