Municipality of Opovo - "Equal opportunities for prosperous community” project

Municipality of Opovo

PROJECT TITLE: Equal opportunities for prosperous community

VALUE: EUR 55,191

DURATION: 12 months

PARTNER: Association YOUTH INITIATIVES OPOVO

BENEFICIARIES: men, women, and children of Roma nationality (120), volunteer team of the Youth Office (5), civil servants and employees in local institutions (12), Roma community in Opovo municipality (340), local institutions, all citizens of Opovo municipality (9,462).

Overall goal: To improve the position of the Roma population in Opovo municipality by ensuring better and sustainable integration into the local community.

Specific objective: To enhance the social inclusion of Roma in Opovo municipality by creating conditions for support and assistance to men, women, and children of Roma nationality in the local community.

Expected results include the establishment of two local mechanisms for better integration of Roma into the local community, sensitized local officials and employees for adequate communication with marginalized groups, primarily members of the Roma community, as well as raising awareness of the Roma population and the wider public in Opovo municipality about the benefits of coexistence and motivation for successful social inclusion.

The project will focus on strengthening the inclusion, participation, and rights of Roma in Opovo municipality using strategies that involve identifying specific circumstances, environments, and opportunities that contribute to promoting inclusion.  By assisting each specific category within the Roma community, the project demonstrates the local government's commitment to improving their quality of life, which will in turn have a stronger impact on the successful integration of the entire Roma community into the local environment.

The project will include two important mechanisms to support the exercise of Roma human rights.  In addition to free legal aid, the team of the Youth Office of Opovo Municipality will be involved, whose role will be to motivate and assist children and youth to complete their education, trying to reduce the still high dropout rate from the education system.

The project will capitalize on the result of a previous EU project in which a volunteer team was formed at the Youth Office, consisting of 5 young people, including two members of the Roma community.  Also, the sensitization of local employees for work and cooperation with vulnerable groups, primarily the Roma community, will be achieved through capacity building and education on proper communication with sensitive social groups for all employees in LSG and local institutions (NES - branch, Health Center, Police Directorate) who directly work with citizens in their regular business.

Contact person in the project team: Miloš Markov (milosmarkov84@gmail.com)