As evidenced by several studies and reports Roma children are overrepresented in lower social stratas, are more vulnerable regarding early school leaving (ESL) and often children of Roma families find themselves in segregated educational institutions. Our project is a follow up of the research conducted by Együttható Egyesület and Nevo Parudimos in the frames of the LEADNFL project mapping ESL patterns in segregated communities and is aiming to collect and analyse data in a very specific way of segregation: educating Roma children with special needs in special schools. Althought in most of the cases the diagnosis justifying special education is valid, the socio-economic reasons behind an underperforming child are not taken into consideration. Attention-deficit or intellectual disabilities might well be the results of lacking access to healthcare and early childhood development, while the lack of social capital and financial resources may result in families lacking access to existing support structures in the later stages of development (i.e. specific development, youth services, labour market services, etc). The lack of access results in the circle of poverty and marginalisation on an even larger level, as the individual is stigmatized both because of ethnicity and because of disability. Our 24 months long project aim to -understand the reasons, associated life-paths and the consequences of education in such institutions by condicting, analysing and publishing 20 in-depth interviews/country involing stakeholders -formulate policy reform recommendations by an expert panel, on the grounds of our findings addressed at national and European decision makers, highlighting the importance of secondary support structures in the form of youth organizations and their toolkits -raising awareness on the issue amongst representatives, professionals and decision-makers of the sectors of formal education, secondary youth services, child protection structures, government administration Activities of the project -5 transnational meetings -Intellectual output 1 – analysis of 25 in-depth interviews in 3 countries, in country language, aggregated summary publication in EN (not direct translation, is a shorter version of all 3 studies) -Intellectual output 2 – policy recommendation by expert panel, 1/ country + 1 on European level -4 Conferences in Hungary, North-Macedonia and Romania – involving more than 250 relevant stakeholders -Lobby meeting in Brussels as closing event involving EU officials -wide dissemination activities
Our project aimed to 1)understand the reasons, associated life-paths and the consequences of education in such institutions by condicting, analysing and publishing 25 in-depth interviews/country involing stakeholders 2) formulate policy recommendations by an expert panel, on the grounds of our findings addressed at national and European decision makers, highlighting the importance of secondary support structures in the form of youth organizations and their toolkits 3)raising awareness on the issue amongst representatives, professionals and decision-makers of the sectors of formal education, secondary youth services, child protection structures, government administration
The ‘Loose Ends’ project is an international collaboration of three civil society organizations from Eastern-Europe engaged in education, social work and/or advocacy. As evidenced by several studies and reports Roma children are over-represented in lower social stratas, are more vulnerable regarding early school leaving (ESL) and often children of Roma families find themselves in segregated educational institutions. Együttható has been running an afterschool in Gyöngyös since 2014, providing daily youth work for disadvantaged youth. The programme is aimed at children and young people aged 5-23 living the local segregated areas. In the process of first interviews with the students and their families we’ve learnt that almost all have young parents under 30 years old who were once enrolled in the local special education school. ’Loose Ends’ wanted to get to know better their life situation, their needs, their past, and then build on this to develop services for young people that could support their development, improve their position in the labour market. The research programmes in Romania and Macedonia were born out of a similar need, with a focus on identifying the problem.