Street Based Youth Work for Roma Inclusion – 4/6/2012
Street Based Youth Work For Roma Inclusion: Results The report contains the reports and results of the 4 groups that perform Street Based Youth Work in Kumanovo, Republic of Macedonia on the afternoon of the 4th June 2012. Area: Bus Station Workers: Monika, Stefan, and Rarina & Dijana | Time: 13:30 – 15:30 Session Objectives:
Communication To learn something e.g. words, their needs, what people know about the Roma community Dialogue with them Observation New experience
Time: 13:45 | Age: 14 | No: 1 | Male: 1 Female: 0 | Location: Bus Station | Ethnicity: Roma Summary: We observed the whole situation at the bus station, but most of them were older people, then we saw a boy and we started a conversation. We discussed about his age and his work (at the toilet, he was the cleaner). Then we asked him about his social life, friends, home. After a short conversation he offered us a ‘joint’ to which we refused. Review:
The boy was 14 but had a job cleaning toilets. Told him about Multi Kulti, he was interested and wanted to bring friends. We were surprised he offered us drugs.
Time: 14:05 | Age: 13 | No: 3 | Male: 0 Female: 3 | Location: Roma Com. Market | Ethnicity: Roma Summary: We approached 3 girls in front of the market and started a conversation about their age, needs, friends, etc. They needed to take their groceries home so after 20 minutes they left. Review:
They were buying basic stuff, but the conversation showed that they wanted more. They took Multi Kulti’s address and number. They would like to take part in dance workshops.
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Street Based Youth Work for Roma Inclusion – 4/6/2012 Time: 14:20 | Age: 22 | No: 2 | Male: 2 Female: 0 | Location: Roma Com. Market | Ethnicity: Roma Summary: In front of the market one guy approached us and started asking questions about what we do in Multi Kulti. He offered us a tour of the community while we were talking he spoke with us about discrimination, his life, family, etc. Then one of his friends joined us. Review:
They feel discriminated in general. Happy they can take part in the organisation. Liked to beat box.
Time: 14:40 | Age: 9 | No: 8 | Male: 5 Female: 3 | Location: Roma Community | Ethnicity: Roma Summary: After going further into the community we encountered 5 children aged from 5 to 10 years that wanted to talk with us. We felt we needed to ask their parents and after an introduction their parents let them hang out with us for a bit. Almost all of them attended school and knew a small amount of English. During the conversation 3 other children joined us. Review:
Very happy, holding our hands, talking about their life. One of the parents joined us. We did some energizers which with received with positivity. They were drawing with paper and markers we provided for a long time.
Time: 15:05 | Age: 29 | No: 1 | Male: 1 Female: 0 | Location: Near Bus Station | Ethnicity: Roma Summary: Near the bus station a man approached us and asked us do we offer English lessons, because doesn’t have money to pay for them. He took the organisations number and gave us his number. Review:
The man was happy that he may be able to get his kids to learn English. Collected information about what we do.
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Street Based Youth Work for Roma Inclusion – 4/6/2012 Time: 13:50 | Age: 23 | No: 1 | Male: 1 Female: 0 | Location: Bus Station | Ethnicity: Roma Summary: We observed people around us, when we found out that a guy was sitting alone we approached and asked ‘how are you’. We found out that he does not smoke cigarettes he speaks Serbian, Macedonia & Bulgarian, but did not mention any Romani language. He may have been hiding his roots. He finished 3 years of high school and has a job working with monuments. Review:
We think that he enjoyed talking to us, although he is not an extrovert. The conversation was one way. We were standing while he was sitting, may have been intimidating for him.
Time: 14:02 | Age: 24 | No: 1 | Male: 1 Female: 0 | Location: The Bridge | Ethnicity: Roma Summary: A guy sitting on the bridge accepted to have a ‘chat’ with us. We started by asking how he was and introducing ourselves, then he started speaking Italian. He asked us to listen to the style of music he listens to and really wanted us to listen until the end. This is how the dialogue started. Review: N/A
Time: 14:15 | Age: 22 | No: 4 | Male: 4 Female: 0 | Location: The Bridge & Hill | Ethnicity: Roma Summary: Later on the last guy we spoke to joined us with 3 other guys. We started learning some Roma words, the first words they wanted to teach us was ‘I love you’. After a few minutes they asked us to go for a walk into the community near the crossing into the woods. During the walk we asked how they thought about Kumanovo as a ‘multi ethnic’ city and they responded with personal issues of discrimination. What is most important for us to report is their views on Macedonian people and their level of interaction with the Roma community. They commented that they were happy they we personally were referring to them as Roma and not Gypsy. They felt comfortable with us and started to refer to us in a Romani name that means ‘My Brother or My Sister’. One of them asked us what our towns looked like, specifically the natural surroundings. They started talking about some difficulties such as pollution ‘beyond the bridge’. We finished the conversation with some pictures. Review:
We both felt safe with each other. Many older people in the community were interested in our presence and very friendly. One of the Roma guys was translator between an elderly lady and out Italian volunteer; the old lady didn’t speak English or know much Macedonian.
