Project 0697

Social Inclusion, Youth Employment and Povery Reduction

New solutions to old problems –exchange of new type of approaches in the field of Roma integration

The project “New solutions to old problems – exchange of new type of approaches in the field of Roma integration” is funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA and Norway Grants Fund for Regional Cooperation.

With 12 Million members, the Roma are Europe’s largest minority, and its most discriminated one. Antigypsyism is the last ‘accepted form of racism’ and contributes to huge social and economic disparities. There has been progress in identifying the causes of social exclusion of Roma, but when it comes to designing solutions, we face a general paralysis on how to tackle the multi-layered challenges. Top down approaches –developed far from the communities – leave little room for innovation. Practitioners agree that grassroots approaches work and bring good results for social inclusion and human rights, but most donors are still reluctant to support such small-scale initiatives.

Our project brings together organizations who are rooted in local communities and work successfully on a small scale in local contexts. Our consortium spans from Lithuania to Turkey, including Roma CSOs from inside and outside the EU.

Our project aims at supporting Roma communities in adapting and implementing inclusion and empowerment projects that have already been tried and tested successfully by other partners. At the same time we want to create a more favorable environment for bottom-up approaches to Roma integration, breaking the vicious circle of cynicism that ‘nothing can be changed’.

The project's activities target the following aspects: Community-led project planning inspired by good practices and supported through coaches from other Roma CSO's:

• 11 Projects based on community needs that have been identified as good practices in other organizations are adapted and implemented in local Roma communities.

• 20-30 Good practice examples of local Roma inclusion and empowerment projects are identified and disseminated with ideas for adaptation and upscaling.

• Roma community organizing and Roma civil society promoted through film and story-telling.

A tailored capacity-building programme, including peer learning and creative tools:

• Staff of Roma CSOs trained in project and organizational management.

• Toolkit on project and organizational management for CSOs published.

• Transparency and accountability criteria implemented by CSOs.

Evidence-based advocacy towards national governments international institutions and private donors for a favorable funding environment:

• Study on importance of bottom-up approaches to Roma inclusion produced and disseminated.

• Analysis of funding programmes on Roma inclusion conducted and disseminated.

• Donors more aware of the importance of bottom-up approaches to Roma inclusion.

The lead partner is: Nevo Parudimos Association, Romania

The expertise partner is: European Roma Grassroots Organisations (ERGO) Network, Belgium

BENEFICIARY PARTNERS:

• Roma Community Centre, Lithuania

• Zero Discrimination, Turkey

• Slovo 21, Czech Republic

• Autonomia Foundation, Hungary

• Roma Advocacy and Research Centre, Slovakia

• Integro Association, Bulgaria

• Roma Active Albania, Albania

• Regional Roma Educational Youth Centre (RROMA) , North Macedonia

• Women’s Association ‘Romkinja’ Bijelijna, Bosnia & Herzegovina

The negotiations of our Project Market are finalised, and first deals have been made! For example, Roma Community Centre in Lithuania was successful with their bid for Асоциация Интегро Integro Association's Toy Library and Reading Club!

During the next 1,5 years all our project partners will implement new local projects with the support of coaches from those organisations who have already successfully implemented the good practices and now "sold" their ideas to friends and colleagues from other countries - empowering Roma communities across Europe through bottom-up approaches that really have an impact!

Thank you to all the partners for their great involvement!

New solutions to old problems – exchange of new type of approaches in the field of Roma integration” is funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA and Norway Grants Fund for Regional Cooperation.