New European Bauhaus Prizes 2023

Initiative category

Identify the award category for which this initiative is being submitted
Reconnecting with nature

Email user
kristijan_tc@yahoo.com

Basic information
Initiative title
Inclusion of high school and Roma studen

Full initiative Title
Inclusion of Roma high school students and students in the social system of the Republic of North Ma

Please provide a short, catchy description of your initiative to be used in communication towards the public.
With this project, we want to initiate social changes in several segments of our society. We want to achieve all these things by reducing the gap between the Roma and non-Roma population. We believe that education is one of the key tools for social inclusion in society, and young people are the main driving force of social change and progress. We believe that the activities in the project are fully correlated with the goals of the New European Bauhaus and the priorities of this Call for Proposal

What was the geographical scope of your intiative?
Regional

Where was your intiative implemented?
Member State(s) and Western Balkans
North Macedonia

If relevant, insert names of region(s)/municipality(ies) involved
{Empty}

Does your initiative address mainly urban or rural issues?
It addresses urban-rural linkages

Does your initiative refer to a physical transformation of the built environment or other types of transformations (hard or soft investments)?
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)

Has your initiative benefited from EU programmes and/or funds?
No

Has your initiative won an EU prize with a monetary value awarded?
No

Does your initiative has a minimum level of maturity? The minimum level of maturity is exemplified by stakeholder/ initiative promoter commitment to implement the initiative in practice and a clear methodology /approach.
Yes

On whose behalf are you submitting the application?
As a representative of an organisation
Please provide the contact details for the project promoter (the individual or representative of the organisation authorised to represent the project)
- Name of the organisation(s): Association of citizens "Romaversitas" - North Macedonia
  Type of organisation: Non-profit organisation
  First name of representative: Elvis
  Last name of representative: Memeti
  Gender: Male
  Nationality: orth Macedonia
  Function: President of the Executive Board
  Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Nikola Trimpare Street no. 12/1-2-9
  Town: Skopje
  Postal code: 1000
  Country: North Macedonia
  Direct Tel: +389 71 379 799
  E-mail: kristijan.angelkov@romaversitas.org.mk
  Website: https://romaversitas.org.mk/
Social Media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc.)
- URL: https://www.facebook.com/romaversitasnorthmacedonia
  Social media handle and associated hashtag(s): #RomaversitasMacedonia #Romaversitas
- URL: https://www.facebook.com/RomaversitasMK
  Social media handle and associated hashtag(s): #RomaversitasMacedonia #Romaversitas
- URL: https://www.facebook.com/groups/408902085834451
  Social media handle and associated hashtag(s): #RomaversitasMacedonia #Romaversitas
In case my initiative is selected as a finalist of the NEB Prizes 2023, I agree to share the name (individual and/or organisation’s), email address, website and social media accounts indicated above with other NEB Prizes finalists. I also agree to publish the name (individual and/or organisation’s), website and social media accounts indicated above next to the public description of my initiative in the channels of the European Commission.
Yes

How did you hear about the New European Bauhaus Prizes?
Social Media

Description of the initiative
Please provide a summary of your initiative
In recent years, there has been a positive direction and tendency regarding the education of high school students and students from the Roma community. Unfortunately, we still cannot say that we have their full inclusion in the educational system, and therefore also in the social system. There are still a number of problems that need to be overcome and solved. These are some of the identified problems:
1. Low level of academic achievement
2. High dropout rate of Roma students in higher education in North Macedonia
3. Discrimination in higher education
4. Lack of practical knowledge and skills in secondary and higher education
5. Lack of professional orientation and counseling as well as career planning
6. Low percentage of transition from secondary to higher education of Roma students in North Macedonia
7. There are no additional capacity building programs for Roma students in North Macedonia
8. There is no active network between Roma graduate students in North Macedonia
9. Poverty and poor socio-economic position of the Roma population in North Macedonia
10. Inadequate legal framework/public policies in higher education

These problems will be solved with the help of the activities in this project. Strengthening the capacities (mentoring, tutoring, training) among our target group will contribute to the awakening of awareness and strengthening of human rights and freedoms, which will ensure their stability and security.
With the activities (micro-research grant and Roma index) we will contribute to increase the involvement in the creation of public policies.
We believe that improving the socio-economic aspect of the Roma community and reducing poverty can be achieved by increasing the employability of Roma high school students and students. For this purpose, we introduced the internship activity.
Finally, we would like to mention that all activities are part of the Roma Inclusion Strategy 2022-2030 of North Macedonia.

