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Description
The VOLO EDU Association is leading a five schools consortium from Dolj and Valcea Counties to ensure the civic competences for pupils in partner schools, for an effective inclusion of all children, regardless their ethnicity. The project addresses a number of 70 teachers, 75 parents and guardians and 250 students from these five schools, where the percentage of Roma children being 54%, on average. The activities start with the training of teachers who also work with Roma children and continue with awareness and learning activities for the parents and guardians and non-formal activities for pupils. Thus, not only do all children participate jointly in the organized actions, but the children''s teachers are also involved, together with their parents and guardians.
The specific objectives of the project are: (OS1) To increase the communication capacity of teachers in an environment with pupils of different ethnicities, religions and social situations, (OS2) to increase the capacity for recognition and acceptance of parents / guardians of pupils from the target group in terms of diversity, (OS3) Creating a diverse cultural environment in schools, for the integration of pupils in the target group, (OS3) to implement non-formal activities for all children, out of whom 52% Roma, for the development of their social skills and attitudes.
Summary of project results
The national statistics present that out of the total number of Romanian people considered illiterate, almost 30% belong to the Roma minority. On the other hand, if the share of the majority with higher education was 15%, the share of Roma ethnics who had graduated from higher education was below 1%. These general data are also found in the communities and schools targeted by the project, located in Dolj and Valcea Counties (Romania). Thus, 20% of the school children are Roma and most of them do not come to school every day. More than half of the school population belongs to a disadvantaged community, with few parents who have a job, many of them having as income only the social assistance.
In order to increase the interest of the students to come to school and to participate therein, many of the students being illiterate, the project consortium made of: the VOLO-EDU Association and 5 selected schools from Gangiova, Scaesti, Fratosita, Gigera, Scaesti (Dolj County) and Brezoi (Valcea County) adapted their intervention methods and teaching materials to their target groups: teachers, Roma and Non-Roma students and parents from the selected schools. Thus audio and video educational materials, and attention-grabbing games were elaborated and the project was implemented as follows:
- In order to increase the communication capacity and knowledge of the teaching staff working with Roma pupils in the five selected schools, four trainings were organised on: the role of communication in the multicultural school environment (accredited training course), principles of interculturality, together for a democratic school - the family-school-community relationship, and Children''s rights - a reasoned perspective for ensuring equal opportunities for a quality life.
- The following educational materials were elaborated by Roma and Non-Roma experts to be used by the teachers in the selected schools: I am a child, I have legal rights!, Social inclusion, Popular clothing from the area and the Roma clothing, The population, the Roma nations. Occupations, Education "from the family" and education "from the school", Child and adolescent participation in "passing" events.
- In order to increase the recognition and acceptance capacity of the Roma and Non-Roma parents in the selected schools, learning activities related to social inclusion, tolerance and anti-discrimination were implemented.
- The following non-formal activities were implemented with and for Roma and Non-Roma students, in order to develop knowledge and social attitudes: I feel good in the community, Different appearance makes us more beautiful, We are richer because we work differently, My family and school give me wings, I understand customs different from mine, You have your chance, too! (thematic camp).
The project was designed on 3 levels of intervention in the partner schools: training for school teachers in the field of inclusion and multiculturality, activities for Roma and Non-Roma parents on anti-discrimination and tolerance and activities for and with Roma and Non-Roma children on the social inclusion, diversity, active participation. During the project implementation 70 teachers participated in trainings and developed their knowledge, 75 parents took part in the activities dedicated to them and 250 children reduced their perception of discrimination at school by taking part in the project activities.