European Project - RoMigSc - Inclusion of Roma and Migrants in Schools

About Project.

RoMigSc – 2016 – 2709 / 001 – 001

Project Title: Inclusion of Roma and Migrants in Schools: Trainings, Open Discussions and Youth Volunteering Activities (RoMigSc)

Project Number: 580228-EPP-1-2016-1-SI-EPPKA3-IPI-SOC-IN

Agreement Number: 2016 – 2709 / 001 – 001

Programme: Erasmus, KA3

Key Action: Social inclusion through education, training and youth

Education is crucial for successful integration. Although diversity is an opportunity to make schools more inclusive, creative and open-minded, inequality in education is the highest among Roma and migrant children. Migrant and Roma often face discrimination and xenophobia. For instance, the educational achievements of these groups are in general poorer, they are more likely to drop out from compulsory education, leading to higher risks of social marginalization, to a failure to integrate, and, ultimately, to poverty, which has long-term adverse effects on the social development and economic growth of the host country. The main aim of this project is thus to support better integration of Roma and migrant children in education through various activities.

The engagement of youth in volunteering is also fostered in the project. Volunteering plays a significant role in the youth's social inclusion. It allows them to engage as citizens, as well as to gain experience, which can enhance their employment opportunities. However, volunteering needs to be recognized as a form of non-formal learning.

Project goals.

5 Main Goals

to be achieved

3 Years

Duration of the Project

Creating inclusive and democratic learning environments
Encouraging youth participation, developing inclusion and outreach practices to reach young people
Preventing and combating any form of discrimination and segregation in education
Fostering mutual understanding and respect among people
Enhancing the quality of non-formal learning activities, youth work practices and volunteering

1. Creation of inclusive and democratic learning environments

is addressed through teacher training (including via the establishment of an e-platform with learning opportunities for teachers), as well as through national seminars.

2. With volunteering activities

the project addresses young people – young volunteers in the age of 18-30 years. It is recognized that youth constitutes a group that is very vulnerable to social exclusion – involvement in volunteering gives them thus the opportunity to be more socially included. Young volunteers working mainly with migrant and Roma children will get the opportunity to gain valuable skills that can enhance their employability.

3. Preventing discrimination and segregation is especially highlighted,

as the project addresses Roma and migrant children.Teachers are trained to be interculturally competent and taught how to teach intercultural competencies to their students. The issue of segregation is also often a problem among migrant and Roma children, and it is here addressed at the national and EU levels.

4. Respect among people

of different ethnic or religious backgrounds, beliefs or convictions, including by addressing stereotypes and promoting intercultural dialogue, is of extreme importance. The intercultural competencies of teachers and students are the basis for intercultural dialogue. Multicultural classes create a climate in which different cultures can engage in a mutually beneficial manner. Teachers who understand diversity as a potential and as a resource for learning instead of a burden have the ability to develop a similar understanding in their students.

5. To ensure the quality of volunteering,

each volunteer is undergoing some training regarding the general topics and some additional training related to social responsibility and to the volunteering context where he/she is working. As volunteers involved in this project work mainly with migrant/Roma children, intercultural competencies are of crucial importance for the quality of their work.

Project Outcomes.

Training for teachers;
Free E-platform on intercultural topics with a series of guided learning opportunities for teachers, children, their parents, volunteers and all other citizens;
Training for the volunteers working with Roma and migrant children to equip them with unique skills and competencies for work;
Young volunteers will conduct volunteering activities for Roma children and migrants to better include them in school and local communities;
National seminars for different stakeholders – policymakers, directors of schools, academics/ researchers and the public authority will be implemented;
An international conference at the final phase of the project, in order to disseminate project results at larger scale.

Expected Impacts.

Improved teachers’ intercultural competencies and better knowledge on the strategies for work with Roma/migrant children;
Young volunteers will be equipped with intercultural competencies for working in multicultural environments, as well as with valuable knowledge on social responsibility and volunteering;
Volunteering will be recognized as an important form of non-formal learning;
Roma/migrant children will have the opportunity to benefit from volunteers’ help;
Rich materials will be produced and available in the e–platform;
The most demanding issues regarding inclusion of Roma/migrant children and volunteering will be exposed in national seminars;
Policymakers will have more information on how to develop further policies in the area of inclusion of Roma/migrant children in education;
The results of the project will be published to allow future research and changes in policies;
The partnership expects to contribute to a better integration of Roma and migrant children at the EU level and beyond, and to share good practices among partners.