Roma Mentor Program 2010-2011

The BHIM RAO Association and the Open Society Institute Budapest announces the following Call for Proposals within the framework of the Roma Mentor Project:

I. OBJECTIVE

1. Core objective and background information

The fundamental aim of this project relates to strengthening Roma identity among elementary primary school students through arts and culture by implementing the Roma Mentor Project with the help of funding made available to the BHIM RAO Association by the Roma Cultural Program run by the Open Society Institute (OSI).

The key aim of the Roma Mentor Project relates to engendering positive changes in the self-evaluation of Roma children and their vision of the future as the outcome of a joint learning process motivated by the personal examples and experiences of successful external Roma mentors collaborating with group leaders.   

The excellent team of experts formed over the course of previous years is comprised of intellectuals, artists and community leaders who define themselves as Roma and were keen on engaging as mentors by dedicating 2 afternoons of their time each month to organising and holding workshops for children. A professional training organisation ensures ongoing pedagogical training for collaborating mentors. Beyond their own creative concepts, mentors receive a package of ideas to plan these workshops; however, the final work plan is jointly elaborated in cooperation with group leaders taking part in the project.  

Alongside Hungary, the Roma Mentor Project is also being implemented in three other countries in the region with a high Roma minority population (Macedonia, Bulgaria and Slovakia).

2. Partial objectives

The fundamental aim is to create an open, inclusive atmosphere free from any form of exclusion, which, through the network of relationships building on trust, facilitates personality development, helps children learn how to function in a group, enables them to practice social skills, become acquainted with positive examples through the role model mentor and create a vision of the future.   

Passing on knowledge to help increase the students’ chances of integrating into formal educational frameworks also constitutes a requirement, with a strong emphasis on enabling children to gain insight into Roma culture and history to in turn strengthen their Roma identity and become more tolerant (as a member of majority society). Other targeted knowledge-related goals and themes include developing reading and writing skills, learning how to lead a healthy lifestyle, environmental protection, crime prevention and career choice.  

A particularly important aspect of this program relates to encouraging members of the participating children’s group to create works of art by taking advantage of the cultural and artistic set of instruments made available. This enables children to attain development goals by building on the traditional artistic profile selected by the school represented by the mentor (such as singing, music, dance, theatres, film, art, literature, etc.) or other broader cultural activities (media, IT, sports, hiking, gastronomy, etc.).  

II. SCOPE OF APPLICANTS

1. Legal form

The following organisations are eligible to apply within the framework of the present call for proposals, however, are not permitted to form a consortium:

Applicants:

- Public education institutions (primary schools)
- Non-profit organisations established by a public education institution
- Children’s groups in community centres
- Other non-profit organisations with legal personality
- Churches

2. Commitments

Institutions/organisations need to ensure the following:

- A venue for workshops

- One key employee (teacher, group leader), who will be collaborating with the groups and, as mandatory requirement, shall participate in three trainings to be provided free of charge by the BHIM RAO Association, as well as extra-curricular activities (16 workshops).

- This key employee and the mentor will jointly elaborate and implement the annual work plan and compile detailed professional monthly quick reports, as well as mid-term and annual reports by using the templates provided.

- The applicant shall separately manage the funding provided to cover the costs of the workshop series; compile mid-term and annual financial reports on the use made of this funding and present the copies of receipts.

III. APPLICATION CONTENT

Duration of projects approved: School year 2010/2011

In breakdown: 10 months for teachers (September 2010 – June 2011), 8 months for groups (October 2010 – January 2011 and March-June 2011)

Number of groups envisaged to be supported within the framework of this call: 15

Target age-group: primary school students. Groups may be comprised of students in various school grades in a way that this composition ensures the potential to implement the planned workshop series, which is easy to follow for every participant. 

Setting up mixed groups is desirable to encourage joint work between Roma and non-Roma students.

Ideal group size: 20 students

Please notify us if there are less then 15 students in any given group, or if is not possible to form a mixed group (comprised of both Roma and non-Roma students) and provide reasons for this in the application datasheet. If the group size substantially exceeds 20 students, please describe what methods will ensure the quality implementation of the project.   

