español |
english |
Private area
Private area
European Network on Social Inclusion and Roma under the Structural Funds
Structural Funds: Investing in Roma
Private area
European Network on Social Inclusion and Roma under the Structural Funds
Structural Funds: Investing in Roma
The Human Resources Development Operational Program (HRD OP) puts an emphasis on resolving the problems of vulnerable groups as a whole, and particularly of ethnic minority groups, including the Roma. In this sense, all actions aimed at improving the levels of economic activity, employment, education, qualification, social inclusion, equal access to social and health services adhere to the principles of equality among all citizens in the
One of the basic resources for those adequate instruments is the system for the monitoring and evaluation of the implemented measures targeted at the Roma community developed under the National Council for Cooperation on Ethnic and Democratic Issues with the Council of Ministers (NCCEDI). The system will include a database by RCCEDI, which is currently established in the 28 districts, and the information provided by the state institutions carrying out the Roma integration policies.
Therefore, during the programming phase of the HRD OP, specific issues affecting the Roma ethnic community, which require an individual approach in order to be resolved, have been given due consideration. The Strategy of the Operational Programme in the area of human resources development corresponds to the specific needs of all vulnerable groups’ representatives in the field of labour market, education and training, access to social and healthcare services.
In order to resolve those issues the operations under HRD OP will be complemented by the corresponding interventions envisaged in the “Regional Development” OP and, most of all, through activities aimed at ensuring better living conditions and contributing to the social inclusion of disadvantaged and vulnerable communities.
Priority axis I is targeted at the integration of all unemployed people in the labour market, improving the motivation of the unemployed for active participation and stimulating entrepreneurship. Tangible, specific activities, which could be applied to Roma integration into the labour market, comprise the application of a tailored approach by the staff of the Labour Offices, providing services to areas populated with Roma communities and encouraging equal opportunities; motivating and supporting unemployed Roma persons to visit Labour Offices; creating work-related habits among the long term unemployed through participation in Motivation Raising Courses and Targeted Employment Programmes; consultation on and assistance in creating opportunities for self-employment through starting up their own business; combining initial literacy courses with the acquiring of a vocational training certificate; improving their social skills.
Priority axis IV envisages actions to enhance the educational levels of vulnerable groups. Specific activities in this direction will be targeted at overcoming the high percentage of children dropping out from the educational system, as well as including those children who have never been schooled; providing opportunities for children from Roma residential areas to get quality education in schools either in their areas and outside those areas in order to get integrated in society and to reduce the risk of their future exclusion from the labour market; developing adequate measures for pupils’ motivation; literacy and providing opportunities for continuing education for representatives of the Roma community, who are in active working age.
Within the framework of Priority axis V, a specific and targeted approach to the social integration of vulnerable people, aimed at the needs of the separate target group is adopted. The ethnic minority groups, as target groups are paid special attention in 5.1., 5.2 and 5.3. Through interventions in the areas already described, it is aimed to improve the opportunities for integration, by ensuring employment and by increasing the variety of social services, which are provided in the community, in accordance with the individual needs of every person.
In view of the deteriorated health status of the Roma population, 5.3 will have a particular focus on the improvement of the health culture, will strengthen preventive and prophylactics practices, and will increase access to medical care, all of which are aimed at improving working capacity and working life duration. In the course of implementing the activities under HRD OP, special attention will be paid to the improvement of the capacity of public institutions in the field of labour market, education and training and the provision of social and healthcare services to work with representatives of the Roma community. Provisional activities in this field aim to improve the effectiveness of service provision through the creation of additional skills for the personnel, employed to work in the community.
The involvement of ethnic representatives with adequate training in direct work with the community will be encouraged. The impact of interventions targeted at the Roma community under the HRD OP will be evaluated with series of assessment studies. Monitoring of the progress will start with a specialised study in the very beginning of OP’s implementation.
