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Description
The EDU-EMPOWER Project aims at generating empowerment of Roma vulnerable groups in the Roma slum Pacuret (Pacurari neighbourhood) in Iasi, using education of Roma kids, youth and adults as vehicle. In this slum, affected by poverty and violence, education and empowerment initiative are rare. Metatron Association and Elena Cuza Gymnazium developed this initiative to create, implement and test, and ultimately transform a pilot idea for a Roma kids, youth and adults empowerment through education. The 2 organizations will define the pilot project for counseling, non-formal education and working groups, will ensure the human and material resources for its implementation, will monitor its main steps for min 9 months and will develop recommendations for local public policies in education and social inclusion. At the same time, in the Pacuret community, meetings will be carried out with Roma young and adult people, community initiatives will be facilitated and a collaboration platform in the field of social inclusion will be formed with community leaders, the project partners and other NGOs and relevant public bodies. The project beneficiaries are:directly-50 children participating in the pilot program, about 100 Roma adults and youth, participants in working groups, 5 local NGOs and indirectly, the entire Pacuret community. The partnership ensures consistency and substance to the project actions, as it’s composed of an NGO, whose purpose is to provide educational, counseling and psychological services to beneficiaries from vulnerable groups, represented by one of the constant collaborators of Elena Cuza Gymnazium, where a large part of school-aged children from Pacuret learn and that has built a close connection with the community, for the purpose of preventing school leave and absenteeism.
Summary of project results
Through this project, Asociația Metatron aimed to adress the lack of local programs and policies addressing education, social inclusion, and empowerment for Roma children and youth in the Păcureț community of Iași, home to over 2,000 people, more than half of whom are children and young adults. The community faces extreme poverty, violence, and poor infrastructure, which exacerbate school absenteeism and social exclusion.
This initiative successfully engaged 100 young people and adults from the Păcureț community in the project. Fourteen working group meetings were held that focused on counseling, informing the beneficiaries, and involving them in addressing their own needs. In addition, the complementary non-formal workshops (painting and ceramics, theater, fun mathematics, and personal development) provided a creative and friendly environment where 50 children were able to explore and express themselves artistically, develop their skills, learn to work in teams and grow personally, with appropriate support and guidance from experts. In parallel, support for formal education was ensured through the time spent after school with teachers involved in the project helping the children complete their homework for the next day and improve their academic performance. The results of monitoring this pilot program activities and the progress of the children''s development provide relevant information that helped formulate proposals for program future improvements.
Furthermore, a collaboration platform was created and expanded to include representatives from 12 relevant institutions in Iași and three members of the Roma community in Păcureț. Several meetings were organized within the platform, which provided an opportunity to exchange ideas, information, and best practices and find concrete solutions to the beneficiaries'' problems.
The project had a significant impact on 100 young people and adults from the Păcureț community by fostering active participation and addressing their educational and personal development needs. Fourteen working group meetings provided beneficiaries with counseling and guidance, empowering them to take an active role in solving their challenges. Fifty children engaged in non-formal workshops, where they explored painting, ceramics, theater, fun mathematics, and personal development, helping them build creativity, teamwork, and confidence. Formal education support, including after-school sessions with teachers, improved homework completion and academic performance.