Call for Participants: ERGO Summer Academy:
ROMA YOUTH KICKING OFF THE DECADE TO COUNTER ANTIGYPSYISM
24 – 28 August 2022, Bratislava
Project background:
The project “Roma youth kicking off the decade to counter antigypsyism” will empower young Roma from 8 Central and South-Eastern European countries to campaign against antigypsyism – the racism directed against people perceived as “Gypsies” – through their involvement in a new large-scale campaign “Decade to counter antigypsyism”, coordinated by ERGO Network from the EU to the local level. The project will include a “Summer Academy” for young Roma as well as the kick-off of the campaign through a participatory planning process, a high-level event in Brussels and online campaign activities.
The European Roma Grassroots Organisations Network with its member organisations in Central Europe and the Western Balkans want to address this situation by developing a large-scale campaign called “Decade to counter antigypsyism” targeting the general public, which will raise awareness of antigypsyism and contribute to changing attitudes towards Roma in the majority society.
The campaign will provide relevant, truthful and awareness-raising information about Roma through a variety of means, ranging from social media to in-person campaign events, educational activities and working with traditional media. The campaign will have the same time frame as the new EU Roma Strategic Framework for Equality, Inclusion and Participation up to 2030. Young Roma play a crucial role in combatting antigypsyism – they constitute the biggest age group among Roma, are the most creative, educated and with the widest outreach through the use of social media.
Many young Roma are already active in grassroots civil society organisations to support their communities. They will therefore play a crucial role in the decade to counter antigypsyism by shaping the campaign and reaching out to their non-Roma peers.
To support them in doing so, the project partners will empower young Roma as change-makers through capacity-building activities, starting with a first Summer Academy on combating antigypsyism in 2022. During the academy, the young people will learn about the concept of antigypsyism, share experiences and develop ideas for local activities within the framework of the campaign.
Summer Academy:
The Summer Academy will bring together 20 young participants and 5 trainers from all partner organizations for four days in Slovakia.
During the Academy, the participants will learn more and share experiences about the concept and different manifestations of antigypsyism and discuss ways of combatting this specific form of racism. This will include sessions on counter-speech, advocacy and campaigning as practical tools.
They will also develop ideas for local campaigns that will raise awareness of antigypsyism among their non-Roma peers.
Organizer: ERGO Network in partnership with ERGO members, and Romedia Foundation
Profile of participants:
We aim to invite a diverse group of Roma and non-Roma participants from a variety of organizations that are active in their respective (youth) organizations with experience and commitment to combat antigypsyism. We aim to have a wide international outreach and diversity, as well as multiple experiences of activists (grassroots, European, non-formal education, youth participation, advocacy, from general anti-racist and minority organizations). We aim to have a gender-balanced group.
Participants must:
- be able and committed to acting as multipliers in youth work and activism on the theme of combating antigypsyism and other forms of racism.
- Have some experience in nonformal education and knowledge of antigypsyism or other forms of racism.
- be motivated to develop their competencies in human rights education and to share their experiences with other participants.
- be motivated to contribute to developing their local campaign during the event.
- Come with an open-minded and sensitive attitude towards discussing antigypsyism and share related experiences.
- be aged 18 – 30.
- be committed to attending for the full duration of the event.
- be able to work in English.
- be resident in a member state of the European Union.
We welcome applications from all candidates who fulfil the specific profile of activities, irrespective of gender, disability, marital or parental status, racial-ethnic or social origin, religious belief or sexual orientation.
Costs
The following costs will be reimbursed:
- Travel from and to your place of residence
- Accommodation and meals
If you are interested to participate, please apply by filling out the application form (https://forms.gle/CAhnCENXtiXsXovB6) until the 15th of July, 23:59 h!
Questions? Contact Mustafa Jakupov at ERGO Network: m.jakupov@ergonetwork.org
This project is kindly supported by the International Visegrad Fund and European Union.