Inclusive Kindergartens for the Quality Education of Roma: Romadesegregation

Programme(s): Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme-REC Programme 2014-2020

Topic(s): REC-RDIS-DISC-AG-2020

Type of action: REC Action Grant

Project ID: 963286

Objective

The overall objective is to develop a model for an inclusive kindergarten system which supports the development of all children and compensates for disadvantages based on social background. This involves combating the discrimination of Roma children who are subject to institutional forms of discrimination in a state that has not lived up to its obligations to combat ethnic discrimination and whose high-level representatives have at times sent mixed signals about their commitment to the principal of anti-discrimination. The project has been initiated by representatives of a municipality which is firmly committed to this principal and seeks to develop a workable model for implementing it in this ambivalent context. The immediate goal of the project is the complex development of kindergartens in Budapest's 8th district through the implementation of desegregation and inclusion measures, and combined with the renewal of kindergarten pedagogical methodology. The activities include a preparatory research prior to the implementation of the project to gain objective data for the desegregation measures. During implementation a detailed desegregation and inclusion strategy will be compiled by an expert group, pedagogical, structural and institutional changes will be initiated at kindergartens, pedagogues will be trained and the community of children, parents and teachers will be developed, to support methodological development and the inclusion of non-mainstream children/families. The pilot model will be evaluated by qualitative and quantitative research. The project will be implemented through the close cooperation of the municipality and local NGOs. Various communication activities will gain local support of the community, to enhance dialogue between the families, institutions and implementing organisations as well as to disseminate the methods and results among policy and professional stakeholders.