Project: „Specialized services for children from roma communities in conflict or contact with the law“

Project status: ongoing

Implemented in: Pazardzhik, Plovdiv, Lom

Program: Justice

Implementation period: 12.10.2022 – 30.04.2024

Project Promoter: Crime Prevention Fund IGA

Partners: Foundation “Roma – Lom”; Roma regional development Foundation – Plovdiv; Save a child, Norway

Summary:
The main goal of the project is to introduce and develop an effective integrated approach aimed at improving the status and opportunities of children in contact with the law in three Roma communities in Bulgaria.

Expected results:
An in-depth study of the specific problems and needs of the 3 Roma communities was carried out: through research, analysis of the potential and needs, consultations with the Roma communities; Improving the situation of the Roma community through the implementation and development of 3 specialized services in Plovdiv, Pazardzhik and Lom, with active participation in the existing Roma organizations, leaders and mediators; Achieving sustainability of social change by involving in the construction and development of services both the Roma community in the three regions and the key institutions in the three municipalities; Created ateam of 9 specialists to work in the three services; Signed bilateral agreements with key institutions for participation in the construction and development of services; 120 children from the target group received various services from the three centers; Involved representatives of Roma informal groups and civil organizations, Roma mediators, in the process of building and providing services; Publicity measures implemented.

Updates:
The centers were established in April 2023. They will provide the following services: coordination of work in the case of children in contact or conflict with the law, those with risky behavior, victims or witnesses of crimes, participants in legal and administrative procedures; informing and counseling children and families – legal, psychological, social, health and educational; targeted prevention of children at risk; provision of expert assessment or specialized assistance in cases of children in contact and conflict with the law for the needs of institutions related to the case. Efforts will also be made to change society’s attitudes regarding building perspectives for children from vulnerable communities in contact or conflict with the law. The center in Pazardzhik is located in the “Iztok” district, in a separate office rented by the IGA Fund. In Plovdiv, it is housed in the “Iztok” district (Stolipinovo), in the office of the Regional Development Foundation “ROMA – Plovdiv”, and in Lom it is located in the office of the “ROMA-LOM” Foundation.

The teams of the Centers will undergo training, and an expert of the beneficiary will perform periodic monitoring of the services.

A total of 210 persons are primarily included in the scope of the project, regardless of their financial situation and without discrimination based on gender, disability, age, etc.: 120 vulnerable children from the three Roma communities, victims or witnesses of a crime, and children in conflict with the law under the age of 18, as well as 90 representatives of Roma informal groups, civil organizations and Roma mediators working in the target community.

Grant amount: 129 068,80 EUR

Contact: Dimitar Rusinov
email: office@iga-bg.org
phone: +359 898490449
address: Pazardzhik, Al. Stamboliyski 8
project website: https://rdk-zakon.com/

Photos from the project press conference:

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