Integrated social services for three Roma communities in Tulcea and Gorj counties
Members of the local communities in Polovragi (Gorj), Hamcearca and Ciucurova (Tulcea) who are facing economic and social difficulties have access, starting with June 2021, to educational, social and medical services provided in three new community centers. These were established through the project “CCSI – Model of intervention in the process of inclusion and empowerment of Roma”, developed by the Roma Center for Health Policies – SASTIPEN and funded by the Romanian Social Development Fund (FRDS), through the Local Development Programme.
The official opening of the three centers was marked by public events that brought together representatives of local and central authorities, members of local communities and future beneficiaries of the project.
Present at the launch event of the community center in Hamcearca, Ms. Carmen Caloianu, Deputy Prefect of Tulcea County, stressed the importance of the newly established goal for education and health of the local community: “A strong point is that we started this project with two very important areas: education and medical services. I am convinced that those in the community will confidently turn to the services offered by school mediators and health mediators in the community center ”.
At the official opening of the community center in Polovragi, Gorj, Mr. Gheorghe Epure, mayor, stressed the importance of collaboration of local authorities with civil society and the community: “Here, we are all partners – citizens, employees of the City Hall and non-governmental organizations which promotes this project ”.
Within the 3 centers, members of local communities will receive assistance to stimulate school performance and prevent early school leaving, primary health care, monitoring and enrolling pregnant women and newborns on the lists of family doctors, activities information, counseling and mediation on the labor market, but also legal assistance for obtaining identity documents and for clarifying the housing situation.
The project “CCSI – Intervention model in the process of Roma inclusion and empowerment”, developed by the Roma Center for Health Policies – SASTIPEN, in partnership with the Institute for Public Policies (IPP), ActiveWatch Association, Polovragi City Hall (Gorj County), Hamcearca Commune City Hall and Ciucurova Commune City Hall (Tulcea County), aims to support at least 900 members of the Roma community, by facilitating their access to integrated services: educational, medical, mediation and employment. The project benefits from a financing amounting to 793,557 euros, offered by the EEA Grants 2014-2021, through the “Local Development” Programme, developed by the Romanian Social Development Fund.