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Project Summary
In 2019, the roma population and especially us, roma women, already suffered from severe social discrimination, and this situation was extraordinarily aggravated in the case of also belonging to the LGBTQ+ collective.
We are also discriminated against by our families, community, and society in general, with a risk of being expelled by our environment and by society very real for LGBTQ+ youth, being able to easily end up homeless, without opportunities for inclusion, and living in a constant threat in our day-to-day.
During the development of this project, this situation worsened even more, reaching its critical point on June 23, 2021 with the approval of the anti- LGBTQ+ law by Hungarian president Viktor Orban.
Faced with this need to offer an opportunity to young LGBTQ+ roma, we created the project “THE ROMA COMMUNITY IS ALSO DIVERSE: TRAINING YOUTH WORKERS FOR INCLUSION”, in which we have promoted the social inclusion of young roma who have lost family, social, and institutional protection, so as not to leave them alone in front of those who hate us or in the face of situations that can end in homelessness.
This is especially important, because many of the movements and entities that work with the roma people systematically ignore the reality of the LGBTQ+ collective, and the same happens with the LGBTQ+ and Feminist movements, where the roma collective is not included in their studies, campaigns, or projects.
Thanks to the development of this project we have generated two Intellectual Outputs of great quality and impact to show the social workers and youth technicians who work with this group a methodology generated by the beneficiary group itself and innovative tools that allow them to understand us.
Methodology Used
Throughout the project we have used an innovative methodology for the inclusion of LGBTQ+ young people based on generating a personal critical awareness that reinforces our confidence, our capability for empowerment, and the importance of the self before external impositions (both before that part of the roma community that rejects us and before the paya society), since inclusion is based on self-confidence, on strengthening our self, and looking for others in our situation to create a us before the exclusion from them..
With this methodology we train the monitors and trainers of the roma and LGBTQ+ entities of Europe to promote an effective inclusion adapted to the reality of the LGBTQ+ roma collective, which suffers from multiple discrimination.
Our methodology also considers the specific conceptual and terminological scenario of the LGBTQ+ collective, especially the situation of integration and social exclusion in each of the participating countries, the joint logical framework of the LGBTQ+ roma community, and the bases compared at a geographical level and in relation to the rest of the contents.
Our Partners
Results
We have created within the project two major Intellectual Results: firstly the "METHODOLOGICAL GUIDE FOR WORKERS IN THE FIELD OF YOUTH: THE INCLUSION OF YOUNG LGBTQ+ OF ROMA ETHNICITY IN EUROPE" (O1), and secondly the "OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR INCLUSION IN DIVERSITY", in addition to multiple tangible and structural results, with the aim of bringing social workers and youth technicians closer to the methodology generated by us, to enhance our opportunities for inclusion, trust, and the possibilities of building a society that does not reject us for who we are.
The O1 is a Methodological Guide 87 pages long with a very appealing and enjoyable appearance, which allows partner entities, collaborators, and even entities from all over Europe to train their monitors and youth workers for the social inclusion of LGBTQ+ gypsies, adapting their training practices and non-formal education to the reality of this group, thus encouraging the creation of a space for feminism and roma LGBTQ+ diversity to be included in the agenda and demands of the majority movements, and training them to undertake international projects that include and guide the beneficiary group
On the other hand we have the O2, as 16 Open Educational Resources (OERs) as a set of non-formal education materials aimed at young LGBTQ+ roma and youth monitors who can use them in their activities to develop skills that allow them to improve their lives and inclusion.
Los 6 vídeos de entrevistas que forman estos REAs incluyen contenidos con el tema de unx mismx, la comunidad, y la sociedad, por lo que hemos incluido los 6 en las tres categorías en las que los hemos dividido, que hemos definido como:
Transnational Meetings
Throughout the project we held 4 Transnational Meetings, the second of them in full march of LGBTQ+ Pride in Pecs, Hungary, in protest against the approval of the controversial anti-LGBTQ+ law together with thousands of young roma.