Workshops should preferably be organised on weekday afternoons, primarily at the seat of the institution or non-profit organisation. Taking the special age-group characteristics of the students into account and the type of workshop, one session should be 2-3 hours long and should be held on the same day of the week, hence strengthening the bonding of the students to the project. It is also possible to organise excursions and visits to external venues (maximum 1 per semester).   

1. Scope of activities eligible for support

- Activities aimed at strengthening the personality of students; educational activities adjusted to the personal situation of students; personality development; developing talent in line with the skills and abilities of the given student. 

- Strengthening identity awareness in students (fostering traditions and language).

- Organising skill and ability development programs; developing computer skills, as well as democratic cooperation abilities and communication skills.

- Active involvement of parents in organising extra-curricular activities organised for students; organising excursions to external venues, auxiliary programs and guest mentors.

- Implementing activities and recommendations listed under Section I/2 of the call for proposals.

- Ensuring the necessary material and infrastructural conditions.

- Creating an atmosphere that guarantees peaceful learning, a system building on trust and a feeling of comfort. For example, classrooms used in the school, cultural centres, libraries or rooms in other buildings are all suitable in this regard. 

Information, publicity

During the course of the implementation of the project, the applicant is required to provide information on its objectives for participating children and their parents.

IV. TERRITORIAL LIMITATIONS OF THE PROJECT

The applicant’s seat must be located in the territory of the Republic of Hungary and projects awarded funding must be implemented in the territory of the Republic of Hungary. Geographical location constitutes a criterion for selecting groups. The aim is to preferably integrate schools/institutions operating in every region in the country with a high concentration of Roma citizens.

V. FINANCIAL CONDITIONS

1. Type of support

Non-reimbursable

2. Rate of support

100% of the project’s total eligible expenditures

3. Amount of support

Amount of support awardable within the framework of the present project: 520,000 HUF.

Use of the grant awarded

The BHIM RAO Association provides funding amounting to 320,000 HUF per group for organising a total of 16 workshops in school year 2010/2011 and an additional 200,000 HUF to cover the remuneration of the employee designated by the school/institution, in order to be able to hold high standard, ambitious and special workshops for children which could otherwise not be organised.

In addition, the program also covers the fee paid to the mentor, as well as expenditures associated with participating in preparatory and evaluation trainings.

The following expenditures may be covered from funding granted within the framework of the Roma Mentor Project:

- Costs tying in with mentor workshops, such as: excursion travel costs, material costs of crafts and other workshops; travel costs of invited guests; entry tickets of external programs, lease fee, etc. 

- Costs of meals during workshops

- Remuneration paid to the employee (project manager) designated by the institution/school

The following expenditures cannot be covered from funding granted within the framework of the Roma Mentor Project:

- Renewal or reconstruction of the school or community institution

- Purchase of technical equipment, such as TVs, DVDs, videos, recorders, etc. 

- Training and programs provided for teachers.

VI. SELECTION CRITERIA

Applications will be assessed on the basis of eligibility, as well as formal, professional and financial criteria specified in the present call and on the grounds of the priorities indicated. 

The Roma Mentor Project will prioritise applications submitted by institutions and non-profit organisations that began to implement this program in school year 2008/2009.

VII. ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMARION

1. Mode, place and deadline for application submission.

The application package must include the following documents:

- Application datasheet (attached below)

- Copy of the Deed of Foundation of the applying institution (school, community institution or non-profit organisation).

- Description of the children’s group, detailing their age, scope of interest, geographical location, the community it belongs to, number of children and extra-curricular activities organised earlier, if any.

- One 10x13 cm photo of the applying children’s group.

- Statement confirming that the applying institution will ensure the necessary conditions (See above: participation of children in workshops, venue and employee).

Deadline for the submission of applications: 10 September 2010

1 original copy and 1 electronic version (only on CD/DVD) of the application must be sent via registered mail in a closed envelope to the following address:  

Via post: 3751, Szendrõlád, Petőfi út 15

Application documentation must also be submitted electronically to the following email addresses: bhimrao@bhimrao.hu.

For further information contact:

Nikoletta Glonczi
nikoletta.glonczi@gmail.com
06/304557473

Norbert Káló
kalonorbert@gmail.com
06703693053