English
GRUNDTVIG LEARNING PARTNERSHIP
Promoting digital literacy of Roma people toward their active citizenship
The project is funded by the European Commission under the EU LLP Grundtvig Programme
Project coordinator
ISMU Foundation
Contact persons
Alfredo Alietti (alfredo.alietti@unife.it) and Veronica Riniolo (v.riniolo@ismu.org)
Partners
1) Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights HFHR (Poland). Website
Helsińska Fundacji Praw Człowieka (Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights HFHR) operates to promote human rights as a basis for functioning of the state and the civil society, strengthen respect for human dignity and human rights, and develop the culture of human rights in Poland. The tasks currently performed by the Foundation can be divided into four main groups: (1) research and monitoring of human rights, including situation of national minorities (e.g. Roma), migrants and other vulnerable groups (2) free legal assistance for migrants, refugees, national and ethnic minorities and other individuals (3) public interest action and intervention and (4) human rights education. HFHR representatives also contribute as consultants and experts for parliamentary committees and governmental advisory groups as well as comment on human rights issues for the media. The Foundation closely cooperates with major international human rights institutions: Council of Europe, OSCE/ODHIR, EU Agency for Fundamental Rights, and the UN. In 2007, HFHR obtained consultative status with ECOSOC.
2) Association Rues et Cités (France). Website
Founded in 1974, the association Rues et Cités aims to fight against social exclusion and to create/support social dynamics at local level. The association is deeply rooted in the Seine-Saint-Denis district, suburb of the eastern and northern Paris region, one of the most disadvantaged territory in France. In 1956 a first action was implemented on its territory by the “Equipes d’Amitiés” which are at the origin of the association and, in particular, of the work of specialized prevention (“prévention spécialisée”). If the forms of our action have changed over the time, the values that underpin the work of the association stakeholders, employees and volunteers, have remained the same. Following our associative project, it is to provide excluded youth and adults the possibility of achieving autonomy, freedom of choice and to enable marginalized communities to take their own self-care. In a context of increasing social insecurity, criminalization of poverty and mistrust vis-à-vis the youth and migrant neighbourhoods, our actions promote the creation of social ties. They rely on the resources of those we accompany and on the local dynamics. We specifically act within social street work, among young adolescents from marginalized neighborhoods. We also have a long experience of social work and mediation with Roma communities of the area (French Gypsies and Romanian Roma), through the various projects conducted by our structure: street educators among Gypsy families for the 1950’s, recent projects of housing and integration in three cities with Romanian Roma families etc.
3) Associazione Culturale Upre Roma. Website
Upre Roma Association was founded in July 2009 (according to the Italian law 383/2000). Its main objective is the promotion of Roma culture and tradition, also with an attention to their social, economic, political and educational inclusion in the Italian society. Upre Roma Association organizes specific social and cultural activities in order to reach the abovementioned objective. Moreover, Upre Roma promotes the civic engagement of Roma people, intercultural relations between Roma and the rest of the society and fight against all forms of racism, intolerance, violence, injustice and socio-economic, ethnic, gender discriminations. Members and partners of the association are primarily Roma people. The aims of Upre Roma are achieved primarily by investing in human resources of Roma and Sinti communities, through their direct participation in the training courses and cultural and civic life.
Summary of the project
The project aims at increasing awareness regarding some of the most important challenges Europe is facing nowadays, such as the social exclusion of Roma people that hinders social cohesion, the digital divide among European citizens, and the lack of awareness of the rights and duties which European citizens are entitled to. The specific focus of the project was on Roma communities. This is due to the fact that a significant part of the Roma population, the largest minority in Europe, has to face increasingly difficult living conditions in spite of the growing commitment on the part of diverse actors – both institutional and non-institutional – aimed at promoting strategies and processes of social, economic, political and cultural inclusion. In particular, Roma participation and representativity still appear weak when compared to the principles enunciated by European policies. On this account, a central issue should be the discussion of the role of the new technologies (ICT – Information and Communication Technology) in promoting the rights and claims of Roma. In an age of social networks and of their potential chance of becoming effective cultural and political instruments, an analysis of the integration of vulnerable minorities cannot avoid taking this into account. Indeed ICT are a means to achieve the effective citizenship of all people living in Europe, since ICT can be used as a tool to promote the awareness of all citizens about their duties as European citizens and about the rights they are enshrined in the Treaty on European Union and national rights. In line with this the participating countries to the Partnership analysed and exchanged good practices on the activation of Roma people and on the role of ICT in this process.