M1: VIRTUAL - February 2021
The very serious and successive crises that impacted our four associations meant that this first meeting had to be held virtually. In it we focus on:
- An analysis of the situation of our countries, our entities and our community.
- An evaluation of the development of the project (preparation phase and part of the execution phase).
- The situation of the Intellectual Outputs: the methodological guide.
- The situation of the Intellectual Outputs: non-formal educational resources.
- Preparation of the second Transnational Meeting in Pecs.
- The schedule of subsequent actions.
- Open speaking time.
En ella participaron miembros de AGFD, de GLAS FOUNDATION, de E-ROMNJA, y de DIVERSE YOUTH NETWORK. Pese a que siendo virtual no pudimos estrechar lazos personales y conocernos en espacios no formales, fue muy importante para ubicarnos en el proyecto y darle el empujón necesario para lograr todos nuestros objetivos, además de establecer las bases de la siguiente, presencial, en Pecs (Hungría), durante la semana del Orgullo LGTBIQ+.
M2: PECS, HUNGARY - September 2021
Before the demonstration, which also served to prepare several audiovisual materials for the OER of O2, we held the working meeting in which we focused on the development of the first Intellectual Product of the project, the METHODOLOGICAL GUIDE (O1), in addition to analyzing what had been done so far and preparing the remaining tasks, Start developing the project website, coordinate the work during the demonstration, prepare recordings and interviews, and analyze the situation of the entities and the project.
A esta reunión asistieron representantes de AGFD, de E-ROMNJA, de GLAS FOUNDATION, y de DIVERSE YOUTH NETWORK ASSOCIATION.
El orden del día en el que nos centramos fue:
- Reading and approval of the previous minutes.
- Intellectual Output O1: methodological guide for youthworkers: the inclusion of young lgbti+ roma in europe.
- Preparation of Pride Day and preparation of the open educational resources for inclusion in diversity: innovative materials for young lgtbi+ roma in europe.
- Subsequent activities.
- Open speaking time.
In addition to this formal work space, this 3-day Transnational Meeting allowed us to meet with large LGBTQ+ European federations and roma associations from all over Europe, and on this occasion generate informal spaces (dinners, lunches, breaks) where we strengthen ties between us, and participate in the demonstration.
M3: MADRID, SPAIN - January 2023
After the disastrous impact of COVID-19 and the policies of the governments of Hungary and Bulgaria, we decided to hold the last two meetings in Madrid, in a safer climate for the participants.
This meeting focused on closing the O1 and developing the O2, in addition to planning the rest of tangible materials, especially those for dissemination on social networks. We also evaluated the implementation phase, and assessed the situation of the entities and the difficulties they were going through, helping them to continue developing the project despite adversity.
- El orden del día que seguimos fue:
- Evaluación del desarrollo del proyecto (fase de ejecución).
- Situación de los resultados intelectuales: la guía metodológica.
- Situación de los resultados intelectuales: recursos educativos no formales.
- Calendario de acciones posteriores.
- Open speaking time.
En ella contamos con la participación de miembros de AGFD, E-ROMNJA, y DIVERSE YOUTH NETWORK; y pese a que lxs asistentes de GLAS FOUNDATION no pudieron llegar a la reunión por la situación en su país, tomaron parte de forma virtual.
Thus, in addition to the formal work space, we established non-formal work spaces (visiting friendly entities, seeing other cultural projects in Madrid ...) and informal spaces that allowed us to become more friends and plan new future projects.
M4: MADRID, SPAIN - November 2023
This meeting was held again in Madrid, given the instability in countries such as romania, Hungary, and Bulgaria due to the upcoming war in Ukraine, choosing the Spanish capital as a safe place for the participants.
En esta reunión nos centramos en la fase de difusión, para la que diseñamos planes específicos que nos han permitido lograr que los resultados sean utilizados con éxito por entidades de toda Europa.
Verificamos y pusimos en práctica el Plan de Difusión que se realizó antes de la solicitud, adaptándolo a la realidad del momento, del proyecto, y a la situación global. Además, esta cuarta y última reunión fue el espacio para llevar a cabo la evaluación general final del proyecto.
