Description
The overall objective of the project is to encourage and help Roma citizens in Slobozia Bradului and Timboiesti to return to school and participate in educational and training activities in order to develop social and professional skills to help them integrate into the labor market and society. Direct beneficiaries: 60 participants in the "A doua sansa (Second Chance)" Program; 24 Roma beneficiaries of a training program; 60 preschool participants in the “Gradinita pe roti (Kindergarten on wheels)” Program; 12 members of the applicant, beneficiaries of a program of professional development. The partnership created between the beneficiary and the partners aims to bring together, based on previous experiences, the expertise of each other in terms of increasing access of Roma to education, in order to develop the human capital and increase their opportunities to participate in the labor market. Result: two communities with motivated members to address the school as an environment where they can acquire the necessary skills for individual evolution.
Summary of project results
The project was implemented in partnership with the School Inspectorate Vrancea County, Secondary School Slobozia Bradului and Secondary School Timboiesti and it aimed at encouraging and actively helping Roma citizens in Slobozia Bradului and Timboiesti to continue their education by attending the Second Chance Programme and vocational training for developing socio-professional skills. This directly increases their chances to access the labour market and integrate in society. The need for implementing this project was fuelled by the desire to obtain a change of attitude towards school and education of the representatives of the two Roma communities in Slobozia Bradului and Tamboiesti. These are Roma communities where Roma family beliefs state that education is worth only until you can fulfil the basic needs (food, clothing, housing, daily expenses etc.), ignoring the importance of formal education and discouraging school education. In order to attract Roma children and their parents to school, three main activities were implemented: 1. “Mobile Kindergarten on wheels” for 60 Roma pre-schoolers who did not attend kindergarten, in order to facilitate their accommodation in primary school, surpassing language barriers since at home Roma children speak Romani language and at kindergarten and further more in school they will be thaught in Romanian language; 2. “Second Chance” programme for 45 Roma adults/parents in order to facilitate their return to the formal educational system and surpass the status of “illiterate”; 3. Qualification courses - “I want a skill” for 24 Roma, which supported them to obtain a qualification in “assistance for elderly care” and increase the chances of their social reintegration. The activities of the project contributed at increasing the dialogue and participation, changing mentalities and strengthening self-esteem of Roma women, changing among members of the 2 Roma communities in Slobozia Bradului and Tamboiesti the old ideas and prejudices like “education doesn’t help much” or “I never attended school but I did well in life”, their place being taken by thoughts like: “if I remain illiterate or semi-illiterate I will not have any chances to find a job”.
Summary of bilateral results