2005 2004 Hungary Country Homepage *Project Stories*
2005
Objectives
The Hungarian Government is committed to reviewing and strengthening its policies to support the inclusion of marginalized groups, with a special focus on the Roma population. The World Bank supported this commitment with an IDF grant for the capacity building for the Directorate for Roma Integration. The Hungarian Government is also leading and coordinating the preparation of the regional initiative "Decade of Roma Inclusion". The core to the initiative is the involvement of Roma civil society organizations. The Small Grants Program is an excellent tool to complement and support the Decade.
The preparation of the Decade of Roma Inclusion program has given clear signs that most civil society organizations are not adequately in the policy discussions, even on the local level, or ensure that their views are factored.The Small Grants Program was used primarily to strengthen capacity building of civil society groups, especially Roma organizations; encourage public dialogue; networking; and dissemination of knowledge and information. Roma NGOs Roma Social and Educational Methodology Center
The project includes Roma cultural preservation, introducing Roma culture to the majority to decrease social prejudice and increase social cohesion, and enhancing dialogue and cooperation between Roma and non-Roma social actors.The project involves Roma and non-Roma organizations for implementing needs assessments, training programs, roundtable discussions, study tours, and consortiums. Alliance for the Integration of the Roma Living along the Maros River
The organization is fighting for equal opportunities in the labor market, with special attention to Roma groups. The project's goal is to ensure adult education for citizens over the age of 16 and who have not finished elementary school and increase participation in adult education programs, thus leveraging the standard of living of disadvantaged families living in the city of Mako and the surroundings area. The organization is creating a database based on a needs assessment that serves target groups' selection for future EU applications. Families participating in the program are regularly informed about available job opportunities and get personal counseling. Job centers, local entrepreneurs, and the media are involved in the program. Alliance of Trans-Danubian Roma Leaders
The organization’s mission is to provide educational, vocational, and employment services to Roma community members. It organizes training and roundtable discussions to generate common project ideas and create ad-hoc consortiums with the involvement of Roma leaders, local governments, and local entrepreneurs. Further activities include creating a database of development plans and conducting an in-depth analysis on how the Roma can benefit from various development efforts. The organization would join a newly created or existing partnerships focusing on social net programs for the Trans-Danubian Region. "For a Better Future”
The objective of the program is to mobilize communities and enable access to economic opportunities and social services. Targeted information helps community members understand that there are ways out of the poverty trap if they can identify their own problems and come up with certain solutions and ideas. Financial resources are available, but good innovative ideas are needed. The members of the association are the Roma minority self-governments of 28 villages in Nograd county, Roma NGOs, and local representatives of the communities. Through a couple of training sessions, professionals shared the know-how of project planning and management, such as application writing methods, with members and partners. ”RomNet-Media” Foundation
The project's aim is to enhance the socio-economic integration of Roma in the city of Eger through building effective cooperation between the city’s Roma minority self-government and NGO leaders, capacity building of their human resources, and initiating dialogue and cooperation between local Roma and non-Roma citizens as well as local public institutions and NGOs. Methods include the internet and electronic and printed media to advocate at a decisionmaking level, organizing informal meetings, sharing information, and mobilizing people. “Roundtable” Foundation
The project's aim is to work with the Decade of Roma Inclusion initiative, support Roma integration activities, decrease Roma segregation, and improve living standards. The foundation will reach these goals by establishing an NGO with the young people of Tiszabo, improving their advocacy skills and educational level, and further on uniting the young people of the region and catalyzing new youth NGOs. “Khetanipe” Association for Roma Partnership
