Christine Sudbrock – Page 2

Save the Date: Funding of bottom-up approaches

SAVE THE DATE: Funding of bottom-up approaches: Ways forward to support Roma inclusion

9 December 2021, 10-12 am

Please save the date for another insightful online conference organized by ERGO Network, discussing the importance of better funding for bottom-up approaches to Roma inclusion. The event is part of the project “New solutions to old problems – exchange of new type of approaches to Roma integration”, funded by Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway through the EEA and Norway Grants Fund for Regional Cooperation.

In the past 20 years, Roma communities across Europe have seen very few improvements to their living situation, even t hough many public and private, international and national funding programmes were aimed at Roma inclusion and empowerment. One of the reasons for the lack of success of such funding programmes is the application of a top-down approach that does not consider the realities and voices of Roma at the grassroots level and comes with a heavy administrative burden.

All evaluations of the last EU Framework for National Roma Integration acknowledged that Roma communities need to be involved in project design, implementation and evaluation in order to bring about change. This now needs to be translated into better funding programmes and regulations of public and private donors, including using more national resources for smaller projects, a prioritization of bottom-up approaches and more support for Community-led local development (CLLD).

With this event, we aim to raise donors’ awareness of the importance to give more support to bottom-up approaches in order to finally improve the living situation of Roma communities on local level.

Objectives

The event will serve to launch ERGO Network’s new Analysis of funding for bottom-up approaches to Roma inclusion, shedding light on the importance of bottom-up approaches and analysing funding targeted at Roma inclusion. The main findings and recommendations aim to kick-start a debate with policy makers, donors and civil society on how to design more effective funding programmes that can lead to a real change for local Roma communities.

Participants

The conference will bring together EU policymakers from across the institutional spectrum, donors, ERGO members and civil society from the grassroots level as well as other relevant EU and national stakeholders.

More information about the agenda and registration will follow soon. For questions, please contact ERGO Network Policy Officer Carmen Tanasie (c.tanasie@ergonetwork.org).

Launching the Roma Civil Monitor 2021-2025

Launching the Roma Civil Monitor 2021-2025

28 September 2021

In the aftermath of the adoption of the EU Roma Strategic Framework for Equality, Inclusion and Participation on 7 October 2020 and at the initiative of the European Parliament, the European Commission launches a continuation of the Roma Civil Monitor initiative for the next four years (2021-2025). The project with the full title “Preparatory action – Roma Civil Monitoring – Strengthening capacity and involvement of Roma and pro-Roma civil society in policy monitoring and review” will involve at least 90 Roma and pro-Roma civil society actors from 26 EU Member States[1].

This follow-up initiative to the Roma Civil Monitor pilot project 2017-2020 will be implemented by a consortium of Roma and pro-Roma civil society organisations, including the Central European University (CEU), the European Roma Grassroots Organisation Network (ERGO Network), Fundación Secretariado Gitano (FSG) and the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC).

Over the next 48 months, the new Roma Civil Monitor aims at empowering and capacitating Roma and pro-Roma civil society organisations and individual activists to monitor the implementation of national strategic frameworks for Roma equality, inclusion and participation and other relevant policies. In addition, it will facilitate dialogue and equal partnership between Roma and pro-Roma civil society, National Roma Contact Points, Equality Bodies as well as other stakeholders to make Roma inclusion public policies more effective and support mainstream public policies to better address challenges of Roma exclusion.

Through regular reports, views of civil society will be shared with policymakers and the public, with a focus on the implementation of national Roma strategic frameworks and assessments of relevant policy and legislative developments.

In the upcoming weeks, calls for civil society at the national level to join the initiative will be published at the webpage of the Roma Civil Monitor 2021-2025: https://ergonetwork.org/projects/roma-civil-monitor/

For more information about this project, please don’t hesitate to contact our Senior Policy Officer Isabela Mihalache at i.mihalache@ergonetwork.org

Contact persons:

Marek Hojsik, CEU, HojsikM@ceu.edu

Gabriela Hrabanova, ERGO Network, g.hrabanova@ergonetwork.org

Bernard Rorke, ERRC, bernard.rorke@errc.org

Belen Sanchez, FSG, belen.sanchez@gitanos.org

[1] Malta is not included.

ERGO Network’s Learning Academy

ERGO Network’s Learning Academy

From 8-12 September, the partners in the project “New solutions to old problems – exchange of new type of approaches in the field of Roma integration” came together in Varna (Bulgaria) for a “Learning Academy” to exchange and learn new skills and knowledge on topics that were identified by the participants for improving their work at local level.

