GOOD PRACTICE 27 BULGARIA - JOBS PROJECT JOB OPPORTUNITIES AND BUSINESS SUPPORT FOR ROMA

Transcription

1 GOOD PRACTICE 27 BULGARIA - JOBS PROJECT JOB OPPORTUNITIES AND BUSINESS SUPPORT FOR ROMA Municipality SOFIA Action type JOBS PROGRAMME (3 Roma-targeted components implemented within the programme: JOBS 1. for Roma Roma 2. Inclusion through Business Support Sustainable 3. Employment Generation through Business Support Level of the good practice replicated

2 Contact organisation MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS (WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE UNITED NATIONS PROGRAMME FOR DEVELOPMENT - UNDP) BG-1000 Sofia mlsp@mlsp.government.bg Themes Awareness-raising, Employment, Equal opportunities Keywords employment mediator, Equal opportunities, Inclusion, job creation Duration (start/end) 2004/2010 In progress Non Scale national Context Target audience: Roma unemployed and underskilled, Roma entrepreneurs.

3 Currently estimated at around 700,000 people, the Roma minority in Bulgaria is exposed to widespread poverty, social and financial exclusion. Growing child and adult illiteracy, underdeveloped or non-existent occupational and social skills and self-isolation equally describe Roma realities and discriminatory stereotypes that further thwart integration. Roma usually face multiple barriers to inclusion, from poor command of the Bulgarian language and the pull of criminal networks among youth to lack of support and resources for education, skill development and economic participation. JOBS for Roma is a pilot initiative financed by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) in the framework of the JOBS Project. Implementation started in April 2004 and will continue until end The objective is to test and demonstrate a replicable model for creating employment and income generation opportunities in Roma communities. The Roma ethnic minority in Bulgaria is generally more exposed to poverty, unemployment and exclusion and Roma people are largely unable to benefit from the new development opportunities associated with Bulgaria s EU membership. JOBS for Roma addresses the above issues by applying a comprehensive approach that will increase access to counseling services, vocational training and business support for members of the Roma community. Two Business Centers in Bourgas and in Pazardjik have been established in large Roma neighborhoods in the two towns. Upon completion of the SIDA-funded activities, the two BCs will remain full-fledged members of the JOBS network, providing the standard package of JOBS services to their local communities: vocational/entrepreneurial training, business advisory services and access to micro-credit, with the added element of raising Roma employer and community awareness. Description The objectives are as follows: - to combat the unemployment of Roma in different regions of Bulgaria in order to test the effectiveness of a model to be mainstreamed and reproduced with the aim of creating jobs and new opportunities generating good results over the Roma Community ; - to stimulate a sustainable environment for the creation of employment and the sustainability of small and micro enterprises, as well as farmers. The main barriers preventing Roma inclusion in the job market and the formal economy were identified as follows: (i) poor access to existing jobs due to unsuitable skills, defeatist attitudes and discrimination; (ii) a substantial proportion of young people without any job experience, working habits and motivation to work;

4 (iii) lack of access to capital and business skills for entrepreneurship development. The overall objective was to create employment and income generation opportunities in Roma communities through employment-related services or support for Roma start-up entrepreneurs and existing businesses hiring Roma. Additional documents available Oui Partners Civil society, including Roma community, European institutions, governmental, local or regional If the action was developed within the framework of a European project Only the component Sustainable Employment Generation through Business Support was part of a project, partially funded by EU Phare programme. The 3 components had different financing models. JOBS for Roma was financed prevailingly by SIDA with small additions from MLSP and also UNDP. Roma Inclusion through Business Support was financed mostly by UNDP, and UK GOF and partially by the Swedish Embassy. "Sustainable Employment Generation through Business Support was funded by UNDP and EU Phare programme. Does the policy respond to a EU request and/or refer to EU Directive? Non Method used Local level partners were directly engaged in the centres set-up and governance. While UNDP provided knowhow and management oversight and the Swedish Government invested the pilot grant to kick-start implementation, the Ministry of Labour provided national level support and integrated the Roma Business Centres in the overall JOBS framework.

