Description
Romania has the most numerous Roma community in Europe. Barlad city is situated in the East of Romania, where the unemployment rate compared to the national average is double and a large number of Roma people live in abject poverty, without legal financial resources, with few chances of integration due to the low level of education. The objective of the project is to widen the access to the primary education, to facilitate the integration therein and to avoid educational failure within a group of 45 marginalized Roma children. The project is expected to reduce the risk of dropout for elementary school, to get a high rate of integration in formal education of Roma children, to contribute to the integration into society of those with psychiatric disorders. A preschool program and after school services, as well as psychotherapy for children with psychiatric disorders and counseling of their families will be the issues for lowering the risk of dropout. Beneficiaries of the project are 45 Roma children, from which 5 with mental health problems and the members of their families belonging to a poor, segregated Roma community.
Summary of project results
The project addressed the increasing school dropout rate, which is even higher when it comes to roma children. Poverty, discrimination and lack of family support to maintain children in school are among the factors that put roma children at risk of early school dropout and poor school performance. The project targeted children that live in the social housing area and provided organised support, aiming to ensure participation to early education, improve school performance and develop basic social skills. Within the project there were offered: a kindergarten programme with a participation of 15 – 18 beneficiaries/month and an afterschool programme with a participation of 22 – 24 beneficiaries/month. 28 children attended theatre workshops and 5 children attended music classes. 5 beneficiaries with neuro-psychiatric problems (hyperkinetic disorders, mild mental deficiencies and learning disorders) and their families benefited of psychotherapy. 4 young people from the community were mentors for 6 children. 18 kindergarten children improved their communication and math skills and 36 children improved school performance. 15 children managed to reach the next educational level in the formal education system.
Summary of bilateral results