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Description
The project aims to increase the degree of social inclusion and empower Roma by implementing integrated and focused measures on the needs of marginalized communities in Vaideeni (Vâlcea County), Polovragi (Gorj County), Vânjuleț (Mehedinți County), Voineasa (Olt county) and Catane (Dolj County).
The main target group consists of 950 Roma persons and/or families (children, young people, adults) in situations of vulnerability, risk or faced with various forms of socio-economic exclusion and 75 specialists/volunteers in the fields of education, health, employment, social services, public administration, NGO sector, etc. involved in the provision of Services to Roma.
The project aims to implement the following activities for the target group, during the total 20 months of the project:
- training of 75 staff and volunteers (from the fields of education, health, employment, social services, public administration, NGO sector) in working with Roma people through a course of Social Mediator;
- providing legal assistance to obtain identity and house ownership documents for 20 Roma persons;
- the conduct of a ''School after School'' programme for 100 primary and secondary school pupils at risk of dropping out of school, as well as the provision of school counselling and parental education services in order to reduce the risk of dropping out of school;
- supporting 120 people from the Roma Vânjulet community for access to and/or retention of jobs on the labour market through a vocational counselling and training programme;
- provision of medical and medical-social services through six types of medical information and education awareness campaigns for 950 Roma people at the level of the five communities;
- empowering Roma by activating a local initiative group and carrying out 5 information and awareness-raising campaigns.
Summary of project results
The project was carried out in 5 communities from the Oltenia region, areas where a significant number of Roma ethnics live. At general level, the designated 5 counties are still at a level below 50% of the EU average per capita. The needs analysis conducted at the locations of the project''s implementation reveals common problems: widespread poverty, high unemployment, poor housing (lack of property documents), low access to healthcare services, low education levels, and a high school dropout rate. The lack of quality social services at the local level is another common characteristic of the 5 communities.
The project aimed to increase access to and improve the quality of services for 950 Roma ethnics from five communities in the southwestern part of the country (Vaideeni, Polovragi, Vânjuleț, Catane, and Voineasa) by providing integrated services in the fields of social assistance, education, employment, health, and housing. Additionally, 75 specialists and volunteers from the fields of education, health, and employment participated in a professional training program to improve their methods of working with beneficiaries from vulnerable groups.
The project''s objectives were achieved through direct social intervention, consisting of the following types of services: legal assistance for obtaining identity documents, running an after-school program, and providing school counseling to reduce the risk of school dropout, vocational counseling, and medical services. The project also had an empowerment component, through the training of local initiative groups, which, in turn, implemented 5 micro-projects, one for each community.
The final beneficiaries were the five communities as a whole, as the project generated an efficient and sustainable model of social services aimed at vulnerable groups. The integrated services for Roma individuals covered a wide range of interventions, depending on the needs of the local community, which could serve as credible models for other communities. Educational activities, such as after-school programs, as well as parental support activities, will continue even after the project''s activities conclude, and legal counseling services will also be maintained. In total, 983 individuals benefited from the various services provided by the project, while 159 individuals benefited from empowerment activities by encouraging community participation.