Integration of ethnic minorities in the Czech Republic

Integration of ethnic minorities in the Czech Republic with the aim at Romany minority LAP´S RAP´S project Lisbon, 15. – 18. 11. 2006

Main approaches to the support for Romany integration in the Czech Republic • Human rights – equal conditions for all Czech citizens are guaranteed in the Czech constitution, in the Charter of Basic Fundamental Human Rights, in the EU legislation, in international agreements • At the national level – specific rights of members of national minorities are specified in the Charter of Basic Human Rights, chapter III. • Sociocultural point of view – Government Council for Romany Community Affairs

The Policy Concept of the Romany Integration (2005 -2015) Main objectives - to improve position of Romany minority in the society - to achieve the trouble-free coexistence of Romany nationals with the society

Tangible activities of the Mo. LSA • Mo. LSA announced the tender for developing of the Analysis of social excluded Romany communities and detection of absorbing capacity of subjects working in this area • Target – to gain information about situation in social excluded Romany communities by means of mapping the situation in particular localities and simultaneously find out the extent of absorbing capacity of subjects working in this area. • Fact – lack of verified information and the need to get financial resources from ESF for social inclusion.

• Fact – need of providing of specialised social services • Mo. LSA announces in the framework of grant proceeding in the field of providing social services also a sub-programme focused on a support of providing special services in social excluded Romany communities Focus on integration of Romany community members and support of social work in regions with Romany communities • The Act No. 108/2006 Coll. , on Social services, comes into effect on January 1, 2007. In this act the work with Romany communities is included in social service Terrain Programmes (§ 69) realized by social workers (§ 109).

• Social work in terrain is one of the most effective tools to solve social exclusion problems. The main philosophy is to tackle and sort out all problems with the user of this service. • Terrain social work draws on such experience that people living in social excluded localities, mainly Romans, have more difficult access to both state and non-state institutional help. It is one of the most effective tool for solving social exclusion. The main philosophy is to solve all problems together with the user of the service. • Further goal is to involve as many people as possible from the locality in all activities, to make the community active.

7 main priorities of the concept: • a) elimination of all forms of discrimination (race, colour of skin, nationality, language, ethnic group) • b) elimination of gaps in education and qualification • c) improvement of social level of Romany minorities – reducing of unemployment, improvement of their housing conditions and consequently health conditions, preceding of social exclusion in Romany communities • d) to stop creation of Romany localities – ghettos • e) maintaining of Romany culture and language • f) creation of a tolerant environment without prejudices • g) security of Romany minorities members

Institutional support • National level – advisory governmental bodies • Government Council for Romany Community Affairs (unifies activities of the ministries) - Government Council for national minorities • - Central bodies - ministries Ministry of Interior Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health

State grant policy • Grant programme for support of terrain work in social excluded Romany communities • Grant programmes of the branch ministries (e. g. Mo. LSA – providing with social services – target group: Romany population, services typology: terrain work etc. )

EU funds • SROP - measure 3. 2 - providing with direct services for target groups in particular regions • OPRLZ - measure 2. 1 - support of projects at national level (projects exceeding region NUTS II. ) • JPD for target 3 – support for capital Prague • Global grant - measure 2. 3 – education and enhancement of capacities of social services providers in regions and providing with these services in projects that do not fulfil the minimal financial limit for project in other possibilities of support. • Initiative EQUAL

ESF funds in the future • Programming period 2007 -2013 • Support of non-investment activities – creation of independent measure for project focused on Romany population

Integration support in regions and localities • Regions – regional Romany coordinator (methodological help from the Mo. LSA) • Community level – Romany advisory - terrain Romany worker • NGO – social workers - Terrain Romany workers - further experts (pedagogy, advisory employment, etc. ) • Social health workers • Pedagogical assistant (preparatory classes at schools, kindergarten)

Current project • ESF project Analysis of social excluded Romany communities and detection of absorbing capacity of subjects working in this area

Information • Contracting authority - Mo. LSA • Partner – Government Council for Romany Community Affairs • Realization: GAC l. l. c. , New school non-profit organization Targets: • To gain key information on situation in social excluded Romany localities for setting of a suitable system for acquiring of financial funds in programming period 2007 -2013 (summarization of documents, mapping of excluded localities, creation of an overview… • To find out the possibility and extent of absorbing capacity of subject providing with services

Outputs • Electronic interactive map with information about the life in the examined localities • Information about subjects working in above mentioned localities • Cumulative brochure (and CD) with detailed information and analysis of the current status • Final report for the contracting authority

Methodology and data collection (November 2005 – August 2006) • Phase 1: construction of a list of potentially excluded Romany localities in the Czech Republic, creation of a list of indicators of social exclusion and their usage in data collection • Phase 2: Filling in of 330 sheets of records, list of NGO working in this area, statistical data analysis – data about the localities, living conditions in localities – typology of localities. • Phase 3: defining of typology of localities (20), realization of several-day probes • Phase 4: developing of an electronical map, analysis and suggestion of changes, elaboration of final reports, conferences.

