Housing of the Roma in Finland International Conference

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Housing of the Roma in Finland International Conference Housing of Roma in Europe 20.

Housing of the Roma in Finland International Conference Housing of Roma in Europe 20. 9. 2013, Slovenia, Murska Sobota Ritva Anttonen, Finland City of Jyväskylä Director of Adult Social Work and Empowering services Chair of the Roma Working Group of the Jyväskylä area

Housing Conditions of Roma in Finland • Untill the 1970 s, over half of

Housing Conditions of Roma in Finland • Untill the 1970 s, over half of the Roma lived in inadequate housing conditions or were completely homeless or travellers. • Special legistlation 1975 -1976 for improvement of housing conditions of the Roma • Municipalities got the duty of organisation of housing • Now the housing conditions are generally similar to the main population. • Roma are housed mainly in state-subsidized dwellings owned by the local authorities. Only a minority of the wealthiest Roma are owneroccupiers.

Roma Working Group of the City of Jyväskylä • The City Government of Jyväskylä

Roma Working Group of the City of Jyväskylä • The City Government of Jyväskylä founded the workgroup in 2003 • The work will focus on the central issues of the local Roma like integration, day care, schooling, working life, housing and society

Assembly of the Roma Work Croup of Jyväskylä area Housing Social Services Shooling Employment

Assembly of the Roma Work Croup of Jyväskylä area Housing Social Services Shooling Employment Services NGOs: Jyväs. Roma ry. Suvanto ry. Politician: The Day Care and Preschooling Member of The City Government of Jyväskylä Roma Municipality of Laukaa - 9 official members, Jyväskylä City Parish The Regional Advisory Board on Romany Affairs of South- Western Finland others are wellcome Jyväskylä Adult Education Employment and Economic Development Office Police Department of Jyväskylä University

Roma Working group and Housing • Discussion about the needs of local Roma and

Roma Working group and Housing • Discussion about the needs of local Roma and • Seminairs with the authorities and housing corporations • An inquiry of the conditions and housing of the Roma elderly • Roma have been planning together with authorities the building for supported housing for the young people

Themes of the local discussion • Discrimination, neighbours and residence selection • Custemer service

Themes of the local discussion • Discrimination, neighbours and residence selection • Custemer service problems • Cultural questions are not enough tooken in consideration in residence selection • Unrealistic expectations of Roma • Problems with paying rents • Young Roma and independent housing

Roma into the working life - project • The EQUAL programme; theme Combating racism

Roma into the working life - project • The EQUAL programme; theme Combating racism and xenophobia in the labour market • The purpose of the project was to improve the employment opportunities of the Roma population in the Jyväskylä Region through by – Rising the level of education – Supporting them to the employment – Supporting the entrepreneurship – Working with attitudes 7

The Roma Service of City of Jyväskylä 2009 -2013 Two mediators continued the work

The Roma Service of City of Jyväskylä 2009 -2013 Two mediators continued the work of the project Roma into working life. Eg. during the year 2009 they supported 43 Roma to participate in work, training and also work and training try-outs Target group includes also young pupils completing compulsory school Focusing also: • briefing about Roma culture • working with substance abuse and mental health clients

Influencing to the services municipality • Authorities of the City of Jyväskylä found that

Influencing to the services municipality • Authorities of the City of Jyväskylä found that there had been done good work also in supporting of housing in Roma into the Working life project • City of Jyväskylä set up the service of social management. • A Rom worker from the project was a developer of the supported housing service in new project • Pilot project Housing Yourself 2010 -2011 – support to homes – Roma with other social workers supports in housing both social work clients and prisoners 29. 9. 2010 Ritva Anttonen

 • After pilot project Housing Yourself 2010 -2011, the worker got a permanent

• After pilot project Housing Yourself 2010 -2011, the worker got a permanent job and this service will be widen. • The clients of the service are mainly from main population. Roma in this position, benefits… • Roma knows the culture when dealing with Roma clients. • Roma workers is doing the important attitude work among the main population especially with the authorities