Please indicate the main themes of your initiative with 5 key words.
Education

Please indicate the main themes of your initiative with key words
Inclusion

Please indicate the main themes of your initiative with key words
Employment

Please indicate the main themes of your initiative with key words
Human rights

Please indicate the main themes of your initiative with key words
Poverty

Please give information about the key objectives of your initiative in terms of sustainability and how these have been/will be met. Please highlight how the initiative can be exemplary in this context.
Main goal: To increase the academic performance and employability of high school students and Roma students through financial and academic support, assistance in the transition to higher education and professional guidance and training, as well as support and commitment to strengthening the Roma identity.
Specific goal: Helping Roma high school students and students to increase their success and successfully master the material in certain subjects and providing support in the learning/studying process and their motivation and direction for further education, as well as their acquisition of new appropriate and practical knowledge that will facilitate the process of transition to the labor market through training and internships, emphasizing the importance of acquiring knowledge through formal education.
Sustainability:
During the implementation of the Romaversitas project, they will promote mentoring support as a successful model for improving the success and supporting the education of students from vulnerable categories. Accordingly, it is expected in the long term that schools and colleges will start implementing additional teaching with all pupils and students who show a poor educational outcome, which is due to the regulations of the Laws on Secondary and Higher Education and is one of the possibilities for pupils and students to achieve better educational outcomes.
During its implementation, the project aims to develop an inclusive atmosphere for Roma students in secondary schools. It is an important component for the long-term impact of the project to improve the educational situation of the Roma in Macedonia. With the help of the project, the awareness of the Roma population about the importance of full education of their children will be further strengthened, which will contribute to long-term positive effects in increasing the number of educated Roma who will be more competitive in the labor market.

Please give information about the key objectives of your initiative in terms of aesthetics and quality of experience for people (through design, positive emotions and cultural benefits) and how these have been met. Please highlight how the initiative can be exemplary in this context.
With the help of this initiative and the fulfillment of key objectives (through design, positive emotions and cultural benefits), the solution of a large number of social problems will be challenged and encouraged:
1. Low level of academic achievement
2. High dropout rate of Roma students in higher education in Macedonia
3. Discrimination in higher education
4. Lack of practical knowledge and skills in secondary and higher education
5. Lack of professional orientation and counseling as well as career planning
6. Low percentage of transition from secondary to higher education of Roma students in Macedonia
7. There are no additional capacity building programs for Roma students in Macedonia
8. There is no active network between Roma graduate students in Macedonia
9. Poverty and poor socio-economic position of the Roma population in Macedonia
10. Inadequate legal framework/public policies in higher education

Please give information about the key objectives of your initiative in terms of inclusion (ranging from accessibility and affordability for all to inclusive governing systems, design for all principles or new societal models) and how these have been met. Please highlight how the initiative can be exemplary in this context.
With this project, we want to initiate social changes in several segments of our society. We want to achieve all these things by reducing the gap between the Roma and non-Roma population. We believe that education is one of the key tools for social inclusion in society, and young people are the main driving force of social change and progress. Although the Government provides financial support in relation to the public education system ie. grants scholarships to high school students and Roma students, guidance and assistance during the educational process is also necessary after receiving that measure. That is why we believe that the activities of this project will provide full support in that direction. The activities in the project are fully correlated with the objectives of Civica Mobilitas and the priorities of this Call for Proposals.
Strengthening the capacities (mentoring, tutoring, training) among our target group will contribute to the awakening of awareness among young people and the strengthening of human rights and freedoms, which will ensure their stability and security. Also, with some of the activities (micro-research grant and Roma index) we will contribute to increase the involvement in the creation of public policies in favor of improving the condition of our users. With the aforementioned activities, we will increase the knowledge, skills and abilities of Roma high school students and students, who are often disadvantaged only because of their ethnic identity. We believe that improving the socio-economic aspect of the Roma community and reducing poverty can be achieved by increasing the employability of Roma high school students and students. For this purpose, we introduced the internship activity, so that the users would acquire practical knowledge in addition to theoretical knowledge, which would increase the chances of their employment.
In the end, we would like to mention that all activities are part of the Roma Inclusion Strategy 2022-2030.

