The initial aims of the programme, were to work with 15.000 roma people and to achieve at least 2.500 labour contracts, along 2000 and 2006. In order to do so, we run individual integration pathways, that is, a methodology based on the individual needs.

The actions developed under the Operational Multiregional Programme “Fight Against Discrimination” (O.P) are aimed at the Roma community and at offering them integration opportunities. This population group is formed in Spain of more than 650.000 people, being great part of it in risk of social and labour exclusion.

The methodology is based on the individual needs and develops the following type of actions:
- Sensitizing and raising awareness between young roma people from 16 years old onwards and their families, so that they are willing to enter guidance, training and job search processes.
- Welcome and first guidance in order to start defining the content of the individual employment pathways for training and job search.
- Labour market research of those economic sectors for which Roma population may be more qualified for. Contact with enterprises to build bridges between employment opportunities and Roma unemployed people. Once the matching process is achieved, follow up, along with close accompaniment in the post, especially at the beginning of the process, is provided both to the new employed Roma person and to the entrepreneur.
- Training actions are developed in order to improve the Roma population employability. Such experiences and methodologies are constantly being transferred so that the intervention that is actually being run and aimed at the Roma community can be improved.
- Introduction to positive experiences of social intervention with the Roma community in relation to their labour insertion, along with exchange of good practices of projects aiming at promoting labour insertion of the Roma community.
- Creation of an information system -Monitoring Centre on Roma Community Labour Insertion
- which give permanent information on the evolution of the Roma Community situation in relation to employment.
- When running a project that looks for impact both on the Roma community and on the general society, dissemination activities are key aspects. Bringing up examples of good experiences open up roma persons´ perceptions of possibilities in relation to employment and training as ways of promoting themselves within the society

Roma community (650.000 people), general society

In June 2006, 25 000 roma people have gone through individual employment pathways; and 16 500 labour contracts were achieved.

· Involvement of financial supporters of more than 70 departments from public administrations (national, regional and local level), from the areas of social policies and vocational training and employment.
· Involvement of entrepreneur sector, media and other entities that are participating in the program in different ways.
· Leading role of affected groups and their representative entities (Roma associative movement, social networks…) in the development of the program actions.
· Setting up of Monitoring Committees where more than 100 entities from all over Spain, are formally involved. The aim of such Committees is to disseminate as much information as possible and to guarantee full transparency in the program actions.

Financial aspects:Budget Total 2000-2006/2008: 62 million eurosFrom European Social Fund, Spanish Ministry of Employment and Social Affairs (MTAS), Regional and local governments

EU involvement European Social Fund 2000-2006

Fundación Secretariado General Gitano
C. Antolina Merino, número 10
E 28025 Madrid
http://www.fsgg.org
D. Isidro Rodríguez Hernández, tel. +34 91 422 09 60

01/01/1998

case

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration > Equality

Employment Equality, Racial Equality