After the participants got to know each other and were introduced to the Academy programme, Zuzana Havirova from the Roma Advocacy and Research Centre (RARC) in Slovakia delivered a workshop on “how to manage and become a good manager at work”. on the group then had the chance to learn more about fundraising from our external expert Biljana Lalic, Funds Development Manager of the European Green Party. The main objectives of both workshops were to build organizational knowledge and management capacity of ERGO Network members, as well as to learn to better diversify sources of income for their respective organizations, and ultimately grow their financial resilience.

The second day was opened by ERGO Director Gabriela Hrabanova with a „Leaders´ vision “workshop, reflecting on how to be a charismatic leader in order attract and gain the trust of the staff and community.

The second part of the day was dedicated to “community organizing” through a workshop delivered by Marina Tota from the European Community Organizing Network, with the aim to develop participants’ capacity to engage communities in campaigning for the implementation of Roma inclusion policies at local level. At the end of the workshop the participants were able to plan and organize a campaign at local level, to identify and connect leaders andi to organize and to apply community organizing in their local projects.

Our last day started with a workshop on“Visual facilitation “, where the team of 500 markers taught participants how to use graphic cues when facilitating meetings. The participants learned how to use drawings and words to make visual presentations and to take visual notes that will help them to make their advocacy target group remember their proposals.

As of the exercises of the visual facilitation workshop the participants visualised their understanding of discrimination and social exclusion, which will enable them to better present the concept of antigypsyism to the public.

The Learning Academy was a great opportunity to bring for the first time the partners from the project “New Solutions to Old Problems” together face to face together after 18 months of online meetings, and to elevate the spirit in the network to implement the next steps in the projects and really find new solutions for old problems.

The Academy is funded by the European Commission through the EaSI programme of DG EMPL and is part of the project New Solutions To Old Problems – exchange of new type of approaches in the field of Roma integration”, funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA and Norway Grants Fund for Regional Cooperation.

We are hiring a Communications and Membership Officer

ERGO Network is looking for a full-time Communications and Membership Officer to work with our team in Brussels from mid-October 2021

The European Roma Grassroots Organisations (ERGO) Network is looking for a new Communications and Membership Officer who can ensure the external visibility of ERGO Network and smooth internal communication with our membership. Your tasks will include to lead on communications of the high-level advocacy project “Roma Civil Monitor”, while at the same engaging with ERGO members and civil society organisations at grassroots level.

ERGO Network gathers 30 member organisations from across Europe and facilitates wider platforms for civil society organisations and key stakeholders sharing our passion to bring positive change to the situation of Roma societies across Europe. ERGO Network has its office in Brussels with a small but dedicated staff, composed of seven highly professional Roma and non-Roma team members.

Profile

ERGO Network is looking for an energetic and enthusiastic Communications and Membership Officer who will work with the ERGO team in a multicultural and multi-language environment and coordinate the communications and public outreach of the organisation.

As Communications and Membership Officer, you will ensure regular outreach to a wide range of stakeholders on ERGO’s work and issues relevant to combatting antigypsyism and social exclusion of Roma through different forms of communications (e.g. press releases, social media, graphics, video). In addition, you will also ensure effective communication with ERGO Network members, coordinate, support and strengthen ERGO Network’s membership, develop effective internal communication channels and tools and coordinate a smooth exchange of information within the membership.

In the light of the new exciting EU funded project “Roma Civil Monitor”, implemented by ERGO Network together with several other partners, we foresee the new Communications and Membership Officer to cooperate with the project consortium to develop and implement an effective communication strategy ensuring visibility of the project and smooth communication between consortium partners, as well as support smooth communication and visibility of the work at the national level with the national civil society organizations engaged in the project.

The Communication and Membership Officer will engage in and support other communication and advocacy activities as indicated by the Director and will work closely with other team members and external experts to ensure coordination and complementarity of activities. The full tasks will be discussed in more detail during the interview and will reflect the responsibilities listed above.

