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Description
The aim of the project is the sustainable community development focused on education in interethnic communities, in the sense that the school becomes the factor that coagulates the efforts of community members to increase the quality of life of all its citizens, but especially the vulnerable. The objectives of the project aim at directions of action in order to develop the capacity of schools, stimulating citizen mobilization, combating discrimination and strengthening the capacity of the promoter. The objectives are linked to relevant measures and provisions: the Romanian Government''s Strategy for the Inclusion of Romanian citizens belonging to the Roma minority 2012-2020, the National Strategy for implementing measures to prevent and combat discrimination and the National Strategy for reducing early school leaving 2015-2020.The targeted communities have a significant percentage of Roma population and face various problems (education, housing, poverty, discrimination, etc.).
Starting from these realities, the project choose to develop the social capital of trust and mobilization, putting the school at the center of the action.
The activities aim at: teachers (18) for the strategic position in the education of children and their parents; citizens (300) with the capacity to act and mobilize other citizens; schools (6) as sources of initiative and credibility; local public institutions (20) in support; companies (2), volunteers (38) and citizens (20000) as promoters of tolerance and inclusion
The partnership brings complementarity and added value: JK Youth has expertise in training and working in the field of formal education, and Something New in mobilizing the business environment. The informal partner with the Schools of Our Villages has the desire and the capacity to disseminate at the level national results of the project.
Summary of project results
The communities targeted in the project have a significant percentage of Roma population and face various problems (education, housing, poverty, discrimination, etc.). Starting from these realities, we chose to develop the social capital of trust and mobilization, putting the school at the center of the action.
The project focused on community development with a focus on promoting education and values such as inclusion and respect for ethnic diversity, active citizenship, volunteering and spirit of initiative. This approach was initiated through the community facilitation process organised during the visits to Bontida and Sanmihaiu Almasului. As a result of the needs analysis and opportunities identified, 10 community actions were implemented with 348 participants. Their success was due to the relationship built with the teachers who became informal leaders of the two communities. Since the beginning of the project, 18 teachers from the 2 partner schools and 4 associated schools have benefited from a training course ''''Interculturality and non-formal learning'''' in 2 modules, as well as from individualised educational consultancy meetings over 6 months. In order to promote the application of non-formal education in the development of intercultural competence, an intercultural education manual "School closer to the community" was developed and disseminated among teachers in several schools. Another essential pillar in the fight against discrimination and promotion of ethnic diversity was represented by the awareness raising campaign, where the stories of 30 Roma from interethnic communities in Cluj and Salaj counties were translated into an online campaign and a brochure. Their inspiring stories were presented during 5 public events and can be accessed online, on the promoter''s website, after playing a virtual game developed within the project. Local companies have supported the successful implementation of the project, providing both the necessary co-financing for the community actions and the involvement of employees in volunteer activities. This approach resulted in following the fundraising plan developed within the organizational development activity.
18 teaching staff from the 2 partner schools, and also from 4 associated schools, have accumulated knowledge regarding interculturality and developed non-formal learning skills; Capacity development of 6 schools (2 beneficiaries: Sanmihaiu Almasului and Bontida and 4 associated schools: Sarmasag, Napradea, Caianu and Aghiresu) in the sense of positioning them as key actors in the fight against any form of discrimination, especially racism in own interethnic communities; 71 community facilitation meetings in Bontida and Sanmihaiu Almasului; mobilizing the members of community in community actions (a total of 348 people participated in the 10 actions), collaboration with officials from public authorities - school principals and other local representatives; development of the final manual and its printing in 200 copies, 200 brochures with stories Roma offered to the authorities public from Cluj-Napoca, mayors of the villages involved in project (beneficiary schools and associated), to those interested. The manual and the brochure will also be accessed online.