Description
The school system is not able to compensate the disadvantages of Roma children thus many of them become early school-leavers. The new Public Education Act has strengthened the problems as it has zero tolerance on children who do not follow school norms. It shuts those children out from a public service that should be available for everyone thus they lose the opportunity of social integration. The chances of youth on labour market are weak as they lack many competencies. Most of them dropped out of schools because they had financial or behavior problems; however they gladly help around the house and in different activities. The objective is to make the community more supportive, to develop the competencies of participants; make them more experienced and successful on labor market. Several trainings, workshops and community programs will be organized. The organization involves 30-40 youth between the age of 16 and 20 from each settlements (Sály and Szomolya), and 10-12 Roma civic organizations from North Hungary (especially Heves and Borsod Counties) in order to help them with elaborating similar programs. The organization will cooperate with 4 public institutions.
Summary of project results
The school system is not able to compensate the disadvantages of Roma children thus many of them become early school-leavers. The Education System has strengthened the problems; it shuts those children out from a public service that should be available for everyone. Most of them dropped out of schools because they had financial or behavior problems. The objective was to make the community more supportive, to develop the competencies of participants; make them more experienced and successful on labor market. The project promoter launched the program and informed the youth about the possibility.. After reaching the planned number of participants, the project promoter together with the youth set up the rules and signed cooperation agreements with 33 youth. The organization paid attention to work with other civic organizations and helped them in elaborating their own initiatives. The organization planned to make personal situation analysis so they could personalize the mentoring events however the youth were not cooperative in this activity, only 18 interviews could be done. It revealed that youth barely have work experience, and their sense of responsibility should be developed thus they paid attention to make cooperation agreements (contracts) with youth and personal meetings were ensured when it was necessary to talk through the assignments. During the summer participants went on a community building camp where the theme was social competencies. Not only the participants but local people who were interested in the topics took part in the labor-market trainings. Teaching weekly and monthly schedule for youth was a big challenge as keeping youth in the program was a continuous challenge for the organization thus they tried to give new motivations – scholarship was the most successful. After releasing the scholarship, participants attended all development workshops. Learning how to saw and to make papier briquette were popular among youth as these were useful knowledge for them. They also took part in organizing 13 community events and 3 recycling days. The organization initiated cooperation with the local mayor Offices and Labor Offices. 1 cooperation seemed already successful in the project as 6 youth got into vocational training, and 3 got into public employment. Youth were strengthened, not only their competencies but their personalities were developed and they formed a supportive community which seems to be continuous after the project.
Summary of bilateral results