Please explain the way citizens benefiting from or affected by the initiative and civil society have been/will be involved in the initiative and what has been/will be the impact of this involvement on the initiative
Citizens will benefit multiple times from the implementation of this initiative. Above all, Roma high school students and their families and Roma students and their families will benefit the most. This benefit will further be reflected on the whole society, that is, with the benefit of the individuals, the whole society as a whole will also benefit.
The involvement of high school students and students will be the greatest, that is, they will be direct beneficiaries of the benefits of this initiative. By using the services of this initiative, they will be able to progress on a personal and professional level. Their access to education will be facilitated and they will be given the opportunity for equal treatment as non-Roma pupils and students. The users of this initiative will be able to be involved in mentoring, tutoring, internships, research, journalism, etc.
The impact of this initiative on users and society will be great. High school students will be able to successfully master the last year of secondary education and enroll in college, students will be able to successfully adapt to the first year of study, high school students and students will be able to acquire practical knowledge, they will be able to participate in creating of the Policy Brief, to participate in journalistic texts, etc.

Please explain how different stakeholders at various levels (local, regional, national, European) were engaged in the design and implementation of the initiative.
Considering the results achieved with the project, the Ministry of Education and Science is expected to continue allocating resources to support the secondary education of the Roma. The Ministry of Education and Science implements a scholarship program for high school students, graduates and postgraduates divided into several categories.
Additionally, after the completion of the project, a new model will be explored - for the activities of permanent civil society organizations, as well as ensuring that the institutions will fulfill their role in higher education. The new strategy of the Ministry of Education envisages inclusive education and as such will have a student center approach that will focus on the quality of students.
We will strive to make the model of mentoring and tutoring a regular program taken over by higher education institutions.
For the internship, efforts will be made to include as many high school students as possible in the dual education.

Please explain which disciplines and/ or knowledge fields were reflected in the design and implementation of your initiative. Please explain how representatives of these different fields interacted with each other, and what the added value of this process was
The project will work on promoting the legislation targeting secondary and higher education in the Republic of North Macedonia. Romaversitas staff and partner organizations in cooperation with the departments of the Ministry of Education and Science and other key institutions will check the possibilities and ways to improve the following legislation:
1. The Law on Student Standards regulates the awarding of scholarships for high school students and students. In order to provide financial support for high school students and students who belong to vulnerable categories of citizens, Romaversitas and partner organizations will work to improve the law on student standards by changing or amending articles in the law.
2. The Law on Secondary Education regulates the secondary education of students. In order to provide full mentoring/tutoring support to students who show significant and poor results and belong to the most vulnerable categories of citizens, Romaversitas staff and partner organizations will examine the possibilities of amending the Law on Secondary Education. The change will be in the direction of inserting the activity such as mentoring/tutoring support for students who belong to marginalized groups who show significantly poor educational results. within the law on secondary education.

Please highlight the innovative character of the initiative, when compared to mainstream actions in the field of the initiative
In our country, mentoring and tutoring activities have not been officially introduced in the educational system. These two activities will represent an innovative idea for improving the success of students and an easier transition from a lower to a higher level of education. Initially, these two activities that will be implemented through this initiative will be intended only for high school and Roma students, as a group of people who are one of the most marginalized in our society. As a positive example of the success of these two innovative activities, we plan to further apply them to high school students and non-Roma students.
The Policy Brief and the Roma Index are also innovative activities that allow Roma students to directly participate in the creation of policies in the places and communities where they live. While with Roma Index, which is an online newspaper, Roma students will be able to articulate their requests, needs, problems, wishes, etc. With these two activities, we believe that life will improve, especially in the places and municipalities where Roma high school students and students live.
The internship for high school students and Roma students is innovative in that they will be referred to an internship with a previously known employer, who will be selected according to the needs and affinities of the high school students and students. The innovative thing is that the employer will get a free opportunity to use the knowledge, abilities and skills of the high school student, that is, the student. On the other hand, high school students and Roma students will gain practical experience and will receive a certain fee, which fee will increase their family budget. Let's not forget that these people usually come from the most marginalized and degraded families, who are usually beneficiaries of social assistance or similar.

