Start in implementation for 7 inclusive education projects
In November 2020, the implementation of the first 7 projects contracted under the call fo proposals Inclusive Education for children and youth at risk began. They benefit from a total funding of approx. 8 million euros, provided by the Norwegian Grants. The projects aim to contribute to increasing the social inclusion of children and young people at risk of dropping out of school and with special educational needs (SEN).
Three county school inspectorates (Covasna, Prahova and Vaslui) and four non-governmental organizations (Save the Children Romania, Alba Iulia Orthodox Philanthropy Association, Alaturi de Voi Romania Foundation and YANA Foundation – You Are Not Alone Charitable Foundation) are the promoters of projects, meant to facilitate the access of children and young people to a quality education, equitable and inclusive, in relation to the needs of each, and which aim to improve school participation and performance and to prevent and reduce early school leaving and dropout in their areas of intervention.
The projects, whose value is between 700,000 and 1,500,000 euros, aim at integrated multiregional (5 projects) and regional (2 projects) interventions, at the level of 66 urban and rural communities in Bucharest and 16 counties (Alba, Bacău, Bihor, Botoşani, Covasna, Dolj, Galaţi, Giurgiu, Harghita, Iaşi, Ilfov, Prahova, Mureş, Neamţ, Vaslui and Vrancea).
The projects bring to the forefront the collaboration between students, teachers and parents and aim to carry out a wide range of activities and services, applied both inside and outside the school, adapted to the needs of beneficiaries and following their direct impact on the school children situation. In this regard, over 4,650 children and young people (aged between 3 and 24) at risk of dropping out of school will benefit from integrated services (counseling programs, tutoring and meditations, remedial education and excellence, after-school services, personal development, non-formal education, summer kindergarten, recreational activities, etc.) and over 400 children and young people with SEN will have access to integrated services (pedagogical support and psychological therapy services, personal development and recreational activities). Training programs will be developed (for the development of skills in working with students at risk of dropping out of school / with SEN, communication with students and parents, conflict management and crisis situations) for over 1,000 teachers, specialists and volunteers working in the field of education, respectively activities and services will be organized (parental education sessions, information and counseling and awareness of the importance of education) in which over 1,800 parents/tutors of the children and young people concerned will be involved. The messages sent during awareness campaigns on the importance of education and the prevention of school dropout will reach approx. 1,800 people from the target groups.
In addition, 4 of the 7 projects will benefit from the implementation of the experience of Norwegian partners, the planned bilateral activities will facilitate the transfer of expertise and good practices in working with vulnerable groups.
Details on the implementation of all these projects will be provided and updated periodically by FRDS in the section dedicated to inclusive education projects, within the website allocated to the Local Development Programme.