Working with East European Roma Presented and delivered by The Roma Support Group (RSG) April 2016 www.romasupportgroup.org.uk

Introduction Facilitators: Dragica Felja Roma Support & Engagement Programme Leader dada@romasupportgroup.org.uk

Roma Support Group The RSG is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee. With 16 years experience working with the Roma communities across the UK, delivering direct support to families, influencing and capacity building activities, promoting an understanding of Roma culture in the UK The origins of the organisation and its ethos are strongly based within the grassroots movement of the Roma community in London. The RSG was established by Roma and it is led by them today.

Our Client group are: East European Roma refugees and migrants Our Projects: Frontline services: Advice and Advocacy Project, Art Project, Sport Inclusion Project, Policy & Campaigning Project and Education Support Project Second tier support: Roma Support & Engagement Programme Safeguarding and the welfare of children and young people is a crucial element in our work. Key to our approach are: - Building trust with the communities - Establishing mutual respect - Being positive in engaging communities - Taking an holistic approach in responding to needs and issues

Quiz What do we know about Roma?

Where do Roma originate from? Quiz Where do Roma originate from? Romania Slovakia Rome India Egypt

Who are the Roma? Roma originate from Northwest India Migration began about 1,000 years ago. For not known reasons travelled through Asia, North Africa, Europe and Americas. There are many different Roma groups and tribes.

What is the first language Roma speak? Quiz What is the first language Roma speak? Romanian Polish Slovak Punjabi Romanes

Quiz Language As a first language Roma speak one of the many Romany dialects. The Roma language (Romanes) is a member of the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Its basis is Sanskrit. Over the course of time the Romani language has evolved into various dialects, influenced by the adopted country and local languages. Due to cultural reasons, Roma often lack a vocabulary related to various subjects.

Quiz True or False? 1300s - Large numbers of Roma arrive in Europe. Romani groups begin to be enslaved in south east Europe 1530 - Gypsies are forbidden to enter England and those already there were told to leave 1650s - Last known hanging for the crime of being a Gypsy recorded in the UK 1939 - 1945 Roma, Sinti and Gypsies are stripped of all human rights by the Nazis, approx 500 000 died in the death camps

Quiz Who wrote in 1956 that: The mental age of an adult Gypsy is thought to be about that of a child of 10 ? Daily Mail Winston Churchill Encyclopedia Britannica Joseph Stalin

Quiz Discrimination Although Roma are the largest ethnic group without their own state in Europe, they are worse off then most other ethnic groups when it comes to employment, education, health and political participation: Economic disadvantage: disproportionate levels of long term unemployment leading to child poverty, destitution and homelessness Education: lowest educational attainment of all ethnic groups in the UK Health: the Council of Europe states that life expectancy of Roma is in general 8-15 years lower and the mortality, infections and chronic disease rates are much higher Political participation of Roma is still at a very low level, with only one Roma Member of the European Parliament

Quiz True or False? The First World Romani Congress was held in London An international Romani flag, anthem (Gelem, Gelem) and motto (Opré Roma - Roma Arise) are formally approved in 1971 In 2008 Gypsy Roma Traveller History Month became a national event in the UK

Roma in the UK There is very little data available which provides a reliable estimate of Roma living in the UK. A mapping survey undertaken by European Dialogue for Department for Children, Schools and Families in 2009 estimated the minimum number of Roma in the UK to be 50 000 according to official records; however, community estimates range from 500 000 to 1 million. University of Salford’s report “Migrant Roma in the UK”, published In October 2013, estimated 200.000 Roma living in the UK (in addition to 200.000 English Gypsies and Travellers)

Culture and tradition: Family Close family ties and traditional values Family events (Weddings, Child births, Christenings, Funerals) Position of children, childcare responsibilities Position of elderly Roma and other vulnerable adults

Culture and tradition: Cultural Taboos Gender Age Illness and health taboos

Culture and tradition: Engagement Relationship with Children Services and other public services Communication with Roma (cultural and linguistic issues) Role of advocates

Good practice when working with Roma Reflect on your own attitudes and values and avoid assumptions Acknowledge the context of your involvement Be clear about the specific child-related concerns and what needs to change Invest time to establish trust and respect Help families understand social work processes Be mindful of age, gender and other cultural taboos Understand cultural aspects of communication (challenges when working with interpreters, lack of vocabulary, illiteracy)

How the Roma Support Group can help Provision of workshops in schools on Roma culture and traditions Specific training for professionals Advice and support on individual cases Participation in Gypsy, Roma and Traveller month celebrations We also have a range of resources such as DVDs, books and CDs There maybe a fee attached to accessing our services and resources! Website: www.romasupportgroup.org.uk