Mobile support service for Roma – the path of Roma empowerment

Tina Strnad, Development and Education Centre Novo Mesto, Slovenia

Along the path to the empowerment of adult Roma

Mobile guidance service for Roma within The Guidance Centre Novo mesto as the example of good practise

The Guidance Centre Novo mesto, which is one of the 14 guidance centres in Slovenia, set its priorities in year 2001 in the ISIO model (model of guidance activity in adult education), by identifying different guidance types, forms and contents considering the needs of different target groups.

From the very beginning special attention within guidance centre has been given to the adult Roma.  In our region they are recognised as a specific vulnerable target group, because of their low participation in the process of education, employment and lifelong learning.  Among Roma people there are passive receivers of social aid and they need because of the complex problematics immediate help in motivation for education and job seeking.

The work with this particular target group has become increasingly more systematic and targeted and it represents the progress in the guidance process. We have developed Mobile guidance service for adult Roma, which is based on »outreach« concept, working outside of institution in Roma settlements. During the years 2008-2010 the concept grew into a special independent activity of the Guidance Centre Novo mesto and became the example of good practice in the guidance process of vulnerable groups in the project Centre of Lifelong Learning Dolenjska.

Aims of Mobile guidance service for Roma:

• to enable grown up Roma people access to guidance services and include them into lifelong learning and to offer learning support,
• to provide guidance at all education, training and employment levels,
• to raise awareness about the significance of learning, finishing schooling and acquiring a profession – education and learning promotion,
• to train them for greater independence in doing every day work,
• to train them about better hygiene and learn them about basic communication skills and bonton,
• fight against social exclusion and bonding  between the Roma and majority community  –  to include Roma into wider social environment and break stereotypes in majority and to increase participation in society and active citizenship,
• to give assistance in eliminating problems, which are a consequence of a low (functional) literacy level …

Mobile counselors are working in the team with other colleagues working with Roma. In accordance with improving efficiency of the work we also collaborate with other partners in the region.  Work on the field is carried out mostly in Roma settlements throughout the municipality of Novo mesto. Our work is dedicated to adult Roma and to the participants who are included in Primary school for grownups (outside their programme), students of the last trimester of elementary school and their parents (in primary school or in the settlement) and students of high schools.