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Description
Around 200 Romas live in Hanušovice and adjacent villages. Children from these Roma families are educated at the Primary school in Hanušovice. According to data from the school, in the last 3 years, only one of the Roma children continued to secondary school after leaving primary school. Distance learning in the last year has shown more significant gaps in communication with children’s parents. In the experience of the organization Jekhetane social workers, the majority of parents of Roma children have grown up in children’s homes and the parent-child interaction has been adopted only to a small extent. Parents cannot give children the necessary educational support. Most Roma families in the locality are socially vulnerable and the city’s management is trying to provide support in the form of employment opportunities. Some of the majority view this support more negatively, as positive discrimination.
We are responding to this situation with the project being presented. The project will be implemented in Hanušovice with the involvement of 4 partners. At the primary school, we will create a mediator position to support the communication of Roma families with the school. The school’s social educator supplements his education with therapeutic training aimed at working with children and families. A social worker will also be involved to support children and families in the transition to secondary schools. We will prepare three weekend stays for Roma families together so that children with their parents spend an interesting time in an environment away from home, complete with career counseling and meetings with successful Romas. Three more weekend stays will be prepared for Roma children and children from the majority, during which they will be able to build relationships and get to know Roma culture. We will invite the public from the site to 4 different events to introduce Roma culture and try to bring a new perspective on Roma families in the region.
Summary of project results
Hanušovice consistently ranks among the top 10 municipalities with the highest social exclusion
index in the Czech Republic. The high rate of early school leavers is influenced by the large number
of low-income families, where parents have only basic or lower secondary education, with at least
one-third being Roma. The lack of coordinated support, low motivation for education, and social
tensions among residents are ongoing issues
Project partners met regularly once a month for coordination meetings, with a total of 28 meetings held.
Children’s tutoring took place in the low-threshold club for children of the partner Podané Ruce, in the club of the partner Jekhetane, and in some households. A total of 112 children utilized the tutoring during the project implementation, which was conducted in 30 families.
Accompaniment to secondary schools and demonstrations of trades for children from 30 families:
Publication "Where to Next?" – an overview of high school programs at nearby secondary schools with simple commentary on the courses and schools. 160 copies were printed and distributed to graduating students of the Hanušovice primary school in December 2022 and 2023, and in 2023 also to students at the Staré Město primary school.
Leisure activities for children were held in the low-threshold club of the partner Podané Ruce, in the club of the partner Jekhetane, and in the field, where a field worker from Podané Ruce worked with the children. A total of 54 children participated in field activities, and 112 children took part in indoor activities.
Weekend stays – 7 stays were organized, 3 for children with their parents and 4 for children only. A total of 86 children and adults participated.
Talks with Romani individuals to motivate children by serving as accessible role models. During the talks, they discussed why they decided to study, who supported them, the obstacles they faced, and what helped them overcome these challenges, as well as their employment (why they do their jobs and what they enjoy about them).
Each weekend stay included one such talk, and others took place during public events and at the Hanušovice primary school.
Public events aimed to bring Romani culture closer to the residents of Hanušovice and the surrounding area. Various types of events were chosen, each with an impact on all residents of Hanušovice in some way.
Booklet "History of the Romani in Hanušovice" – contained 5 stories of Romani families from Hanušovice. 400 copies were printed and distributed at the event "Hanušovice Together – Let’s Get to Know Each Other."
Sixty-eight families joined activities to prevent early school leaving, including tutoring (112 children,
30 families) and mediator support (secondary school info, communication with the elementary
school). With mediator and NGO support, families now communicate better with the school, which
better understands their needs. Families are more aware of local secondary school options and
better prepared for further studies. The project reached almost all Hanušovice residents.