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Description
Selected Roma localities - Levocske Luky and Hajik are excluded and are located outside places to which they formally belong. On the part of the management of the mentioned places, there is no visible effort to improving the situation of the Roma. There are problems with the availability of services and technical quality in the localities infrastructure, lacking mainly good roads, sidewalks, but also water or sewerage. On the other hand, it must be said that the Roma themselves are not publicly or politically very active.The main objective of the project is to change local policies in Levoca and Spisska Nova Ves concerning Roma living in these selected marginalized communities. This objective is to be achieved by activating local Roma and involving them in public and political life. The project is also intended to improve communication and consequently the relationship between the Roma and people from the majority. The project will be implemented through the following activities: regular meetings of the working team, evaluation of city documents concerning the Roma community, discussion forums, the establishment of negotiating groups with Roma participation, discussions with the public, negotiations with opinion-forming people and deputies, the creation of new policies for the Roma community and their submitting to self-governing bodies and other stakeholders.
Summary of project results
Relations and cooperation between marginalized Roma communities in Levocske Luky and Hajik and cities of Spisska Nova Ves and Levoca were very weak. In the project we have created a space for mutual communication. During the project multiple meetings took place – representatives from Roma communities have visited the deputies and representatives of the cities, and on the other hand, also mayors and deputies visited Roma communities. We analyzed the cities strategic documents. We found that cities have had insufficient information about the mentioned Roma communities and perhaps therefore did not think enough about their development. They also usually do not invite people from Roma communites to prepare documents.
3 discussion forums in both of the Roma communities took place. We profiled general and specific problems, as well as problems of children and youth. We wrote them down and delivered them to deputies and mayors. We also recommended how to proceed in bringing about the change for the better. We sent some identified problems to the deputies and representatives from Roma communities spoke about some of them in the plenary sessions during the city councils. The mayor of the city Spisska Nova Ves personally came to the Hajik location 3 times during the project to take an interest in its problems. The mayor of Levoca also visited Levocske Luky. In September, the city built a playground and organized football tournament at Hajik. Methodical procedure was created on how to prepare and enforce local policies towards marginalized Roma communities. Project had an impact on 1200 Roma people from both of the mentioned communities.