PROMA Through education towards vocation!

The Roma represent the biggest ethnic minority in Romania. The estimated numbers differ considerably: 621.600 according to theofficial census in 2011– up to 1.5 million – 2 million according to non-official estimates by the Council of Europe. The population of Roma is very heterogeneous in Romania: anthropologists have recorded between 16-18 neamuri, “clans”, differing generally in traditional occupations (florists,jewelry/silver welders etc). However, at the moment, traditional Roma are decreasing in numbers and a vast majority of them have lost their traditions to an important degree. Historians still debate on their first entry on the Romanian territories, but they agree that the first record is from 1385. The history of Roma in Romania is very much influenced by the period of “robie” (enslavery), from their entry up to 1856, when the declaration of emancipation was signed. Communism had also a great impact on the Roma population, when many of them were employed in factories, in agriculture and enrolled in schools. Post-communist transition had deep impact with loss of jobs, especially for the  under-skilled. Over the past three decades, activism and engagement from international organizations and donors constitute a strong influence on the history of Roma persons.  Particularly, in the field of education, there is still a major gap between Roma children and those of the majority population, in terms of school participation, level of performance and school dropout. Also, there is still segregation and a different in the quality of education received by Roma and non-Roma children. In recent years, Romania has not registered progress in facilitating the access of Roma children to early education or compulsory education. 

Our goal is to establish a club named Through education towards vocation! as an open, safe, creative and challenging space created for children living in ghetto areas in the Galati county. We believe in the kindness of people and know that the solution to all our concerns lie in every community’s readiness of embracing this kindness.We are ready and we are prepared to help others get ready as well through sustainable educational programs that fight prejudice & negative attitudes.Unlike others, we believe that education is the only way these children have to break the vicious circle of marginalization and poverty. We use sports, art and remedial education to change their perspectives and opportunities.

The Through education towards vocation Club Objectives:

• Create a safe, creative and challenging space for the children, inside the school.

• Offer counseling and mentoring for a group of children who are actively involved in the project.

• Develop innovative approaches focused on school performance improvement and also forming cognitive, artistic and creative abilities.

• Create strong sport teams in order to improve discipline, team work, self-esteem and respect for the opponent.

• Promote the idea of active citizenship and respect among the Roma and non-Roma children involved in the project.

Six days a week, even during the summer holiday, the children will have access to a multitude of activities:

• Remedial education – depending on the level of knowledge, the children are supported by members of the team to improve competences like mathematical skills or reading and writing in Romanian or English. The goal of this activity is to support the children to reach the educational level suitable for their age.

• Non-formal education (sports, artistic and cultural activities) – Sport is one of the most popular activities from the club, engaging children in a fun but disciplined manner. We believe that sports can play a crucial role in a child’s development, molding his/her personality and teaching dedication, team work and mutual respect.

• Artistic and cultural activities – drama, music, painting, financial education, health education, photography, quilling, storytelling, educational games.

• Mentoring – this activity aims to consolidate the relationship between the children and our specialists by counseling them in order to define the personal development objectives. Furthermore this component aims to trace a typology of positive role models for the children to refer to in contrast to the negative role models they have in the community.

• Community organizing – each week we organize meetings with the mothers who participate in our activities in order to identify issues within the community and to find the most suitable solutions to engage and involve the members in the process of change.

We are a non-governmental,  founded in 2009, in Romania. We believe in the kindness of people and know that the solution to all our concerns lie in every community’s readiness of embracing this kindness. We are ready and we are prepared to help others get ready as well through sustainable educational programs that fight prejudice & negative attitudes.

Through the projects and programs they run, the Association for Ecology and Tourism PRO ECO-TUR contributes to the development of local communities and to increasing their quality of life. This promotes sustainable and ecological tourism, which respects the environment and the traditional culture of the places visited, thus offering a responsible and ethical alternative to mass tourism.

Within the social economy, the Association for Ecology and Tourism PRO ECO-TUR is actively involved in the development of human resources and local communities, offering jobs and training for people from disadvantaged regions and beyond. It also promotes cooperation between economic, social and environmental actors to find durable and sustainable solutions for current problems related to environmental protection, economic development and the consolidation and local development of disadvantaged areas.

