Description
Objectives: Objective 1: Training of 12 young Roma / non-Roma 3 Roma NGOs, operating in three counties of the Romania, civic participation, citizenship, within six months Objective 2: Encourage active citizenship and participatory democracy among the six interethnic rural communities in Romania, within 12 months; Main activities: Selection 3 Roma NGOs beneficiary of the project Selection of 12 young Roma and non-Roma in six interethnic rural communities Exchange of experience Norwegian-Romanian Organization of six youth civic associations The project will be implemented with an NGO from Norway, Romers Rettigheter, which will participate in the training of young Roma and non-Roma.
Summary of project results
The project implemented activities in 6 Roma communities from 3 counties. The project promoter selected 12 Roma and non Roma young persons and offered them training in the community development field. The session was organised with the help and participation of the Norwegian partner. At the end of the training session the 12 young persons, together with other 6 members of the Apollo organization, conducted a study visit for three days in Norway. During the visit they manage to meet local NGO’s involved in working with minorities and young persons, several local institutions and even a national politic party. The young people from Romania have identified some methods and best practices that could be implemented in their communities, receiving support from the Norwegian partner. All these 12 youth recruited other 18 other young people from their communities and have established six non-formal youth organizations. Every organization managed to analyse local problems and identified local solutions. An action plan for each youth organisation was drafted, as an exercise for experiential learning. After drafting the plan, civic initiatives were developed, either by introducing the plans to public agenda of the local councils, or by organising the young people of each community to implement the initiatives. The project also proposed a series of measures (pilot initiatives) in counties from 4 different regions of Romania, in order to identify the poverty and Roma exclusion degree at this moment. 4 county plans to combat poverty and Roma exclusion were drafted and the County Roma Bureaus from Buzau, Iasi, Olt and Prahova integrated these plans in each county plan, following the Romanian Government Strategy for improving Roma’s situation. The county plans include over 40 measures to combat poverty and Roma exclusion.
Summary of bilateral results
12 young beneficiaries travelled from Romania, along with 3 NGOs representatives and 3 representatives from the Project Promoter. The activity was conducted during 3 days and ensured an exchange of experience between organizations / institutions / youth organizations and young people from Norway and Romania. The youngsters and the representatives of NGOs from Romania that attended the event learned from presented examples of good practice innovative methods for citizen participation for young people from vulnerable groups. Institutions and NGOs were visited and there were a lot of discussions with their representatives and other young people. Debates on this issue were also organised and takeover innovative methods were presented during the sessions.