LOT 2 – Active Inclusion of ROMA

Actions under this LOT shall:

• Propose the development of active social inclusion initiatives for activation of local Roma populations, targeting in particular Roma individuals or families which are beneficiary of financial social assistance, social housing schemes, etc.
• Include activities that specifically target vulnerable migrants and Roma, in beneficiary selection, recruitment of staff and service provision, including availability of information on them in Romani language.
• Ensure that at least 50% of the served beneficiaries are women.
• Ensure that the benefits generated by the initiatives are available to Roma population in general, and in particular to residents of Roma settlements (including through promotional activities carried out within the settlements).
• The proposed actions shall aim at triggering the active participation of Roma in social life.

Actions under LOT 2 aim at either:

1. HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT (ENHANCEMENT OF EMPLOYABILITY).

Projects choosing to apply under this measure aim to:

• Increase and stabilize the presence of Roma in the education system, with particular emphasis on girls (e.g. reduction of children drop-out rates; contribute to the development of gender-sensitive data collection on the inclusion of Roma children in the education system; addressing the re-inclusion of children who left the system, over-grown elementary school pupils, unregistered children; supporting the inclusion into regular primary schools of children from schools for special needs; providing concrete support to the children’s families, including meals, snacks, books, school supplies, equipment, extracurricular activities, transportation, hosting services in school dormitories, etc.)
• Provide support to educational institutions to include the Roma population in education system (e.g. by providing training for institutions’ staff on the inclusion of Roma children, parents and local communities; raising awareness on multiple layers of exclusion, for instance affecting Roma girls; promoting the role and building capacities of the inclusive teams in local schools; establishing a community of practice including institutions and experts and practitioners; providing material assistance to schools close to settlements and attended by a significant number of Roma children; developing programs and manuals for bilingual instruction for specific subjects; assist in the preparation of Roma teachers also through internships; increase the number of pedagogical assistants; etc.)
• Applying measures of affirmative action (e.g. opening and supporting positive actions for the employment of Roma persons in education sector, local police corps, local public utility companies, including young and adult Roma in programs of non-formal education to develop key competencies, etc.)

2. ENCOURAGING AND SUPPORTING EMPLOYMENT AND SELF-ENTREPRENEURSHIP.

Projects under this measure may include:

• Proposing measures to support socially-useful work (e.g. LSGs or local public utility companies offering income-generating participation in low-qualification jobs to achieve objectives which are of a special nature or cannot be pursued with their own staff complement – socially useful work normally includes activities to protect or safeguard cultural heritage, help environmental conservation, maintain public amenities, research, training and re-training, etc.)
• Train or re-train individuals interested in starting small or micro business activities on key subjects (such as fiscal legislation, accounting, business management, etc.)
• Provide micro-grants for initial start-up activities
• Provide business advisory services to further strengthen and expand already ongoing activities (among services possibly provided: assistance to business plan design, marketing strategy elaboration, business mentorship, etc.).
• Pilot testing the introduction of “Roma Labour or Social Mediators” within the local branches of the National Employment Service or Centers for Social Welfare, to facilitate interaction between the institutions and the Roma individuals in need of social assistance, as well as to introduce a Roma mediation programme interfacing Roma employment-seekers with potential employers and support the transition from welfare to work.

3. TAKING ACTIVE ROLE IN DECISION MAKING PROCESSES FOR LOCAL ECONOMICDEVELOPMENT

Projects under this measure may include:

• Help redefining existing local action plans or drafting new ones (e.g. Including Roma individuals and civil-society organisations in the design and implementation of employment policies in partnership with the civil society, relevant institutions and the business sector;
• Reviewing possibilities to reduce local taxes and fees to facilitate employment or self-employment of Roma (e.g. jointly devising and applying incentives for Roma men and women collecting recyclable materials within waste management plans at the local level;
• Enhancing the comprehension and active inclusion of Roma persons in political life(e.g. informing local Roma communities on the electoral process and the rights o fvoters; supporting the introduction of a dedicated internship programme in local public administrations; etc.
• Supporting Roma NGOs and CSOs to raise public awareness about the problem of discrimination (e.g. training employees of state and local authorities in contact with the Roma population to raise awareness on multiple discrimination issues; developing educational programs and materials to train young people about hate speech; training local media on the establishment of hate speech self-control and prevention mechanisms etc.)