The club is set in one of the neighborhoods well known for drug usage and trafficking, prostitution, HIV/AIDS and domestic violence. Extreme poverty, illiteracy, detention and its consequences are characteristics that the kids we work with, their parents and society in general, have come to consider normal for this community. Children from this area rarely graduate high school or university. No one – not even their parents – considers they are able to succeed in the academic field. Moreover, the children face ethnic discrimination and disdain from the majority of the population on a daily basis. They are being discredited for being part of the Roma community – which is widely discriminated in Romania. In these conditions, their motivation to stay in the educational system is low, since even they end up believing they are not able to succeed and that school cannot help them overcome the obstacles they confront with. They do not have positive role models in life or support from their families or the community and on top of this, teachers discredit them as well.

We are looking to gain visibility, networking with a research community, build integrations with allied innovations, gain mentorship from domain experts, and also receive funding to support the integration of Roma children.

The inclusion of Roma in educational systems is possible and, in recent years, significant progress has been made in this regard. These changes have really begun to be reflected in the few statistics available. A new elite begins to form, committed to working for their communities as facilitators, teachers, school principals or community NGOs. Sustaining this positive trend involves concerted efforts.  It is important that educational systems are more open to multicultural approaches and that people accept that being citizens of the same country does not mean that everyone is exactly the same, has the same cultural references or has the same economic background. It is also important that educators are focused on the individual child and interactions with other students in the classroom, and that school staff interact meaningfully with parents and the community outside the classroom. 

The main philosophy behind a Roma inclusion effort in the educational system should be represented by the fact that this effort will benefit all children as well as the whole society. A more child- and community-centred approach is needed, whereby all children, regardless of their differences, can develop as part of a more inclusive community. wide. This can only be achieved if governments work to change their institutions and if Roma become permanent participants in the system.

Roma access to education directly depends on the standard of education offered. It is often observed that the standard of education provided to Roma children is lower than that provided to the rest of the population. Teachers' lack of motivation to work with children from other cultures, prejudices against Roma families and lack of training are factors that contribute to the low level of education offered to Roma. Through this approach, the majority of the population acquires the tools and the skills necessary to understand the majority culture. As a result, promoting mutual understanding helps eliminate prejudice on both sides. However, this approach does not involve concessions related to fundamental human rights. 

Regarding the inclusion of Roma in education, it is essential to ensure a
close links between the arguments for human rights and economic efficiency.
If only the rights argument is used to man, this can be very harmful, in especially if it generates the perception that Roma require special rights or an interpretation their particular, especially considering that Roma are often perceived as persons who do not accept all their obligations as citizens. On the other hand, the economic argument is not enough strong alone to fight
against entrenched discrimination. Economic reasoning may be the most convincing to technocrats, but, of those more times than not, he's not that convincing for politicians or the general public.

This project is a wonderful example of obtaining last longingeffects. It addresses one of the root causes: lack of adequate teaching.It provides teachers with tools for assisting kids and their families. Itplaces a focus on the importance of communities, of creating an“educational relationship” with families and on building trust withthe family and community. The project relies on the active participation of the Roma communitiesas well close collaboration with central and local authorities in the targeted region.

In terms of Roma education, participation is essential for many reasons. One of the reasons is the need for emancipation of the Roma communities. Until recently, it rarely happened that the Roma represented a strong and well-organized political force at the local and national level, which is why, with a few exceptions, their participation in the legislative and elected bodies was very small, as a result, they had a reduced ability to influence specific policies and programs. If they do not become a force that can influence the democratic game of power, the Roma's success in influencing economic reforms will be limited. As a result, it is essential that minority elites are given a voice and visibility, as this elite is still small and requires support, and participation can lead to stimulating the interest of the Roma in involvement in public life. This is true at regional, national and local level. The benefits of participating in collective engagement in society are not obvious to people who have been discriminated against for so long. Participation creates commitment and motivation. If well managed, efforts to enable participation can build trust necessary for successful programs.

