Description
In Romania's Coltau Commune, the population includes a high number of disadvantaged people, many of them belonging to the Roma population. The objective of the project is to support the social inclusion of the Roma population through the creation of a multifunctional youth centre, parent tutoring activities and formal and informal trainings for children, youth and parents. The project is expected to achieve the following outcomes: improving children's life skills, increasing children's access to preschool education, improving school attendance, supporting socio-professional inclusion and development of parenting skills. The project will address these challenges through the implementation of the following indicators: involving 92 children, 84 youths, 95 parents (of the main target group).
Summary of project results
The preponderently Roma community from Coltău commune (Maramures County) lives in very precarious economic conditions that result in low access to educational and health services. Children represent the most vulnerable group, living in poor conditions from the nutrition and hygiene points of view. This caused social marginalisation and school abandonment. According to data provided by the local authority, at the beginning of the project, out of the 94 children aged between 3-6 years old, 24 children had not been enrolled in the pre-school educational system (a ratio of 25%). Similarly, 9% of children enrolled in primary school and 34% of those in inferior secondary education were attending the “Second chance” programme (after previously having abandoned school), while others presented a high risk of school abandonment. The 76 young people aged 16-29 years old had low skills that jeopardized their chances to be employed. Parents were lacking parental skills and did not support participation in education of their children, especially after primary school, damaging their chances of social integration. The project aimed to increase the quality of life of members of the Roma community from Coltău by providing an integrated set of services addressed at the educational, social, health and employement needs, of all the above mentioned target groups, by formal and non-formal methods. A multifunctional community center was created and properly equipped. A total of 92 Roma children benefitted from educational support activities, social and vocational counselling, hygiene classes and other extra-curricular activities; 95 Roma parents attended parenting support activities; 84 Roma young people received developing of independent living skills support, vocational counselling, vocational training (for occupations as tailoring, masonry, TIC) and labour market mediation (19 young people became employed); 20 specialists working with the Roma community from the region (of which 6 Roma volunteers) received training as social mediators and vocational counsellors. The project contributed to increasing the school enrollment and attendance of children from Coltău commune, improved the parenting skills of their parents and increased the employability of young people living in the commune. Also, by benefitting in the long term of a local Multifunctional Centre, the community became aware of a successful model of promoting social inclusion of the Roma community.
Summary of bilateral results