General – Page 30 – ERGO Network

Join our team! European Solidarity Corps in ERGO Network

Call for European Solidarity Corps placement in ERGO Network

ERGO Network is looking for an enthusiastic and active young Roma who would like to join our office team in Brussels for 12 months in the framework of the European Solidarity Corps.

When: September 2020 to August 2021
Where: ERGO Network office in Brussels, Belgium
Who: Young Roma professional between 18 and 30
Deadline for applications: 30 June 2020

During the 12 months in ERGO, you will learn about international advocacy, help us organise international meetings and events and get actively involved in Roma activism and international Roma networks in Brussels.

Your main tasks will be:

Communication and visibility: contribute to the update of the ERGO Network and RomaReact websites and social media channels; development of creative approaches and publicity work to promote our activities and mission and a positive image of Roma.
Researching and reporting: Assisting ERGO’s research work e.g. on cases of inequality and antigypsyism all over Europe.
Advocacy and policy: Support ERGO staff in EU advocacy work on poverty reduction, social inclusion and antigypsyism; attend debates, hearings and meetings with other stakeholders to challenge stereotypes and racism, build partnership with Roma and non-Roma organizations from Belgium and other European countries.
Meetings and seminars: Assist in the organisation of meetings, events and international seminars of ERGO Network and its partners, e.g. our Advocacy Academy, Annual Members Meeting etc.

Your profile:

Young Roma between 18 and 30 years living in an EU member state or Macedonia or Turkey
Good English language skills, both oral and written
Computer literacy (experience with Microsoft office package and social media)
High motivation to learn more about Roma activism and advocacy work and to contribute to a small but very active European NGO
Previous involvement in Roma or (pro) Roma NGOs will be considered an advantage
Reliable, well organised and with attention to detail

You will work not more than 38 hours per week, including your language course. Working hours will be from Monday to Friday between 9:00 – 17:00. However, working hours can be adapted to your needs and the activities you will be involved in.

We aim to support young people who are enthusiastic about our cause and want to gain experiences that can be later transferred to national or local NGOs. We especially welcome applications from people who are motivated to challenge stereotypes, antigypsyism and racism and who show an open attitude for a unique learning and life experience, as well as a volunteer spirit of creativity, initiative, responsibility and independence.

We offer:

An allowance of 1049 Euro that includes money for accommodation, meals, local transport, language course and pocket money
Travel costs to Brussels (a lump sum depending on the distance to Brussels)
Health insurance for the whole year
On-arrival training with other Solidarity Corps volunteers, and lots of learning and development opportunities with ERGO Network and our partners
An exciting and unforgettable experience, working for an international organisation in an international city!

How to apply:

Please send your motivation letter (1 page) and CV (max 2 pages) by 30th June 2020 to info@staging.ergonetwork.org.

Do not hesitate to contact us for more information.

Mustafa Jakupov: m.jakupov@staging.ergonetwork.org

ERGO Network meets new EU Commissioners

ERGO Network meets European Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli, and is part of the Social Platform delegation to meet Executive Vice Presidents Frans Timmermans (cabinet) and Valdis Dombrovskis

In the first months of 2020, ERGO Network took the opportunity to get to know three of the new EU Commissioners who are essential for our work towards fostering social inclusion of Roma and combatting antigypsyism and to convey our key messages.

On 28 January 2020, a delegation of 14 ERGO Network member organisations met with the new European Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli, to commemorate the Holocaust Remembrance Day, as well as to discuss about the challenges faced by Roma civil society organisations in fighting antigypsyism and advocating for Roma rights and inclusion, and a meaningful and participatory post-2020 Roma Strategy. “Roma people have been living in Europe for more than 700 years and have massively contributed to the richness of the European heritage. Yet, for centuries, European societies have turned a blind eye to racism and widespread discrimination of Roma people. We have to change that”, committed Commissioner Dalli. Topics discussed included:

combating antigypsyism as horizontal and stand-alone priority, in all its forms and manifestations, including through strong legislative measures;
a comprehensive, binding, EU Strategy for Roma inclusion that includes enlargement countries on equal footing, with concrete minimum standards, ambitious targets, and common monitoring at the EU level;
capacity-building, support and channels for Roma civil society to meaningfully engage in the design, implementation, and monitoring of public policies that affect them;
prioritising Roma inclusion in the next MFF programming period, ensuring that Roma communities are involved in the delivery of European funds at the national and local level.

On 19 February, the ERGO Network was part of the Social Platform delegation to meet with the cabinet of European Commission Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans, to put forward the Roma rights perspective in discussions about how to put social inclusion at the heart of the Sustainable Development Goals and the European Green Deal in post-2020.