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Street Based Youth Work for Roma Inclusion – 4/6/2012
Our stereotypes of Roma people just collapsed. They invited us to join a wedding ceremony.
Area: Supermarket ‘My Market’ Workers: Daniel, Liesa, and Aminah & Teua | Time: 13:30 – 15:30 Session Objectives:
Communication To get to know different groups. Dialogue with them Observation Outreach Work Understand culture, thoughts, position in Kumanovo.
Time: 13:45 | Age: 20 | No: 2 | Male: 0 Female: 2 | Location: My Market| Ethnicity: Roma Summary: Short conversation, informed us about Roma, but one girl had to go and to look for her 3 children. Review:
Would like some more information another time.
Time: 13:50 | Age: 11 | No: 2 | Male: 1 Female: 1 | Location: My Market| Ethnicity: Roma Summary: We talked about education and school, the older one was not going to school. The female child spoke German as she had lived in Düsseldorf for 4 months. Review:
One has a mentor to go to school.
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Street Based Youth Work for Roma Inclusion – 4/6/2012 Time: 13:55 | Age: 18 | No: 45 | Male: 28 Female: 17 | Location: My Market| Ethnicity: Roma Summary: A mixture of ages with 30+ young people lots of them spoke German, Macedonian and Roma with a large amount of the older group speaking English as well. A number of adults were there, mainly parents of the younger children. We received information on living conditions, health issues, school, discrimination, etc. We took photos with them and gave the children some sweets. Review:
Need for mentors and social workers. Contact the educated adult Danjel. Need to distribute more information about youth centres and their opportunities. Street work: talk to them, programme for smaller kids.
Area: Supermarket ‘Tosh’ Workers: Tea, Nazmul, And Nikola & Lurij| Time: 13:30 – 15:30 Session Objectives:
Communication To get to know different groups. Dialogue with them Observation
Time: 14:00 | Age: 13 | No: 1 | Male: 0 Female: 1 | Location: Tush| Ethnicity: Albanian Summary: Zorica listens to rap music and she really likes 50 Cent and Eminem. We introduced her to information about Multi Kulti; she didn’t know about Multi Kulti and had never ever visited another country. Review:
Since she had never heard about Multi Kulti it might be worth going into schools to introduce its activities.
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Street Based Youth Work for Roma Inclusion – 4/6/2012 Time: 14:10 | Age: 16 | No: 1 | Male: 1 Female: 0 | Location: Tush| Ethnicity: Serbian Summary: The young person was a friend of another volunteer in Multi Kulti. He is in 2nd year of high school. He loves football and was heading to the supermarket. His parents are from Serbia, he knows about Multi Kulti, but wasn’t very interested. Review:
Why he is not interested?
Time: 14:25 | Age: 21 | No: 1 | Male: 0 Female: 1 | Location: Tush| Ethnicity: Roma Summary: Melanie doesn’t go to school / college / university; she is a smoker and lives in the Roma community. She likes the music of Beyoncé and Shakira. Review:
Not studying or working. Does not have much to occupy free time.
Time: 14:35 | Age: 10 | No: 1 | Male: 1 Female: 0 | Location: Tush| Ethnicity: Macedonian Summary: A 10 year old boy whose mother came a got him as she didn’t seem to like him talking to us. We established that he spends a lot of time on the computer. Review:
N/A
Time: 14:40 | Age: 18 | No: 2 | Male: 2 Female: 0 | Location: Tush| Ethnicity: Macedonian Summary: Two guys who could speak English and were attending final year of a local high school. They loved football and we gave them some flyers for them and friends about Multi Kulti. Review:
Again it would be useful to promote Multi Kulti in schools.
