Steps to better living conditions in substandard Roma settlements

The first module, out of three that make comprehensive training dedicated to the topic of improving living conditions in substandard Roma settlements, was organized on November 10, 2021, for members of Mobile Teams for Roma Inclusion, Coordinators for Roma issues, employees in departments of urbanism, local economic development, social welfare, as well as employees in other departments of local self-governments from 35 towns and municipalities in which the project carried out activities.

The first training module, attended by 29 participants, dealt with topics such as the initial assessment of planning documentation and infrastructure, inclusion of substandard Roma settlements in the national GIS database, identification and preparation of urban documentation needed for further improvement of housing and communal infrastructure. The special value of the workshop was reflected in the transfer of experience of the project team, generated through providing direct support to towns and municipalities on the mentioned topics, while the representatives of several local governments that participated in the project presented concrete examples from practice and shared their experiences. In that way, the participants were able to get acquainted with the difficulties that their colleagues encountered, and thus gain knowledge and skills that will help them face the challenges that lie ahead.

The next two training modules will be organized on November 18 and 25, 2021, where participants, with the support of experts, will go through the specification of project tasks, preparation of technical documentation for communal infrastructure, selecting the most appropriate housing model which meets the needs of future users. Apart from that, the participants will gain knowledge in regard to assessing the socio-economic needs of the inhabitants of substandard settlements, and enhancement of local mechanisms for providing support in improving the living conditions, position, and inclusion of Roma men and women.