The aim of the association is to enhance equal opportunities and social integration of local Roma communities in cooperation with regional and local Roma NGOs and Roma minority self-governments. The submitted program aimed to create and strengthen the basis of partnership and cooperation; to intensify the dialogue between institutions and organizations. A special emphasis is put on skills development of Roma activists on project planning and management. The expected outcome of the program is the establishment of a strong consortium which could serve as a basis for EU funded programs. Alliance of the Roma Youth of the Dráva Valley
The Alliance aims to defend and represent the interests of young people and preserve Roma culture and language in settlements along the Dráva river. The project's goal is to build cooperation between Roma and non-Roma NGOs and local governments in order to help the coordination of local development plans and efforts and make sure that the communities' priorities are properly addressed. The project prepares for the EU LEADER+ program, sets up an action group consisting of the representatives of different sectors. Independent Roma Association of “Bonyhád”
The organization is the only one in the region that represents the interests of the Roma. The project aims to decrease Roma discrimination and segregation, increase advocacy capacities, and help Roma integrate into society and the labor market. For reaching these long-term goals, the association supports Roma communities in 6 different settlements, helps create grassroots organizations, develops the skills and competencies of Roma leaders, spreads information and builds information systems, and shares experiences with newly-established NGOs and Roma minority self-governments. For “Kisszentmárton” Association
This socially- and ecologically-focused association works with Roma entrepreneurs, institutions (e.g. a national park), and local government officials. They plan to strengthen and widen cooperation to enhance the integration of disadvantaged Roma groups and at the same time preserve the Drava river. The local tourism development project was managed and carried out by Roma community members, starting with human resource capacity building in a remote area of Hungary, where the unemployment rate reaches as high as 38%. The project was designed to serve as best practice for surrounding villages and to receive Regional and the Human Resource Development Operation Programs of EU Structural Funds in Hungary targeting the development of tourism and training programs to reduce unemployment. Democratic Alliance of the Roma of “Csongrad" County
The almost 15-year-old organization advocates for Roma rights in Csongrad county and works for equal opportunities for the Roma and has experience in cooperating with local municipalities and county-level Roma organizations. The organization targets educational development and labor market integration through needs assessments of different services for Roma inhabitants, training for leaders of Roma minority self-governments, and roundtable discussions involving Roma organization leaders, the county municipality, the county job center, mayors of villages, and the Roma minority local-government. Association of the Roma of “Zomba”
The association aims to protect the interest of Roma communities in Zomba and surrounding villages. Working with local municipalities, the association organized roundtable discussions with the Roma population and the county’s job center to spread information about the Decade of Roma Inclusion and to create grassroots organizations and Roma minority self-governments. The results of a needs assessment was shared with the job center and employers. Four different operational programs of EU Structural Funds in Hungary are reached through the project.
2004 Objectives
The goal of the 2004 Small Grants Program was to support grassroot organizations that aimed to help the Roma and other vulnerable groups to identify their problems, create a vision on how to change their marginalized situation, identify opportunities of change, and give theoretical and practical support for managing their lives. Through training and workshops, young Roma leaders were empowered to actively participate in the preparation and management of Decade and Roma Education Fund initiatives. Roma NGOs Khetanipe Roma Association - Read the Project Story
The association aims to reintegrate vulnerable Roma citizens of the South-Trans-Danubian region into society by assessing and prioritizing local needs and mapping regional specifics, enhancing dialogue and cooperation between Roma civil society organizations and local governments through regular meetings to facilitate sharing of best practices and new initiatives, launching training programs for Roma (designed in cooperation with local municipalities and social authorities) matched to the local needs, disseminating information, and sharing the outcomes of these efforts with NGOs.
