Which practical tools can be used to foster Roma social inclusion and make sure their equal participation? And how can Roma be an active socio-economic actor of the society where they live?
The SERCo – Social Entrepreneurship for Roma Communities project addresses these and other questions and the partners have been assessing the benefits of running an enterprise and especially a social enterprise as part of a process of social inclusion of Roma communities.
The partnership which is comprised of 9 partners from across 6 EU countries and includes Universities, non-profit government funded organisation and an NGO, met together in Barcelona, Spain on 24th – 25th November for the second face-to-face partnership meeting hosted by the Fundació Privada Pere Closa.
Project partners are currently developing the tools and materials to develop the training for Roma Mediators focusing on the different types of social enterprises and setting up the tools to start-up a business.
The meeting provided the opportunity to review the plans development offering advice on next steps and how to ensure their relevance and sustainability within current and future policy.
The next stage of the project will see the organisation of roundtables with stakeholders and policy makers and the collection of further data to develop the training and support the creation of sustainable social enterprises in Roma communities, providing them with the skills needed to plan the establishment and the sustainability of social enterprises within their communities.
Partners of SERCo include: University of Piraeus Research Center (Greece), ERIO – European Roma Information Office (Belgium), IDEA ROM Onlus (Italy), AMALIPE – Center for Interethnic Dialogue and Tolerance (Bulgaria), FPC – Fundació Privada Pere Closa (Spain), FOUR ELEMENTS (Greece), TMAF – Tolerance and Mutual Aid Foundation (Bulgaria), ACPSI PAKIV – Association Center Promote Social Incluzion Pakiv (Romania).
The next partnership meeting will be held in October 2017 in Brussels hosted by ERIO – European Roma Information Office.
More information about the SERCo project can be found at: serco-project.eu/it or contact: rita.quisillo@cesie.org