Requirements:

Minimum of 2-3 years’ relevant experience in a communications role
Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, or related field is an advantage.
Excellent command of English (written, oral, comprehension)
Exceptional writing, editing and proof-reading skills
Ability to translate complex policy and technical issues into easily to understand written and visual format; draft impactful messages for a wide variety of audiences, be creative
Experience in creating engaging visuals (Adobe/Canva); video editing skills are a distinct advantage.
Additional training or experience in audio-visual storytelling is considered an asset.
Proficient user of content management systems (WordPress), social media platforms and Microsoft Office
Experience working in civil society organizations and European networks
Good knowledge of European Union institutions and decision-making processes
Knowledge of Roma communities and understanding of mechanisms of antigypsyism is a distinct advantage.
Knowledge of Romani language is an added value.
Moderation and facilitation skills, as well as experience in capacity-building of civil society are desirable.
Good time management, organizational and interpersonal skills and a proactive approach
Ability to work independently on different projects simultaneously and on tight deadlines but also as part of an international team

Conditions

Place of work: Brussels (Mundo B, Rue d’Edimbourg 26). Remote work will be possible in the beginning, and the team will continue to work flexibly in the future.

Contract: Full time employment contract according to Belgian legislation. Full-time position. Starting date mid October 2021.

Working hours: 37,5 hours per week, in principle spread over 5 week days. It is understood, however, that work outside regular working hours (evenings and weekends) may be required. Both parties undertake to be as flexible as possible with regard to those working hours. Extra-hours will not give right to any extra financial remuneration but will give right to compensation time to be agreed upon between the Director and the Communication and Membership Officer.

The Communication and Membership Officer is entitled to 20 legal holidays and 7 additional holidays in a calendar year, plus public and statutory holidays under Belgian law.

Salary: ERGO will pay a monthly gross salary of EUR 3.200.– (approx. EUR 2.200.– Net salary). Additionally, according to Belgian law, ERGO staff receive holiday allowances (92% of a full monthly salary, to be paid in June for the months worked up to and including that month), a “13^th month salary”, equal to a full-month salary, lunch vouchers (EUR 6,00 for each working day) and reimbursement of public transport (EUR 49/month).

Application procedure

Interested and qualified candidates should submit their CV and motivation letter to info@ergonetwork.org by 10 September 2021, indicating in the subject of the email your name and “Application for Communication and Membership Officer”. This email address can also be used for further information and questions.

Download the call document here.

ERGO Network strives for a diverse staff and ensures that opportunities offered are accessible to all regardless of gender, age, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity. We particularly encourage members of groups which are affected by racism and related discrimination to apply for this post.

Roma Holocaust Memorial Day

On 2 August, Roma people across all countries and communities remember their ancestors killed by the Nazi regime. Whether through official commemoration events or private moments of remembrance inside families, 2 August represents for Roma people everywhere a turning point in the acknowledgment of the Roma Holocaust.

On this day in 1944, over 4,300 Sinti and Roma were murdered in the concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau. They were taken during the night from their barracks to the gas chamber by SS guards, who only months earlier had been driven back by the fierce resistance of the Romani prisoners fighting with nothing but picks and shovels.

Although Roma, Sinti, Travellers and other related groups have been part of Europe’s history for centuries, our history and narratives remain ignored, neglected, and misrepresented. The lack of recognition of the genocide reflects the continued discrimination against Roma in Europe today.

While the European Parliament passed a resolution in 2015 to officially recognise 2 August as European Roma Holocaust Memorial Day, very little is done across the continent to fight the persisting antigypsyism in our societies. The adoption of the EU Roma Strategic Framework for equality, inclusion and participation 2020 -2030 and the corresponding European Council Recommendations ask EU Member States and Accession Countries to do more to ensure a better, more equal future for Roma across Europe. It remains to be seen if national decision-makers will take any serious steps in this direction.

The pandemic crisis of the last 15 months has drastically exposed the racism and hatred against our communities. Authorities on all levels once again proved that Roma are most likely to be forgotten and neglected, and that our wellbeing is not a priority. Hate speech is a daily reality, police brutality perseveres and many of our communities remain cut off from basic services. In schools, the young generation of survivors is deprived of knowledge about their own history.

We applaud DIKH HE NA BISTER (“Look and don’t forget” in Romani) – the Roma Genocide Remembrance Initiative and other youth initiatives that fills this gap and offer a space for young Roma and non-Roma from all over Europe to put together the scaffoldings of a stronger future through participation and human rights education. A sincere learning experience about the past and personal encounters with Holocaust survivors creates dialogue and recognition of Roma identity.

Acknowledging the past is crucial – not only for the justice and dignity of the Roma and Sinti victims of the Holocaust, but also for confronting antigypsyism today. We ask our friends and allies, colleagues, journalists and policymakers to walk the talk: publicly recognize the atrocities committed against our communities in the past and today, and act against antigypsyism and all forms of racism, every day!