Description
The project addresses the challenges faced by the Roma community in the town of Dupnitsa (poverty, unemployment). The project aims at involving young Roma actively in the community life and developing their leadership skills. First, Roma needs and opinions will be studied. 250 individual interviews will be carried out and 200 questionnaires will be filled in to identify 60 participants in the project. Second, the 60 participants will take part in a 2-day training on social inclusion and advocacy and a 1-day training on teamwork and negotiations. Third, Youth Community Council will be set up and 4 working groups will be formed to work on education, health, employment and housing issues. Finally, 4 participants will be employed as full-staff youth community mediators to be the bridge between the community and local authorities. The project will benefit the Roma minority, young people in particular, local authorities and the local community in general.
Summary of project results
The project addressed the challenges faced by the Roma community in the town of Dupnitsa (poverty, unemployment). Its implementation helped boost the capacity for taking leadership roles and responsibilities by the young Roma from Dupnitsa Municipality, raise their citizen involvement, public awareness and commitment to the issues of the Roma community. Conditions for support were created and inter-sector interaction of the education, health, labour and housing systems improved. Conditions were created for social inclusion of the community by providing access to services. The project indirectly benefited several thousand vulnerable citizens from the local community, Roma included. On the one hand, the outcomes helped speed up the processes of modernization and community development; on the other hand, the youth organization that was set up, Youth Community Centre – Dupnitsa, will continue to be an ally and supporter of local institutions to achieve common goals related to public well-being. 20 discussions devoted to various topical issues were held during the project and 60 young people took part in them.
Summary of bilateral results