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Street Based Youth Work for Roma Inclusion – 4/6/2012 Time: 15:00 | Age: 19 | No: 2 | Male: 1 Female: 1 | Location: Tush| Ethnicity: Macedonian Summary: A guy and a girl both from Kumanovo who know about Multi Kulti, but they don’t attend. The boy loves football and the girl studies English, they can both speak English well. They are both fans of Macedonian music. Review:
N/A
Time: 15:20 | Age: 14 | No: 4 | Male: 4 Female: 0 | Location: Roma Square| Ethnicity: Roma Summary: First we met a child who told us his name, but when his friends came we found out he had told us the wrong name. He may have also lied about his age. The boy had spent 1 year in Germany. One of the boys was quite obviously ‘the boss’ of the group. One of them loved Basketball and has beaten Nikola in a 1 on 1 match. They asked for money and told us that they didn’t go to school. Neither we nor the group didn’t have much time; we both had to leave after 5 minutes. Review:
They were not very open with us.
Area: Centre Square Workers: Shabima, Tobi, Luca, Jelenab & Jelena| Time: 13:30 – 15:30 Session Objectives:
Communication To get to know different groups. Dialogue with them Observation
Time: 13:30 | Age: 14 | No: 3 | Male: 1 Female: 2 | Location: Main Square| Ethnicity: Macedonian Summary: Conversation about Multi Kulti, college and general conversation. Review:
Friendly with good English, used balloons and card tricks.
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Street Based Youth Work for Roma Inclusion – 4/6/2012 Time: 13:45 | Age: 24 | No: 3 | Male: 3 Female: 0 | Location: Main Square| Ethnicity: Roma Summary: Gave them information about Multi Kulti and spoke about Germany. Review:
N/A
Time: 13:50 | Age: 24 | No: 2 | Male: 0 Female: 2 | Location: Main Square| Ethnicity: Roma Summary: Gave them information about Multi Kulti. They claimed they don’t understand Albanian girls because they only speak Albanian. We talked about Albanian and Roma Communities. Review:
N/A
Time: 14:00 | Age: 16 | No: 9 | Male: 9 Female: 0 | Location: Main Square| Ethnicity: Macedonia Summary: Talked about Multi Kulti, Youth Exchanges, German NGO’s, Couchsurfing, Facebook, Roma community and young Roma children. Review:
Smart guys with good quick English.
Time: 14:10 | Age: 10 | No: 2 | Male: 2 Female: 0 | Location: Main Square| Ethnicity: Roma Summary: We gave them balloons and played with them for a bit they wanted us to write their names on the balloons. They didn’t want to show us the place where they usually hang out, but they were still very friendly. Review:
N/A
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Street Based Youth Work for Roma Inclusion – 4/6/2012 Time: 14:20 | Age: 45 | No: 3 | Male: 3 Female: 0 | Location: Main Square| Ethnicity: 2 Roma & 1 Albanian Summary: Discussion about social situation, suppression by the state and lack of future opportunities for their children. One guy has 5 children and another has 2 children. Review:
One guy was selling items for a very low price. One guy had worked in many European countries, but could never find a stable job. They were all living off less than 100 Euros a month.
Time: 15:00 | Age: 45 | No: 2 | Male: 1 Female: 1 | Location: Church near the Square| Ethnicity: Macedonian Summary: There was a lack of understanding and communication. They were husband and wife and they wanted to know what we were doing there. They said they wanted someone to do something concrete for their community. Review:
Failure for positive engagement due to lack of communication and understanding.
Time: 15:05 | Age: 16 | No: 2 | Male: 1 Female: 1 | Location: Main Square| Ethnicity: Albanian Summary: General talk, card tricks, information on Multi Kulti and provision of Balloons. Review:
N/A
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Street Based Youth Work for Roma Inclusion – 4/6/2012 Time: 15:10 | Age: 19 | No: 2 | Male: 0 Female: 2 | Location: Main Square| Ethnicity: Unknown Summary: Two girls from Kumanovo who engaged in conversation about the city being one of different languages, culture and religion. They believed that in the future relations between the different groups will improve. Review:
Old people in the city seem to have a bleak view on the future, but young people are a lot more positive.
Time: 15:20 | Age: 11 | No: 6 | Male: 6 Female: 0 | Location: Main Square| Ethnicity: Unknown Summary: Spoke about age, school, multi Kulti and card games. We performed some card tricks for them and had a drink of coke and Fanta with them also. Then we performed dome football tricks with balloons. Review:
The group had interaction throughout the day with other groups we spoke to. The group was watched carefully by security guards from Tinex. Harassed off the grass by security.
