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Description
The project is located in two regions of the Liberec Region - Jablonec with Tanvald and Frýdlant. Approximately 6,930 Roma live on the territory, 26% of them in socially excluded localities. Nevertheless, regional and local development documents, even in the social field, with few exceptions, do not reflect the situation of the Roma. These are predominantly rural areas, where coordination and cooperation are more difficult because Roma groups are separate, while Roma organizations operate in a fragmented way. „Romany art workshop“ established contacts with other, especially umbrella organizations, with which it could cooperate on the creation of Roma platforms, focused on systematic work with Roma communities, support for socially excluded inhabitants of these territories and information campaign aimed at the majority population these territories and public administration.
The aim of the project is therefore to create two new platforms and start their work. The platforms will connect Roma organizations and representatives, they will work in the form of joint meetings (in both territories separately and for the purpose of exchanging experiences also together). Part of the project is an information campaign aimed at reducing mutual distrust of the majority and minority.
The project includes 4 key activities, the output of which are 2 new Roma platforms, 6 events aimed at disseminating information about Roma for public administration, 12 events aimed at empowering Roma and 4 events for the public aimed at improving the coexistence of Roma minority and the majority. The target group is mainly Roma, but also the general public. The project is planned for 36 months.
The project involves 5 Roma organizations and one other non-profit organization and 2 public administration institutions (local and regional government). The partnership will enable the sharing of experience and territorial knowledge and effective cooperation in the wider territory of the Liberec Region.
Summary of project results
The project promoter connected organizations, Romani leaders and members of Romani communities and motivated them to engage and participate in local authorities by establishing formal Romani platforms in the Tanvald and Frýdlant regions. In the first half of the project, the project promoter faced mistrust from some actors, especially with local authorities, but this mistrust was eventually overcome and the project resulted in a stable and long-term cooperation with local authorities in the territories concerned.
The project consisted of 4 key activities:
- the establishment and operation of the Roma platforms themselves and their work (planning, networking, training, negotiation, sharing good practices, etc.)
- training/education of local authorities and government staff
- empowering members of Roma communities (thematic training events)
- information campaign, events linking the Roma community with the majority
All the activities had the same goal, i.e. greater participation of Roma in local level events, but each activity worked with a different target group and contributed to the given goal by different means.
Within the project, 2 functional platforms were established and recommendations for local and state authorities were elaborated and discussed with all relevant actors. The project promoter also organised 25 events for the community, attended by over 100 people, and trained 72 people from public administration in 6 workshops. Overall, the project activities have contributed to the empowerment and inclusion of Romani men and women in the territories concerned. The project promoter built on the principles of participation and empowerment of Roma leaders and community members. In the Jablonec region, the project promoter managed to involve platform members in the implementation of the town action plan, community planning and working groups.