WHY? | CONTEXT

The Roma (a general name attributed to Rom, Sinti, Lom or Dom) community is the largest ethnic minority in the EU (approx. 11mil). Present in all 27 EU states as well as outside of it, the Roma community is the most disadvantaged group in Europe, being victims of racism and discrimination, racial violence, discrimination in the health and educational system, labour market etc. and is socially, economically, and politically vulnerable.

The media paints the image of the scapegoat, perpetuating and consolidating stereotypes and fake news to the detriment of the Roma community. They are the subject of defamatory media and populist campaigns, with far-right parties having a frontal role in disseminating negative messages and conditioning public perception (the phenomenon of „negative branding”, which exploits the fear of a particular group). More and more young people are publicly opposing immigrants, often Roma, and rejecting cultural and ethnic diversity. Given the lack of information in the media, textbooks or other educational sources on the culture and life of young Roma, Roma history and events in Europe who have transformed the Roma community into one of the poorest and most marginalized ethnic minorities, the phenomenon of „antigypsyism” is growing stronger in EU member states and beyond.

Active Development Association (Romania) is organizing REPUTATION, a youth exchange funded by Erasmus+ programme of European Union to tackle these issues, partnering with Future In Our Hands (Armenia), Youth for Social Changes (Albania), CET Platform (Italy), Kıyıköy Doğa Sporları Kulübü Derneği (Turkey) and NGO Association of School – Partners (Ukraine).

WHAT? | PROJECT’S MAIN OBJECTIVES

1. Combating the phenomenon of antigypsyism by equipping young people with digital, cultural and human rights activism skills, initiative and motivation to take action against discrimination and fake news about the Roma community.
2. Improving the perception of the Roma community by involving 36 young people from 6 countries in Initiating and conducting awareness campaigns to inform young people and the local communities about the challenges of the Roma people and to promote dignity, human rights, solidarity, tolerance acceptance non-discrimination, cultural, ethnic diversity, through visual tools (including short movies and illustrated books) during project implementation.
3. Increasing the level of trust, understanding, acceptance, tolerance and openness to the Roma community among 36 young people through non-formal education methods and facilitating the process of sharing real stories about Roma youth during youth exchange.
4. Developing media literacy, digital skills and social responsibility among 36 young people from 6 different countries by involving them in different practical activities to create visual tools.

HOW? l PROJECT’S MAIN ACTIVITIES

The project’s main activity is a youth exchange with participants from partner countries, which will take place in Slanic Moldova, Bacau County, Romania, between 14th and 26th of March 2022 (14th of March 2022 is the arrival day and 26th of March 2022 is the departure day) with the participation of 36 young people with the age between 16 and 25 years old and 6 group leaders with the age above 23 years old, from Albania, Armenia, Italy, Romania, Turkey and Ukraine.

The main objectives of the youth exchange are:
• Developing participants’ democratic skills and knowledge of the historical context that transformed the Roma community into one of the poorest and marginalized ethnic minorities, issues regarding Roma culture, but also challenges, problems and the needs of Roma youth.
• Understanding the negative effects of discrimination and social exclusion of the Roma community as starting point and stimulating the active participation of young people in combating the phenomenon of „antigypsyism” in their local communities through visual means.
• Developing the capacity of young people to prepare, implement and evaluate an online and offline information / awareness campaign, to develop media and social media content, to convey a message through visual means (especially videos) and use social media in a responsible way.
• Assuming European values on tolerance, non-discrimination, human rights, cultural diversity and the development of interpersonal skills, social responsibility, civic spirit and initiative among the young participants in the exchange.

WHO? l PARTICIPANTS’ PROFILE

REPUTATION was tailored for the young people from the partner organizations’ local communities, especially potential volunteers who want to be actively involved in promoting human rights, combating „antigypsyism” and improving the perception of the Roma community in local communities, but which, in order to be able to do that, they need:
• To understand the historical context that turned the Roma community into one of the poorest and most marginalized ethnic minorities and know aspects of Roma culture, but also the challenges, problems and needs of Roma youth.
• To know the European strategies and on the social inclusion of young Roma.
• To understand concepts such as inclusion, exclusion, segregation and integration, how social inclusion and exclusion work, but also the effects negatives of discrimination and exclusion.
• To learn about concrete measures to combat discrimination.
• To develop interpersonal competencies, social and civic responsibility initiative.
• To fully assume European values on tolerance, non-discrimination, human rights, cultural diversity.
• To understand the importance of active participation in community life and the ability to debate topics of European interest.
• To develop the ability to prepare, implement and evaluate an online and offline informative / awareness campaign, especially to develop media and social media content, to convey a message through visual media and use social media responsibly.

This project is funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.