On 25 February, the ERGO Network was part of the Social Platform delegation to meet again with European Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli. We reiterated the importance of Roma-related indicators and data, the need for a specific investment priority on Roma, the importance of diversity, especially of including LGBTQIA+ Roma in the next EU Roma Framework, and the need to work together with civil society.

On 6 March, the ERGO Network was part of the Social Platform delegation to meet with European Commission Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis, in charge of an Economy that Works for People. We stressed the importance of ambitious targets, common indicators, and a strong EU monitoring process for the post-2020 Roma Integration Strategies, and for poverty reduction and social objectives in general.

Activities of Slovo 21

Meeting with representatives from NGO Centrum Inkluze within the CLLD

On 6 March Slovo 21 organized a meeting with 3 representatives from the NGO Centrum Inkluze in Suchdol nad Odrou with the aim to share information within the Local Action Group Opavsko. The NGO Centrum Inkluze is based in Budišov nad Budišovkou, where a high number of Roma live. Slovo 21 shared information on grant opportunities such as “Small Leader” within the LAG Opavsko and on other grants focused on education, culture and environment. During the meeting we agreed on future steps to build a Community Centre in Budišov nad Budišovkou, which would be used for educational and cultural programmes not only for Roma but also for the majority. Our next steps include cooperation with Roma women from this locality led by one of the representative.

Cooperation in Náchod

Slovo 21 works closely with NGO Roma Community Centre Náchod. For many years our Roma women’s group Manushe together with representatives from the NGO Roma Community Centre implement activities within the project “Jileha”. Now we are focusing on empowering Roma girls with the aim to reduce early pregnancy and, as a consequence of this, early school dropout. We now made contact with the Local Action Group Stolové Hory, of which Nachod is a part. Through this contact we will cooperate with the Roma Community Centre in the field of education.

On 3 March we met with the Member of Parliament and mayor of Náchod city. We agreed on long term cooperation and solved issues concerning Roma pupils in elementary schools. Náchod city will also support cultural and sport activities organized by local Roma. All mentioned activities will be financed from the budget of Náchod city and from the projects of Slovo 21.

For 18 years already Slovo 21 supports activities of the local Roma Women’s group Manushe, which has a great impact on activating the local community. One of the result is the visit of Roma Community Centre by Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Jana Maláčová.

Activities of FAGIC

National Training – Roma Youth Voice

FAGIC has been chosen to implement on national level in Spain the activities of the European project “Roma Youth Voices” led by Phiren Amenca and TernYpe. In the framework of the project we organized a National Training course about social and political participation for Roma youngsters from all Spain in February 2020. The aim of the project is to empower young people to ensure a more effective participation of young Roma in the political life. Roma youth is the future and they need to be aware of it!

You can follow the development of the project here: https://www.facebook.com/RomaYouthVoices/

R-HOME: Focus groups

FAGIC is currently developing a project about housing called R-HOME (Roma, Housing, Opportunities, Mobility and Empowerment). The project aims to analyze the situation of housing for Roma people in 5 different countries (Italy, France, Spain, Romania and Hungary). To do so we are taking part in a transnational investigation on housing .You can find more information on the project here: https://rhome.caritasambrosiana.it/

In the framework of the research activities we have led two focus groups with experts, representatives of the local Roma community and other organizations working on housing for people in marginal situations.

Case studies of ERGO members

Case studies of ERGO Network members

During 2019, in the framework of our EaSI funded work programme ‘Roma Included in Social Europe’ (RIISE) ERGO Network members in Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary conducted case studies to shed light on specific challenges relating to Roma integration in their countries.

In Slovakia, the Roma Advocacy and Research Centre looked into the challenge of indebtedness of Roma and how a change in the bankruptcy law, which was not particularly focused at Roma, greatly improved their financial inclusion. You can read the case study here.

In Hungary, Autonomia Foundation spoke to mid-sized employers in one region of the country to learn more about their attitude towards employees of Romani origin and their employment and hiring capacity of Romani workers. Read the case study here.

Our Bulgarian member Integro Association discusses the impact of EU Operational Programs on the shrinking Roma civil society in Bulgaria. Read Integro’s case study here.

Finally, our Romanian member organization Nevo Parudimos explored the phenomenon of school drop-out or early school-leaving as well as to identify its reasons among disadvantaged young Roma aged 14–22, who failed to complete lower and/or upper secondary education. Antigypsyism inside the classroom and persistent poverty and difficult living conditions are the two main causes for early school dropout, which need to be countered by positive government measures. Read the full study here.