5 A key factor was the active participation of Roma-based organisations and community leaders in the establishment and development of the NGOs (called Business Centres - BCs) under the JOBS programme. The BCs were founded under JOBS as local NGOs associations of public bodies (Municipality, Labour Offices and other local public institutions in diverse areas) and the private sector (businesses, business organizations). Capacity was built within the BCs to render services related to employment promotion and job finding and business support to support the creation of more job places for Roma people. The JOBS methodology includes support to the BCs to provide a core set of services to end beneficiaries, while acting as viable business support organizations in the long run, as well as support to the implementation of special project components, such as JOBS for Roma. The project s special components have emerged in the course of project implementation in response to the need for targeted assistance in specific sectors, areas and/or communities. The Business Center mechanism had been created and tested before under the JOBS Programme all over the country. Special adjustments to the model were made to suit the specificities of the Roma communities. The JOBS Project components are: - Core Business Services - provided to end clients through the Business Centers. A special feature of the JOBS approach is the integrated mix of non-financial (information, training, consulting..) and financial services (financial leasing advising..) - Special Project Components - 14 separate initiatives in support of specific sectors and target groups, implemented through the BC and financed by 10 different donors and 2 Bulgarian Ministries. Focus areas include: capacity building, competitiveness, social inclusion, micro grants..) - Institutional tools - 42 Business Centers + 10 Business Incubators 15 window offices established with project support.. Participation Roma organisations and businesses were involved as founding members and managing bodies of the Business centers. Roma support organizations locally were used as advisors. About 50 % of the BC staff were Roma people. All actors involved:autonomous local NGOs established according to the JOBS methodology and founded by local public institutions, entrepreneurs, community leaders and Roma-based organisations; municipalities in Burgas and Pazardjik; Elhovo renovated and equipped and granted offices for the business centres. The local partners are the municipalities, the local labour offices, the Burgas Chamber of Commerce and Industry, private sector entrepreneurs. Results obtained Project s main achievements: The JOBS project has created a country wide network of business support organisations - Business Centers. In 2010 the JOBS network spans 42 viable BC across Bulgaria. Under all three initiatives, 1,270 jobs for Roma people created; over 20,000 information and consultancy services provided; over 2,200 Roma trained in professional and entrepreneurial skills; about 150 business plans for Roma

6 businesses developed; 86 businesses hiring Roma provided with financial leasing; 37 Roma businesses supported with small grants. UNDP's efforts helped engage new international donors who invested additional funds in important pilots within JOBS project framework. Partnership with the Bulgarian governement was also expanded for new sub-projects. Overall, 14 special initiatives were implemented. They tested innovative support tools and some have been recognized as best practice both, locally and internationally, notably for Roma minority inclusion and comprehensive assistance to start - up enterprises Long-term perspectives and sustainability of the action The creation of a long-lasting support mechanism (such as the BCs, which are independent organizations) is essential, but such support and development require long-lasting commitment of public financing as well, since the NGOs cannot raise enough own resources to perform on their own and support their poor clients. Current efforts at the end of JOBS Project implementation focus on ensuring sustainability of the project's impact and achievements in the long run. The 42 Business Centers are viable local organisations and are well prepared to continue to play a strong local development role in their communities. The largest post-projects legacy is the JOBS Financial Leasing Fund over USD 5m, whose preservation and sustainable development has been a central concern of the project partners over past years. UNDP and the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy have agreed on a strategic solution which will guarantee the fund's future use to benefit the JOBS Project traget clients. What are the keys to success of this action? Adjustment of the previous JOBS model BCs were adjusted to target group specifics Development of long-term strategies with direct community input Mediation from local Roma-based organisations and community leaders Community involvement was crucial for transparency and for building trust among target clients The BCs were performing a twofold role by building entrepreneurial/ employment culture along with provision of direct business & job assistance. Mixed local staff teams- Roma and Bulgarian Direct assistance to Roma people to find employment creation of job intermediary services at the BCs

7 Provision of direct support to businesses which create jobs for the Roma through advisory services and access to financing JOBS targeted Roma people actively willing to change their circumstances by gaining new skills. Assistance eased their transition to self-employment, micro business and the job market. What were the main difficulties encountered? Poverty, illiteracy and a pervasive culture of dependence threatened to undermine the optimal use of the Business Centre services Lack of sustainable income, low levels of education and poor living conditions have placed them in a disadvantaged position on the labor market. This is especially true for women and youth who experience a double disadvantage. While this situation is the result of complex factors, the two major barriers in terms of equal business and employment opportunities are: i) poor access to existing jobs due to unsuitable skills and discrimination; ii) almost no targeted support for job creation and entrepreneurship development in Roma communities. What would you recommend to those carrying out a similar action? Sustainable Roma employment can only be achieved if special efforts are directed to engage employers and non- Roma workers. Development of long-term strategies with direct community input Building awareness and capacity to benefit from employment and business opportunities Provide businesses with access to financing Evaluation process The project has been evaluated in two directions: the implementation and impact of component JOBS for Roma,

8 covering the entire SIDA-funded implementation period: April 2004 December In 2008 to provide recommendations for appropriate further interventions for achieving the long-term objectives of JOBS for Roma in three areas. level of achievement of the component objectives and results by the two BCs and appropriate further support to the two BCs the framework of the JOBS Project; possible future interventions by the two BCs in the areas of employment promotion and entrepreneurship support for Roma communities; financial mechanisms that would best fit the needs of Roma entrepreneurs. Action validated as a good practice by European Commission. DG Employment. (DG4) "Improving the tools for the social inclusion and non-discrimination of Roma in the EU: Summary and selected projects." UNDP-Bulgaria.: Validated by Other More European Commission. DG Employment.(dg4) " Improving the tools for the social inclusion and nondiscrimination of Roma in the EU Summary and selected projects." UNDP : Diffusion resources Publication or report Publication or report Peer review organized in Bulgaria by MLSP in 2008 under the Mutual Learning Programme. Action type JOBS PROGRAMME

9 Powered by TCPDF ( (3 Roma-targeted components implemented within the programme: JOBS 1. for Roma Roma 2. Inclusion through Business Support Sustainable 3. Employment Generation through Business Support COE Good Practices and Policies Wednesday, September 19, :30