The project "Supporting the Roma of Achaia" is concerned with the activation of Roma people in the labour market. It involves the mobilization of local bodies with a view to ensuring the creation of jobs for the Roma population, after the diagnosis of local needs and highlighting of the growth potential in the intervention area. As a result, a social enterprise for recycling materials has been established.
The project includes actions on coordination-management, counselling, training, networking and awareness-raising. It is implemented by a Development Partnership (DP) entitled «axaia roma», coordinated by "Daphne VET". Within the DP among others, partners are the “Patras Municipal Enterprise for Planning & Development - ADEP SA” and the “Social Organisation of the Municipality of Patras - KODIP”.
It operates in partnership with a second project entitled “Combating Discrimination in the Field of Entrepreneurship: Women and young Roma and Muslim immigrants”. It is concerned with raising awareness, disseminating information and promoting the debate about the key challenges and policy issues in relation to anti-discrimination for Roma and Muslim immigrants as far as entrepreneurship is concerned. Mainstreaming of policies through the involvement of social partners, NGOs and relative stakeholders is also a challenge.
The project is coordinated by the “National Centre for Social Research (EKKE)” and the area of Patras has been identified as a core-place at a national level, equal to the area of Athens. “Patras Municipal Enterprise for Planning & Development - ADEP SA” is the local partner organization.
These two projects are part of a chain of on-going actions by the Municipality of Patras (Vice-Municipality of “Support to Citizen, Volunteerism, Gender Equality & Integration of Migrants”) and its organizations, supporting the development of the intercultural character of Patras into equal opportunities for all its civil society.