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A challenging ‘A Good Start’ in Macedonia - working with Romani communities -

AMBRELA Centre for Integration, KHAM, NRC by Aida Mustafovska

With support from the European Union

CONTENT:

AGS context Macedonia Localities Macedonian AGS activities Challenges / strenghts / weaknesses Results / outcomes Lessons learned With support from the European Union

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AGS CONTEXT MACEDONIA:

 Unfavourable legislative background  Bottom-up approach  Differencies of needs & interventions between localities in Eastern-Macedonia and Skopje (capital)  Commitments of municipalities (political and financial) With support from the European Union

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With support from the European Union

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MACEDONIAN AGS ACTIVITIES in general:

 Home surveys, Home visits  Awareness raising workshopsRomani children inclusion into local kindergartens  Tailor-made approach (team – learning specialists)  IDs mediation, immunization activities (Suto Orizari)  ISSA Trainings (mediators / teachers) With support from the European Union

CHALLENGES – STRENGHTS / WEAKNESSES:

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Parents: motivation for participation can be difficult Institutions: time-consuming procedures (IDs) / dependency on political parties’ free will / ad-hoc actions Other: time-energy consuming project administration procedures / extreme working conditions / finding staff-volunteers for a low compensation vs. ensuring quality Strengths: - Professionalism / devotion / commitment local NGOs - Tailor-made approach (community needs) Weaknesses: - Lack of NGO involvement in overall project design - Lack of adequate working conditions With support from the European Union

DESPITE CHALLENGES, WE SUCCEEDED IN:

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        Home survey - 442 Surveys Home visits – 2815 visits Awareness raising workshops (immunization, preschool education) – 77 workshops, parents reached 1665 Romani children inclusion into local kindergartens – 152 children (Clothing kits / school material) Immunization activities – more than 1000 children vaccinated Kindergarten renovated Trainings – 22 teachers, 13 mediators IDs mediation – extremely relevant, a precondition for overall integration - 351 persons received IDs – (Suto Orizari, 192 children (born at home / hospitals) and 159 parents) - 21 persons in procedure – (home-born children) With support from the European Union

RESULTS / OUTCOMES:

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Institutions-related results:     Teacher, teacher assistant will be employed in Vinica First time kindergarten with good quality equipment in Crnik Tailor-made approach & out-reach work by learning specialists (assessment, action plan, portfolio’s) Direct influence on policy making via cooperation with Ministries (Interior, Labour and Social Policy, Education) Children-related results:  Daily customs created   Macedonian language skills improved Social skills improved Parents-related results:  Parental skills improved  Awareness raised With support from the European Union

LESSONS LEARNED:

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      Parents’ involvement: invest in programs / activities that will motivate parents in active parenting / additionally improve parental skills Tailor-made approach: invest in every child individually (attention for personal development) Multidisciplinary mediators teams Institutional services: introduce free-of-charge kindergarten participation for extra marginalized groups Importance of sustainability Respect: mutual respect necessary for future – good cooperation With support from the European Union

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Thank you for your attention!

Special thanks to:

European Commission DG Regio Roma Education Fund Bernard Van Leer Foundation LEGO Foundation UNDP/World Bank/Slovak Governance Institute/ISSA Esp. Macedonian NGO partners, stakeholders (Kindergarten, Vaccination Service S.O., various Ministries) & Romani community from Macedonia With support from the European Union