Fundación Secretariado Gitano supports thousands of people with employment and education programmes, among others, with funding from Income Tax [editar]
Fundación Secretariado Gitano is one of the NGOs in Spain that receives funding from the Social Purposes section, which can be marked on the income tax return. Thanks to this, it develops social programmes that address the specific needs of thousands of people, such as employment and education, among others.
The programmes funded by Income Tax are as follows:
IgualTrato (Equal Treatment). Support and awareness campaigns to combat inequality in the Roma community, discrimination and antigypsyism
Roma in Spain are socio-economically disadvantaged compared to the rest of the population, which leads to a lack of real opportunities and results in structural exclusion and discrimination. In response to this, Fundación Secretariado Gitano, with co-financing from 0.7% and the European Social Fund Plus, is launching a series of actions to contribute to the promotion and socio-economic inclusion of the Roma population with equal opportunities.
The main lines of action are aimed at raising awareness, training and supporting the Roma community and victims of discrimination so that they are aware of their rights in the face of inequality, discrimination and stigmatisation. In addition, they will raise awareness among society as a whole to improve the image and knowledge of the Roma community and culture, and to inform about the extent of social exclusion and discrimination.
The actions also include training key actors, such as the state security forces, to improve their knowledge, response to social exclusion and protocols for action.
Online training in Social Intervention with the Roma Community, in collaboration with the Public University of Navarre and University scholarships for Roma women in postgraduate studies
For seventeen years, Fundación Secretariado Gitano has been running the Diploma of Specialisation in Social Intervention with the Roma Community course. This is a degree offered by the Public University of Navarre (UPNA) and taught jointly with the support of these 0.7% subsidies.
Its objective is to offer specialised university training for intervention in the social sphere so that students can develop innovative, high-quality work in the field of social intervention with their own community and promote equality for the Roma community. The funding for the course allows for the awarding of 30 scholarships to Roma students each year. More than 560 students have completed the course, of whom more than 510 have been Roma and more than 50% have been Roma women.
In addition, the programme promotes access, continuity and success for Roma women in university studies, committing to positive action in relation to gender barriers through the Fundación Secretariado Gitano - Luis Sáez University Scholarships for Roma women.
Preparation and support for Roma over the age of 25 to access higher education in collaboration with the National Distance Education University (UNED)
Fundación Secretariado Gitano, in collaboration with the Spanish National Distance Education University (UNED), is launching a pioneering educational support programme aimed at adult Roma who wish to pass the university entrance exam, begin higher education at the UNED and open up new possibilities for personal and professional development.
Face-to-face and virtual academic support is offered through monthly tutorials at FSG centres and an exclusive virtual course on the UNED platform that facilitates access to higher education for Roma, promoting their participation in the UNED Access Course for People over 25. For many Roma, structural, economic, social, digital and cultural barriers make it difficult or even impossible to enter university and higher vocational training. In addition, this opportunity creates a network of Roma students, promoting cohesion, a sense of belonging, mutual support and continuity in the educational process, contributing to the elimination of structural barriers.
Acceder Programme, an effective and efficient programme that helps 4 out of 10 participants find employment
Entering the labour market is key to combating social exclusion and discrimination. For this reason, with co-financing from the European Social Fund Plus and also thanks to the contribution of the Secretariat of State for Social Rights, Fundación Secretariado Gitano promotes the improvement of the Roma employability through the development of individualised pathways to employment and the professional qualifications and skills necessary for full inclusion into the labour market, in an intercultural context.
The Acceder Programme for training and employment has established itself as an effective and high-impact initiative for social and labour inclusion, contributing to social and institutional changes that foster an environment conducive to combating discrimination against the Roma population.
Mercaemprende, to promote self-employment among Roma and digitalisation in the street trading sector
Through Mercaemprende, Fundación Secretariado Gitano carries out actions aimed at improving the competitiveness of street trading by Roma (through professionalisation, modernisation, training and digitalisation), creating a framework of training and support that enables real and tangible changes in business models and in the lives of Roma engaged in street trading.