Working typology of localities • • • Small rural locality Large rural locality Small town locality Large town locality Small city locality Large city locality

Social Exclusion Dimensions - project Following main dimension contribute to the social exclusion of citizens living in the examined localities: Difficult access to the appropriate housing Difficult access to the labour market Difficult access to the education

Classification of social integration tools • Advantages • Disadvantages • Barriers

Housing - problems • SV mechanisms – living in a leased flat for limited time, living in non-standard conditions (lodging house, asylum house), illegal practices of owners of the houses, not paying for the rent and services, dealing the municipalities with the dodgers, selling of a leased flat • Low quality of living ents ower of categories, - insufficient equipment of the apartments. The above mentioned flats are leased for the inadequate price. Insufficient hygienic conditions, overcrowded apartments, lodging houses – lodging statutes. - localities in excluded areas, ethnic and social homogenous, worse accessibility of civic amenities, bad transport services • Small chances to improve the housing situation – small chance of moving away, system of apartment distribution

Housing – social integration tools • • • • Payment schedule Lease agreement for limited time Special recipient institute Prevention in a form of terrain social work Installation of energy meters in the apartment Exemption of penalty for delay Reconstruction of the apartment, including in private property Constitution of the function of a caretaker Relocation of social excluded from the excluded locality into apartments in other localities Construction of social housing Social housing at more levels Non-discrimination system of distribution of apartments Choosing families for moving into higher quality apartments

Access to the labour market - problems • • • Decrease of jobs for unqualified workers High unemployment rate Long term, recurrent unemployment Seasonal and occasional work Alternative living strategy (allowances, „black“ work, . . ) Ineffective current employment policy Current status • Low education, bad health conditions, long term unemployment, low social maturity, debts, low mobility, discrimination from the side of the employers…

Labour market – integration tools • • • Active employment policy Education of adults Retraining Community support work Supported jobs Labour-law advisory Protected workrooms SMEs support Short term contracts Motivation of employers to employ social excluded

Education - problems • Low motivation for education • Bad preparation of Romany children for compulsory school attendance • Failure of Romany children at basic schools and their placement to the special schools • Oft absence from school of Romany pupils • Low number of Romany students at secondary schools • External factors – bad branch cooperation • Bad awareness about social inclusion tools • Insufficient competency for solving of the Romany integration problem

Education – tools of integration • • • • Preparatory class at the elementary school Preparation before the school attendance – preparatory school clubs Tutoring at schools, in families Experts at elementary schools Project „School with all-day programme“ Further educational programmes Education of pedagogical teams Setting up the function of pedagogical assistant in kindergartens and at elementary schools Preparatory class in kindergarten Scholarship at secondary schools Project for parents and children Transport to school Mentoring Etc…

Further forms of support • • Terrain social work Prevention of criminality, drug abuse Social civic advisory Community centres Street work Social health worker Etc.

Strategy of the change • • • Analysis and familiarity with the environment Differential treatment Political support of activities Public information Ethnic homogenization of localities Capacities of educational institutions (unused) Importance of terrain social work Activities towards suppression of creation of social excluded localities Enhancement of programmes of active employment policy with taking into account the real conditions in the locality Feedback concerning the above mentioned activities Evaluation of effectiveness Necessity of changes in the system

Project „KONTAKT BOHUMÍN – methodology of community centre and social advisory for Romany minority“

TARGET GROUP • The project aims at citizens, mainly Romany citizens but also at citizens of major society with specification at: • Persons in crisis (social, material poverty, interpersonal relationships, unemployment etc. ) • Person who do not have enough information about their rights and interests • Persons who do not know their duties

Main activities of the project • The objective of the Kontakt Bohumín project is to support users in solving their difficult personal situations. We motivate people towards development and strengthening of their competencies to solve these situations. • Our objective is also to get acquainted the members of local community with the situation , their way of living, thinking, customs, traditions. • Through terrain social work we want to gain trust of the users of these services and to make them to be active in improvement their living situation.

Mini-courses • The target of realization of mini-courses of social integration is to increase knowledge, skills and working habits of users in various practical activities through social advisory. • Further important target is to offer relaxation and rest in relation with common, often difficult living problems of users of this service.

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