Description
In Roma neighborhoods in the municipalities Smiadovo and Vetrino there are several factors accelerating poverty - early school leaving, low education, lack of access to social and educational services. These Roma neighborhoods have the highest percentage of children in institutions and children at risk of dropping out of school. The main project objective is the improvement of education access and better opportunities for development of social skills of 172 children (aged 3 to 6) who are the main target group - children at risk from Roma communities and from socially disadvantaged poor families. The project outcomes include 6 kindergartens, 338 involved children and creation of conditions for educational integration. The project will address these challenges by creation of conditions for equal start at school, maintenance and development of cultural identity of children from ethnic minorities and socially excluded ones. The partnership between both municipalities will contributes to the realization of the overall common goal of the project, namely overcoming the risks of social exclusion of children living in poverty and segregated communities.
Summary of project results
The main project objective was the improvement of education access and better opportunities for development of social skills of 172 children (aged 3 to 6) - children at risk from Roma communities and from socially disadvantaged poor families. The project outcomes included 6 kindergartens, 448 involved children and creation of conditions for educational integration. The project addressed these challenges by creation of conditions for equal start at school, maintenance and development of cultural identity of children from ethnic minorities and socially excluded ones. The project of Smyadovo and Vetrino municipality „Chance for Social Inclusion of Children in the Municipalities of Smyadovo and Vetrino“ contributed to the realization of the overall common goals of the Financial mechanism, targeted at reduction of economic and social disparities in the European Economic Area, and at overcoming the risks of social exclusion of children, living in poverty and segregated communities. The implemented project activities helped successfully at gaining better pre school preparation of vulnerable children at risk of social exclusion, including Roma, for their equal start at school, as well as developing social and language skills and knowledge. The implemented project activities increased intercultural competences of teachers for working in multicultural environment in Smyadovo and Vetrino municipalities, as well as strengthening cooperation between parents and teachers through direct work in the community with the chief assistance of Romani mediators. Conditions for equal start at school through learning of Bulgarian language by children from local communities and by children at risk in both municipalities were created. With the renovation of the buildings, their surroundings, improvement of learning conditions and attending club activities, the motivation for attendance of the kindergartens by the children at risk was improved. The implemented project activities helped maintaining and developing the cultural identity of children from ethnic minorities with a special focus on Roma and socially excluded children. Consequently creating of an effective model for supporting tolerance, self-esteem and friendship between children was established, as well as for attracting children from families at need and keeping them in the educational system by learning Bulgarian and Roma dances and mutual knowledge/exchange of traditions and cultural values.
Summary of bilateral results