Rise- Roma Inclusive school Experiences

The right to education for Roma children continues to be seriously challenged throughout the European Union. Low levels of education and widespread illiteracy are among the main obstacles preventing Roma communities from benefiting from social inclusion, equitable access to the labor market and active participation in the public life of the countries where they reside. The quality and quantity of Roma school attendance and performance has been heavily influenced by the educational strategies and teaching models implemented in schools: they can either promote or discourage success and inclusion of Roma children in school. The objective of the project is to promote a more welcoming and inclusive school for Roma children 6 to 14 years old, to fight the discrimination in education and to prevent and reduce absenteeism and educational disengagement of Roma children in Slovenia (Dolenjska region), Italy (Bari - Bologna) and Portugal (Prado,Vila Verde). At the same time to build a more inclusive school for all the students. For this reasons the project promotes: 1)training course for teachers, social workers, principals and other school personnel in the field of enhancement of teaching techniques (cooperative learning, learning by doing) and social and intercultural skills to improve information and knowledges of Roma community and follows with a constant monitoring the process of change in schools 2) practices and strategies for involving parents in the teaching activities and educational choices in order to foster and reconstruct a culture of school participation (group of “parents peers”) 3) workshops with children to develop specific skills and to be able to talk about diversity and become promoters of a message against discrimination by the construction of a video graphic (creative and educational productions) for other children and adults Central in the project is to develop the exchange of good practices among the partner countries and the choice to use action research.