This programme, developed within the framework of the Acceder Programme and co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus and the Secretary of State for Social Rights, is committed to breaking the cycle of precariousness and job destruction in which it is entrenched, for its sustainability and to help it consolidate itself as a major niche of employment and a source of livelihood for thousands of Roma families.
Learning by Doing and Formatéate con Garantía (Training with a Guarantee), for the employment of young Roma
Learning by Doing and Formatéate con Garantía (Training with a Guarantee) are two training and employment projects that Fundación Secretariado Gitano has been developing since 2013, co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus within the framework of the Youth Employment Programme and receiving 0.7% funding.
Their aim is to promote active inclusion and improve the employability, professional, basic and cross-cutting skills of young Roma through adapted models of dual training and specialised vocational training, which compensate for disadvantages and guarantee equal opportunities in access to the labour market.
The key to these initiatives is the combination of theoretical training with practical experience in a real work environment, and a pathway that allows participants to move through different positions and shifts within the same sector. These are training and skills improvement models that seek to help young Roma discover and improve their talents, strengthening their abilities, while also providing an opportunity for companies to contribute to breaking down barriers to employment. This initiative helps to improve the match between supply and demand.
We have partnerships with large companies such as Carrefour, Ikea, Alcampo, Leroy Merlin, Inditex, NH, Melià, ISS, Adecco, among others, along with the incorporation of new sectors such as technology and green employment, where we have partnerships with Telefónica, Accenture, Iberdrola, Orange, EDP, among others.
With the Promociona education programme, we improve the school success rates of Roma students and promote continuity in their studies.
With co-financing from the 0.7% and the European Social Fund Plus, the ‘Fundación Secretariado Gitano’ also promotes school success and continuity in the studies of Roma youth through the Promociona programme, in order to break the generational cycle of poverty. It implements actions to enable Roma students to obtain their Compulsory Secondary Education Certificate and access post-compulsory education that will give them a future with opportunities.
Calí. For the equality of Roma women
With the Calí programme, co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus and 0.7, Fundación Secretariado Gitano accompanies Roma women in situations of high social vulnerability on socio-personal development pathways to promote their development and active participation as full citizens.
Promoting the participation of the Roma community, especially young people
With this programme, Fundación Secretariado Gitano encourages the Roma social participation, mainly young people under the age of 30, and strengthens the channels for social participation of the Roma population created in previous editions. It has established a network of participation facilitators, as well as spaces for exchange to improve mechanisms for promoting participation and intercultural citizenship, implementing actions that bring Roma closer to active citizenship. It also promotes participation at an early age through the Child and Adolescent Participation Group.
Promotion of volunteering
This programme captures the essence of the FSG's volunteering model: volunteering that contributes to improving the quality of life of people in vulnerable situations, recognises and promotes the role of Roma as agents of change, and generates links, a social base and shared civic responsibility. It is committed to consolidating a state model of intercultural, structured, accessible and transformative volunteering which, through the active participation of volunteers, particularly Roma, reinforces the social impact of Fundación Secretariado Gitano intervention programmes and promotes inclusion, community leadership and the fight against discrimination.
The volunteers who collaborate with Fundación Secretariado Gitano are an essential part of the organisation's human capital. Their commitment to the Roma cause promotes and supports their social and labour inclusion and helps to break down stereotypes about them.
Programme for fundraising and diversification of funding
The main objective of this project is to generate support for the Roma cause through fundraising and loyalty campaigns and other actions, strengthening our social base of socially responsible individuals, institutions and companies willing to convert this support into resources for the development of actions aimed at the social promotion and equality of Roma.
The aim is to significantly increase the membership base and the collection of resources from donations and other contributions through fundraising and loyalty campaigns.
Another objective is to ensure the viability and sustainability of our organisation, addressing the structural weaknesses generated by the public funding model, generating support for the Roma cause and creating a social base of individuals, institutions and companies that are socially responsible and willing to convert this support into resources for the development of actions aimed at the social promotion and equality of Roma.