The second reason participation is important is that Roma parents tend to be less involved than other parents in school management and interaction with school staff. This is due to several factors, such as the Roma's low level of education, their perception that they will not be listened to, or the fact that the adaptation mechanisms needed to fight poverty do not give them the time and resources to participate effectively. . If parents are listened to in school and given the minimum support and necessary explanations through support programs (such as school mediators), their attitudes change quickly.

Virtual reality can improve education by providing students with memorable and immersive experiences that would otherwise not be possible. What’s more, it can all take place within the classroom.

VR is accessible to every student and can be easily monitored by teachers. Virtual experiences have the power to engage and inspire students in a unique and powerful way.

There are so many ways in which virtual reality can help students but the main points are below:

• 1. Students learn better through experience

VR provides students an opportunity to learn through experience, in contrast to the traditional methods of reading and writing.

• 2. VR has the ability to inspire

Being able to see and experience extraordinary locations within the classroom is completely unique to VR and it is inspirational to students.

• 3. VR sparks the imagination and encourages creative thinking

The immersive experience that VR provides is unparalleled in teaching. Students are “transported” out of the classroom and their imagination is allowed to flourish.

My solutions team consists of 10 full-time, 5 part-time, and 3 other workers, plus 30 volunteers.

I have been working on my solution on Roma inclusion through education for about 2 years. We started this project to help improve access to education for Roma children and to fight against their discrimination and segregation in the education system. We have collaborated with various non-governmental organizations and educational institutions to develop programs and initiatives that promote the inclusion of Roma in education.

To ensure diversity in our team, we aim to recruit and promote people from different backgrounds, cultures and backgrounds. We focus on diversity in gender, ethnicity, age and educational background to bring different and innovative perspectives to our team. We encourage diversity of ideas and opinions and foster an environment where every member feels valued and respected.

To minimize barriers to opportunity for staff, we offer ongoing training and professional development programs for all of our employees. We ensure that all team members have access to the resources and support to reach their full potential and improve their skills in their field of work.

To create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all team members, we promote respect, transparency and open communication. We organize team-building sessions and integration activities that facilitate interaction and collaboration between colleagues. We ensure that all employees feel safe and encourage their involvement in decision-making and team development.

Finally, we strive to create a work environment where each team member feels valued, respected and appreciated for their unique contribution. We are committed to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in all aspects of our work and to creating a workplace where all employees feel part of a united and collaborative team.

Our business model in educational inclusion of Roma students is based on the creation of personalized educational programs adapted to the specific needs of Roma communities. We focus on developing the skills of reading, writing, mathematical calculations and other skills necessary to give students an equal chance of success in school and in life.

The main products and services we offer include literacy courses, individual and group counselling, extracurricular activities and vocational training. These services are delivered in partnership with local schools and communities and are tailored to the specific needs of each student.

Our main beneficiaries are Roma students from disadvantaged rural or urban areas who need additional support to succeed in school. They benefit from our educational programs to develop their skills and increase their self-confidence.

The motivation and need of these beneficiaries is the desire to overcome their social condition and have a real chance to realize their potential. Through our programs, we give them the tools they need to face school challenges and build a better future.

My plan to become financially sustainable in terms of inclusion through Roma education involves diversifying funding sources and establishing strategic partnerships.

On the one hand, I plan to apply for grants and sustainable funding, both locally and internationally, to fund our Roma education programs. I also plan to develop relationships with various non-governmental organizations, foundations and international organizations to obtain long-term financial support.

On the other hand, I plan to develop a series of training and consulting programs in the field of inclusion and diversity, which we can sell to organizations interested in social impact and improving interethnic relations. I also plan to develop educational products and training materials for us to market to ensure a steady source of income.

In addition, taking into account my previous experience working with local and central governments, I intend to explore the possibility of entering into service contracts with these entities to provide consulting and training services in the field of Roma inclusion and education.

Finally, I will adopt a mixed approach, combining different sources of income to ensure the financial sustainability of our projects. By diversifying funding sources and establishing strategic partnerships, I believe we will be able to sustain ourselves in the long term and have a positive impact in Roma communities.