1. LOGO PROJECT Roma-Net Integration of Roma Population Speaker Date

2. Roma-Net – Integration of Roma Population I Monday, 17 February 2014 I Page 2 Roma-Net Integration of Roma Population Roma-Net is a partnership project between nine European cities committed to tackling exclusion of the Roma communities which reside within the city locality. Roma-net is funded by the URBACT II programme and its important subject area means the project has been selected as a Fast Track project by DG Regio. lead partner Budapest (Hungary) partners Udine (Italy); Bologna (Italy); Karvina (Czech Republic); Almeria (Spain); Torrent (Spain); Glasgow (Scotland, UK); Kosice (Slovakia); Nagykallo (Hungary)

3. Roma-Net – Integration of Roma Population I Monday, 17 February 2014 I Page 3 Roma-Net Integration of Roma Population Throughout Europe the Roma population is composed of many communities differentiated by settlement models, culture and religion, legal status, language and periods of migration. Across Europe Roma experience greater social exclusion than the majority populations, especially in accessing employment, education, health and social services. Roma populations present high rates of illiteracy and poor school attendance of many children. Roma populations often live in segregated, isolated districts where living conditions are poor with problems of extreme overcrowding and a lack of basic facilities all of which contribute to and aggravate their poor health condition.

4. Roma-Net – Integration of Roma Population I Monday, 17 February 2014 I Page 4 Roma-Net Integration of Roma Population URBACT is a European exchange and learning programme promoting sustainable urban development. It enables CITIES to work together to develop solutions to major urban challenges and helps cites to develop pragmatic SOLUTIONS that are new and sustainable, and that integrate economic, social and environmental dimensions. URBACTII aims to: Facilitate the exchange of experience and learning among city policy- makers, decision-makers and practitioners; Disseminate good practice and lessons drawn from these exchanges and ensure the transfer of know-how; Assist city policy-makers and practitioners (including managers of operational programmes) to define, and put into practice, Action Plans for sustainable urban development. The Programme achieves this by helping to establish projects and Roma-Net is one of these projects. more information at http://urbact.eu/http://urbact.eu/

5. Roma-Net – Integration of Roma Population I Monday, 17 February 2014 I Page 5 Roma-Net Integration of Roma Population One of the main innovations in URBACTII is the requirement that each project partner has to establish a Local Support Group (LSG) and produce a Local Action Plan (LAP). By completion of the development phase each city has to go forward with the preparation of a local action plan, which will require the input of local communities as well as the key stakeholders from all the service delivery departments and agencies. Implementation of the aim of the local action plans will require the support of structural fund and for this we require each of the partner cities to establish a working relationship with the Managing Authorities for ESF and ERDF.

6. Roma-Net – Integration of Roma Population I Monday, 17 February 2014 I Page 6 Roma-Net Integration of Roma Population On a trans-national level the project provides exchange and learning activities to increase the knowledge and professional capacity of the partners to tackle Roma exclusion. The trans- national exchange and learning has been divided between three overarching themes: Active community engagement/empowerment - including effective participatory activities/tools; anti-discrimination awareness; social marketing. Integrated and area based approach to tackling exclusion and segregation including the application of an integrated area based approach to service provision; tackling segregation using housing improvement; and inclusive approaches to area based regeneration. Building a transitional labour market – creating, supporting and using an intermediate labour market; the role of the social economy/social firms; justification for using social accounting and audit.

7. Roma-Net – Integration of Roma Population I Monday, 17 February 2014 I Page 7 Roma-Net Integration of Roma Population Ann Morton Hyde (lead expert) ann@think-international.com Project website www.urbact.eu/roma-net Laco Oravec laco@nadaciams.sk

8. contact@urbact-project.eu www.urbact.eu/project