Time: 15:30 | Age: 18 | No: 3 | Male: 0 Female: 3 | Location: Main Square| Ethnicity: Unknown Summary: The girls asked about our project and why there were German and Italian people here. We tried to explain the reason behind the project and why it is important to connect with different people and culture. Review:
N/A
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Street Based Youth Work for Roma Inclusion – 4/6/2012
Results Bus Station Age: 09 Yrs 13 Yrs 14 Yrs 22 Yrs 23 Yrs 24 Yrs 29 Yrs
Total No. 8 3 1 6 1 1 1
Group Size: Male: Female: 1 15 6 3 2 8 1 1 1 4 Total 21
Total Ethnicity: Male: Female: Ethnic No. Roma 15 6 21
As you can see from the table the people encountered by this group were exclusively Ethnic Roma. The Age and Gender distribution are is represented visually here:
Age 10 8 6 4 2 0
Total No. 09 13 14 22 23 24 29 Yrs Yrs Yrs Yrs Yrs Yrs Yrs
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16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Male:
Female:
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Street Based Youth Work for Roma Inclusion – 4/6/2012 Supermarket ‘My Market’ Age: 11 Yrs 18 Yrs 20 Yrs
Total No.
Group Size:
Total Ethnicity: Male: Female: Ethnic No.
Male: Female:
2
2
45
2
2
45
29
20
Roma
29
20
49
Total 49
As you can see from the table the people encountered by this group were exclusively Ethnic Roma. The Age and Gender distribution are represented visually here: 35
Age
30
50
25
40
20
30
15
20
10
10
5
0
0 11 Yrs
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18 Yrs
20 Yrs
Male:
Female:
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Street Based Youth Work for Roma Inclusion – 4/6/2012 Supermarket ‘Tush’
Total No.
Age: 10 Yrs 13 Yrs 14 Yrs 16 Yrs 18 Yrs 19 Yrs 21 Yrs
Group Size:
Male:
Female:
9
Ethnicity: 3
Male:
Albanian
Total Ethnic No.
Female:
1
1
1
1
1
1
Serbian
1
4
1
Roma
4
1
5
1
1
Macedonian
4
1
5
2
2
2
2
1
4 Total 12
1
The Age, Gender and Ethnic distribution are represented visually here: 10
Age
8
5 4 3 2 1 0
6 4 Total No. 2 0
10 13 14 16 18 19 21 Yrs Yrs Yrs Yrs Yrs Yrs Yrs
Male:
Female:
6
Total Ethnic No.
5 4 3 2
Male:
Albanian
Female:
Serbian
Total Ethnic No.
Roma Macedonian
1 0 Albanian
Serbian
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Roma
Macedonian
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Street Based Youth Work for Roma Inclusion – 4/6/2012 Main Square Age: 10 Yrs 11 Yrs 14 Yrs 16 Yrs 18 Yrs 19 Yrs 24 Yrs 45 Yrs
Total No. 2 6 3 11 3 2 5 5
Group Size:
Total Ethnicity: Male: Female: Ethnic No. Macedonian 11 3 14 Roma 7 2 9 Albanian 2 1 3 Unknown 6 5 11
Male: Female: 3 26 11 3 9 2 3 2 2 6 3
Total 33
The Age, Gender and Ethnic distribution are represented visually here: 30
Age
25
12
20
10 8
15
6 Total No.
4 2
10 5
0 0
10 11 14 16 18 19 24 45 Yrs Yrs Yrs Yrs Yrs Yrs Yrs Yrs
Male:
Female:
16 14 12
Total Ethnic No.
10 8
Male:
6
Female:
4
Total Ethnic No.
2
Macedonian Roma Albanian Unknown
0
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Street Based Youth Work for Roma Inclusion – 4/6/2012
The Street Based Youth Work for Roma Inclusion Training was held from the 30th May 2012 to the 6th June 2012 by the Kumanovo based NGO ‘Streets Festival’. The training was funded by the Youth ion Action Programme and included and number of Youth Workers and Volunteers from several NGO’s from across the European continent. The report is compiled from the research they conducted and information they collected during their practical session of Street Based Youth Work conducted in four areas of Kumanovo, Macedonia on the 4th June 2012.
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