General objectives
The project has the following main general objectives:
1) reducing the gap in ICT usage among different groups of citizens, with a specific attention to the greatest and most discriminated minority in Europe, i.e. Roma people;
2) improving Roma people’s competences, knowledge and skills in ICT usage ;
3) using ICT (Information and Communication Technology) as a tool to improve active citizenship of Roma people in line with European priorities and strategies;
4) creating a European network (organizations, Roma communities…) committed to the promotion of active citizenship of Roma people through ICT.
Activities and deliverables
Beneficiaries (direct and indirect)
The project has an impact on 1) participating institutions, 2) adult Roma involved and the communities they belong to, 3) Policy makers and practitioners and in general 4) on the wider community. Impact on:
– Participating institutions and staff
The project will enhance the competences of each participating organization and the staff on educational challenges regarding the most excluded citizens in Europe, stimulating innovation and creativity in finding new solutions to common European problems. Another important impact is the creation of a sound European partnership which involved a great variety of institutions (small associations, Research Institutes, Centers for the promotion of Human Rights and so forth) working on a relevant European topic, i.e. the promotion of active citizenship through ICT usage among the most vulnerable groups in Europe. This favours a reciprocal enrichment since each institution brings a different expertise and experience. Moreover the staff can apply the new acquired competences in its daily work activities and practices, sharing this knowledge also with other colleagues.. The impact on each participating organization is made effective by the effort of the staff taking part in the project to share the results and activities of the project with the manager and other colleagues.
– Roma involved (Learners)
Participants will improve skills and competences related to the use of ICT. This will enlarge their possibility to active participate in the society. Roma will be actively involved also during the lifecycle of the project in order to develop with them the most suitable pedagogical model for the transmission of ICT. This means that one impact is also their active involvement in the project.
– Policy makers and practitioners
They will have a practical tool (Toolkit for policy makers and practitioners on the promotion of active citizenship through ICT) which can represent a support for their daily work when dealing with this specific issue.
– Wider Community
The dissemination of project activities and project results will reach the wider community that will benefit of new knowledge on relevant European issues, such as promotion of active citizenship of Roma, digital literacy and so forth.
Outputs and outcomes
– Video of the project;
– “A practical guide. The Roma people and the use of ICT as a socio-economic and cultural inclusion tool. Some guidelines” – English Version;
– “A practical guide. The Roma people and the use of ICT as a socio-economic and cultural inclusion tool. Some guidelines” – Polish Version;
– Radio Rom Revolution;
– Map of Italian websites on Roma people or created by Roma people, by ISMU Foundation;
– Monitoring on Italian Roma Websites, by ISMU Foundation;
– Working document (good practices, experiences and activities realized for the promotion of ICT competences among Roma), by ISMU Foundation;
– Workshop on Roma at the International Metropolis Conference, 3-7 November 2014: “Roma migration in Europe. Public Engagement, Active Citizenship, and Social inclusion”, organized by Alfredo Alietti, Oana Marcu and Veronica Riniolo;
– Final international workshop “Citizenship and e-activism 2.0 Images, discourses and practices of ICTs among/for Roma“;
– Blog of Radio Rom Revolution;
– Final publication: “Virtual Citizenship? Roma communities, Inclusion Policies, Participation and ICT Tools” edited by Alfredo Alietti, Martin Olivera e Veronica Riniolo.
Useful European documents
– Europe 2020. An European strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth;
– A Digital Agenda for Europe, COM/2010/0245 final;
– European Parliament resolution of 5 May 2010 on a new Digital Agenda for Europe;
– Digital Literacy Report: a review for the i2010 eInclusion Initiative, European Commission Staff Working Document, 2008.
Pictures
Pictures of the training course addressed to Roma young people organized by Upre Roma with the scientific support of ISMU Foundation. The course, organized between 2014 and 2015, lead to the realization of Radio Rom Revolution.
Start date – End date
1 August 2013 – 31 July 2015