Please describe which elements of your initiative could be replicated or transferred to other places, groups of beneficiaries and contexts. This may involve, for example, aspects of the methodology, technology, processes, products, learnings, etc.
As we mentioned before, all the activities that we want to realize with this initiative in the future can be replicated on the entire educational system in society. Initially, the beneficiaries of these activities will be Roma high school students and students, as one of the most marginalized people, but in the future they can be used as a role model for the entire population, that is, non-Roma high school students and students.
With the tutoring and mentoring activities of high school and Roma students, we have achieved great success in the past. That is, until now a large number of people have been users and almost all of them have benefited from their use. We have already made initial contacts with the Ministry of Education and Science so that these activities (tutoring and mentoring) become part of the existing educational system. Unfortunately, the contacts decreased due to the termination of the projects financed by the Roma Educational Fund (REF).
We also had great success with the internship activity. That is, more than 80% of the users of this activity are currently in full-time employment in the organizations in which they attended internships or other organizations. In the last 2 years, this model has also been applied in the regular education system, called "dual education". With this, the goal of replication has already been achieved, but it is necessary to introduce it in all schools, and not only in some, as is the situation now.
Until now, with the help of experts and organizations, a large number of Roma students participated in the creation of the Policy Brief. Such was the case with the creation of a quota for Roma students in public schools, where all Roma students receive an additional 10 points as a result of their nationality, ie. that they are Roma. It is necessary to encourage students in the entire educational system to participate in the creation of Policy Briefs, in order to take an active part in the creation of youth policies.

Please describe the methodology or approach used in your initiative.
- Participatory approach together with partners in finding the target group
- Public calls for the recruitment of mentors and tutors.
- Working meetings with companies and institutions for the provision of memoranda of cooperation regarding the provision of internships
- Cooperation with student and high school students, institutions and authorities to encourage networking and proactivity among students.
- Calls for experts to conduct integrative trainings
- Preparation of reports
- Preparation of a database in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science and exchange of information regarding the key activities of the project
- Updating data and keeping individual success files for each project participant
- Using the electronic platform eromaversitas for monthly communication with students and high school students
- Evaluation of the results and targeting of the most urgent high school students and students within the project

Please explain what kind of global challenges the initiative addresses by providing local solutions
This initiative covers a wide range of global challenges, but some of the more important ones are:
• Equal access to education for all children and youth, which is one of the basic human rights
• Inclusion - represents the involvement of all members of society in the use of resources, that is, they should be equally accessible to all. A fair and equal start for all people in the opportunities for a better life
• Human rights - reduction of differences and inequality between people, that is, reduction of the gap between people and a dignified life for all. Democracy and freedom for all people, especially the youth, regardless of their affiliation
• Employment and poverty - these two things are connected, that is, employment reduces poverty. Everyone should have a chance for a better life. Education also contributes to increasing employment and reducing poverty, especially for marginalized and discriminated categories of citizens.

Please detail the scope of progress in the implementation of the initiative. This can include already demonstrated results/outputs related to the chosen Prizes category, and the already achieved benefits from the initiative for direct and indirect beneficiaries. This can also include a development plan of the initiative, with a particular attention to the steps envisaged in the year following the application, and including envisaged results and benefits from the initiative
Result 1 - Successfully completed year of secondary education and successfully corrected grade in the subject (tutoring and mentoring for Roma secondary school students)
• Hired 10 mentors and 10 tutors who will provide mentoring and tutoring support to 20 Roma high school students, for a period of 3 months
Result 2 - Successful adaptation in the first year of higher education, successfully passed the exam in the subject (tutoring and mentoring for Roma students)
• Hired 10 mentors and 10 tutors who will provide mentoring and tutoring support to 20 Roma students for a period of 3 months
Result 3 - Creation of a policy brief for representing the interests of Roma high school students and students
• Hiring a mentor and 3 student-researchers, in a period of 3 months, research and development of a policy brief will be carried out, which will serve for further direction and action in terms of improving the position and inclusion of high school students and Roma students.
Result 4 - Facilitation of the process for the transition to the labor market of high school Roma students
• Acquisition of practical work knowledge for 10 Roma high school students by organizing internships in institutions, private companies or non-governmental organizations for a period of 3 months
Result 5 - Facilitating the process of transition to the labor market of Roma students
• Acquisition of practical work knowledge for 10 Roma students by organizing internships in institutions, private companies or non-governmental organizations for a period of 3 months
Result 6 - Creation of Roma individuals (students and alumni) who will be actively involved in the processes of creation and decision-making of public policies at the local and national level, to strengthen their Christian thinking and make suggestions for ways of positive changes in society
• Prepared and published 2 editions of the Roma Index, in which an editor-mentor and 4 student-journalists will be hired

