Community On Its Way to Prosperity

This broadly conceived Project has been implemented since the June of 2012.

The purpose of the Project is to contribute to social integration and inclusion of children from socially disadvantaged Roma communities and to reduce socio-economic differences between the majority population and the Roma minority.

The aim of the Project is to enhance personal development of children and young people from vulnerable groups by increasing the quality and scope of social and education services provided in Community Centres and schools in ten localities in Košice and Prešov self-governing regions (Košice-Šaca, Krompachy, Moldava nad Bodvou, Ostrovany, Rankovce, Rudňany, Sabinov, Spišské Podhradie, Stará Ľubovňa and Veľká Ida).

The Community Centre workers enhance the motivation of children and youth to finish their compulsory education and continue to study at secondary schools. On a daily basis, hundreds of clients attend the Community Centres established in cooperation with local Municipalities.

Project results, as of the end of 2014, are as follows:

  • 7754 children and adolescents from 10 towns and villages now have access to quality professional services from the Community Centres.
  • 312 representatives of organizations and partners involved have acquired the knowledge and skills necessary for improving the quality of social work and education of the inhabitants of marginalized Roma communities.
  • 133 Community Centre workers (pedagogical staff, Tutors and Mentors) have gained professional competence to provide comprehensive services and education to children and young people.
  • 10 Community Centres have obtained equipment and tools to implement courses and training activities for children and young people.
  • 100% of students that enrolled in the Financial Education and Health Awareness courses completed the final tests successfully.
  • Not one of the children attending our Pre-School Clubs in the Community Centres was placed in a special school or classroom.
  • The number of children and young people from marginalized Roma communities enrolled in secondary schools and universities has increased.
  • The number of young people who found employment after finishing school has increased.
  • 3 Community Centres continue providing comprehensive services thanks to a new ETP project and 7 Community Centres have joined the National Project of Community Centres.
  • We have prepared and submitted 36 project proposals to relevant institutions aimed at the improvement of social and economic conditions in 10 marginalized communities.

The standard education activities of the Community Centres include the Pre-School Preparation, Health Awareness, New Horizons, Financial Education, IT, Creative and Art Clubs.

The experience and methods verified by ETP over the years have been adopted by the Implementing Agency for Employment and Social Inclusion in the National Project of Community Centres, which will provide comprehensive social and education services to clients in 160 community centres in segregated communities in Slovakia.