En esta reunión nos centramos en el siguiente orden del día:
- Evaluación del desarrollo del proyecto (fase de ejecución) y situación del contexto social.
- Análisis de las pruebas piloto de los resultados.
- Preparación de la fase de difusión.
- Calendario de acciones posteriores.
- Open speaking time.
Y en esta última reunión participaron líderes de AGFD y de E-ROMNJA, y de forma virtual de DIVERSE YOUTH NETWORK y de GLAS FOUNDATION.
In addition to the formal work space, once again, we established non-formal work spaces (visiting friendly entities, seeing other cultural projects in Madrid ...) and informal spaces that allowed us to analyze the context and specify new projects.
Pilot Tests
We have been able to carry out many more pilot tests than were proposed, autonomously and virtually due to the impact of COVID-19, but also due to the exclusion and persecution suffered by many young people living in Hungary, Bulgaria, and romania, which prevented them from attending their headquarters.
In spite of everything, 10 social entities of roma, or that work with this beneficiary group, from 7 different countries, distributed the results among their partners, who tested and evaluated them through virtual meetings.
Multiplier Event
"THE LGTBI+ ROMA COMMUNITY FOR EQUALITY AND INCLUSION"
As an association, we have a long experience in the creation in other projects of dissemination events of great impact, with large events in which hundreds of people participate, many of them multiplying agents, both nationally and from other countries in Europe.
Although the original idea was to take advantage of the International LGBTQ+ Pride Day in Madrid to celebrate the Multiplier Event, several changes finally made it celebrated, thanks to the collaboration of the City Council of Cartagena and the University of Murcia, on December 16, 2022 in the Isaac Peral Room of the Faculty of Business Sciences of Cartagena, before a large group of multiplier agents, including local policy makers, experts from the University of Murcia, directors of social entities, exponents of the roma community in Cartagena, and social workers.
The big event had the following agenda:
- PRESENTACIÓN DEL EVENTO: la inauguración del evento, para presentar el proyecto, sus propósitos, objetivos, y actividades principales.
- "EUROPE AS A SPACE FOR STRUGGLE AND RE-IDENTIFICATION OF RIGHTS": talk to present the projects of the program we carry out to claim the rights of roma women and promote their full social inclusion.
- INTRODUCCIÓN DE LA “METHODOLOGICAL GUIDE FOR YOUTH WORKERS: THE INCLUSION OF YOUNG LGBTI+ ROMA IN EUROPE” (O1) e INTRODUCCIÓN DE LOS “EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES OPEN FOR INCLUSION IN DIVERSITY: INNOVATIVE MATERIALS FOR YOUNG LGBTQ+ ROMA IN EUROPE” (O2): una introducción técnica de los resultados del proyecto por la vicepresidenta de AGFD.
- MESA REDONDA SOBRE LA NECESIDAD DE LA VISIBILIDAD Y ORGANIZACIÓN DE LA COMUNIDAD GITANA LGTBIQ+ EN EUROPA PARA LOGRAR LA IGUALDAD, en la que expertos de múltiples áreas evaluaron los Productos Intelectuales y establecieron acuerdos directos para ser implementados en poco tiempo, además de discutir la gran necesidad de estos proyectos y hacer sugerencias para fortalecer la red y los proyectos futuros. Contamos con la presencia de la entidad IN-SITU SOCIAL (experta en la acción social con personas sin hogar), de la federación de entidades LGTBIQ+, y de E-ROMNJA de manera virtual.
- CLOSING: at the end of the event with the appreciation of the Erasmus+ Programme and the farewell of a person of the highest authority in the field of youth or social welfare.
Thanks to this event we managed to make clear the multiple oppression faced by the LGBTQ+ roma community in a patriarchal society controlled by paternalism, machismo, class differences, and heteronormativity, thus marking a turning point in the inclusion of the LGBTQ+ roma community and promoting that European society becomes aware of the exclusion to which we are subjected every day.