Please provide documents that demonstrate the maturity level of the initiative and commitment to implement the initiative in practice (e.g.: evaluation report, final or mid-term initiative report, certification, publications, building permit, grant agreement, letter of support, partnership agreement, etc.)
PDF
PDF
If relevant, please describe how your initiative contributes to developing new competences, especially in the context of the European competence framework on sustainability.
Our initiative contributes to the development of new competencies, especially in the context of the European competence framework on sustainability. It covers all four sets of sustainability-related competencies that students of all ages should acquire and all (three) of their subdivisions.
• In the first group, "Embodying sustainability values" is particularly aimed at supporting fairness.
• In the second group, "Embracing complexity in sustainability" is particularly focused on systems and critical thinking.
• In the third group, "Acting for sustainability" is particularly focused on collective action and individual initiative.
• In the fourth group "Envisioning sustainable futures" is especially aimed at supporting exploratory thinking.
Please attach at least 6 high resolution images or visual representations of your initiative to your application.
If you would like to upload additional documentation, please upload or write below.
By submitting your application you confirm that you are the copyright owner of the images provided and that they can be used by the European Commission for the purposes of promoting the New European Bauhaus on all platforms (websites, print, social media and other).
Yes

By ticking this box, you declare that you are not in in one or more of the exclusion situations foreseen under Article 136 of the Financial Regulation.
Yes

By submitting this application, I declare that I am not related to the entities subject to EU restricted measures under Article 29 of the Treaty on the European Union (TEU) and subject to Article 215 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU)1, and entities covered by Commission Guidelines No 2013/C 205/05), which are not eligible to participate in any capacity.
Yes

By ticking this box, you declare that all the information provided in this form is factually correct, that you assume sole liability in the event of a claim relating to the activities carried out in the framework of the contest, that the proposed initiative has not been proposed for the New European Bauhaus Prizes in any other category or strand and that it has not been subject to any type of investigation, which could lead to a financial correction because of irregularities or fraud.
Yes

By submitting your application, you guarantee that you are the author or have the rights to proceed with the application and to authorise the use of the initiative and that you have obtained any necessary consents, licenses or assignments from third parties and included copyright notices when necessary
Yes

By submitting your application, you understand that all the applications that meet the eligibility requirements will be shared for the purposes of the selection processes, and notably published on the secured platform prizes.new-european-bauhaus.eu and for the purposes of the promotion of these on the New European Bauhaus website and/or other European Commission communication channels. In this sense, the applications would be widely available. Applicants should ensure that they present their initiatives, initiative, in such a way that they could be shared without giving rise to intellectual property related concerns. If your submission is selected as one of the finalists, it will additionally be shared for the purpose of the public vote that will take place. The European Union is granted a licence to use and share your application with the general public and the official external experts for the purposes of the selection process, including the voting. The European Union has the right to use the images and visual materials and the description provided in the application for communication purposes related to the contest and beyond. Rights granted comprise the right to store, reproduce, display, publish and communicate or distribute copies in electronic or digital format, including, but not only, through the internet. Unless you have disclosed your name, the European Commission has no obligation to share your name when using or disseminating your contribution to the public. The European Union cannot be held responsible in case any submitted initiative, initiative is found to infringe third party’s rights. The European Union shall be neither responsible for the use that third parties may do of the applications or related content.
Yes

By submitting your application, you acknowledge that you read and understand that the ‘Guide to Applicants’ of the NEB Prizes 2023, available online in the website of the NEB Prizes 2023, is an integral part of this application form and that it must therefore be observed when completing and submitting your application.
Yes