Horseradish Road Tourist Association
The association set up a regional network of horseradish producers to improve the living conditions of the local poor, primarily the Roma population, working in horseradish growing in the region. A horseradish roundtable was organized to provide a forum and network for knowledge sharing
on agricultural issues and dissemination of information on funding opportunities and best practices. The program was based on successful horseradish-growing projects of local civic organizations in six villages mostly inhabited by Roma. Horseradish production is nearly the only income-generating possibility for low-educated people in the region. Roundtable participants had the opportunity to meet all stakeholders, including the relevant government officials, and voice their concerns on the agricultural support system and seek advice regarding the potential effects of EU accession on agricultural production. "For our Future" Foundation
The foundation seeks to reintegrate marginalized, unemployed Roma in small communities around Nyíregyháza and Ózd through a bottom-up approach. A multi-level development process, including training young community development practitioners, was organized, based on available infrastructure and human resources. The foundation provided training for 20, mainly Roma, 18-25 year-olds on community development, focusing on active participation and field work. A partnership structure was set up involving the different stakeholders on the local level, and a forum was organized for the community members to inform them about the partnership and other related developments. The forum also identified the priority needs of the communities. Local and regional community development programs, indicating the available financial resources, were prepared by the partners and discussed at the regional government level. Lungo Drom Association
The association promotes partnerships between civil society organizations and the local government to empower the Roma population of the Tiszacsege region, with the hope of improving their living conditions. A series of roundtable discussions took place between the local government and minority government representatives, a family care center, and the local labor office to reach a consensus on the priority areas of development and to prepare a long-term development program. A county consortium was established to apply for EU funds for the implementation of the development plan. Association of Roma Garden Fans of Bátaszék
The goal of the program was to enhance the living conditions of endangered and disadvantaged Roma population in the region by strengthening the network and facilitating partnerships between civil organizations, local and minority self governments and labor offices. The program promoted dialogue and included dissemination of information through monthly roundtable meetings in the Bátaszék Roma Community Center, where actual funding opportunities were presented and discussed. Projected outputs of this process were applications for European Union funds prepared by a joint effort of the participants. "Amenca–With Us to Europe" Association
The association coordinates with and educates local Roma groups to efficiently leverage financial resources from the European Union for their development initiatives. A comprehensive Roma socio-map and situation analysis was prepared in partnership with local minority self governments and civil society organizations. A public seminar was organized on "Romanology," targeted to engage the Roma community in public decisionmaking processes to improve transparency and accountability of local government practices. The seminar strengthened tolerance and dialogue between the Roma community and the public administration with the active involvement of representatives of local minority governments, civil society organizations, and public administration experts. A publication summarizing the lessons learned was produced and disseminated. Welfare Service Foundation of Derecske
The foundations enhanced the successful reintegration of excluded Roma by establishing a database to serve as a basis for future education programs organized in cooperation with local governments, minority local governments, and civil society organizations. Roma interviewers filled in 200 questionnaires with members of the target group. The data gained from these questionnaires was summarized, evaluated, and the results and lessons learned were published in a booklet. The project concluded with a regional conference where the results of the survey were presented. Roma Cultural and Public Education Association
The association targets the development of advocacy capacity of Roma living in settlements in the disadvantaged regions of Baranya county, as well as of civil society organizations active in the region. The association disseminated information regarding human rights issues among Roma and non-Roma inhabitants, organized lectures on discrimination, and presented tools aimed at conflict resolution on the individual and community levels. A series of seminars were organized for civil servants, civil society organizations, and Roma leaders working/living in the settlements. Participants were acquainted with the most significant elements of conflict resolution, communication, the new Anti-Discrimination Act, human rights, and minority and advocacy issues. "Independent Together" Roma Association
The association teaches Roma organizations in the North Hungarian region to leverage financial resources from the European Union to implement their development programs targeting the marginalized and vulnerable Roma population of the region. The association established a training program for local minority governments and Roma NGOs on project management and grant proposal writing, with the organization answering participants' questions and providing continuous support for their activities. Best practices and lessons learned were shared, with a special emphasis put on encouraging dialogue and strengthening partnerships among the participants. "BHIM RAO" Association
The association enhances the advocacy skills of young Roma in the small settlements of the Edelény region, helping them protect their rights and improve their overall position in the local community. A training for young Roma and non-Roma leaders, who planned to participate in Roma civil society initiatives in the near future, aimed to prevent migration of these young Roma and to create a network to support the field work of NGOs and local governments. Beyond the training component, there were two study tours in the program during which participants were acquainted with best practices from other regions and also with the work of national organizations working on Roma issues. Dialogue for the Communities' Public Benefit Association
The association works to enhance the living conditions of the disadvantaged Roma population of three small settlements – Homrogd, Lak, and Tomor. Regular roundtable discussions with community members, local government officials, and Roma minority self governments and NGOs increase the involvement of the local Roma population in the decisionmaking processes. After continuous dialogue and roundtable discussions, the association organized a conference with Roma and non-Roma participants to establish a community council in all three settlements to facilitate joint community development work. |
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