Trainning and support for teachers and educational centres: participating entities (SPAIN)

DESCRIPTION OF THE ENTITIES (SPAIN)

Fundación Secretariado General Gitano

The Fundación Secretariado General Gitano (FSGG) is a state-wide, non-profit social entity the fundamental aim of which is the integral advancement and full incorporation of the Roma community into the Spanish society based on the principle of interculturality. It is governed by a 16-member Board of Directors representative of the different areas that exert an influence on the situation of the Roma people thus making it a reflection of the interculturality principle that defines the nature of the organisation.

Its first activities date back to the 1960’s and since that time have progressively become established and consolidated throughout the whole of Spain. Work is currently carried out in 14 of the 17 Autonomous Communities as well as on the European level.

The fundamental objectives of the entity are:

To foster the active participation and involvement of Roma in their own development.
To improve the image that the public has of the Roma people and to disseminate their cultural values in the society.
To collaborate with individuals, associations, NGOs, platforms and organisations, both in the public and private sectors, that work for the advancement of the Roma community.
The development of advancement programmes in the areas of education, health, youth, employment, women and in all other fields that contribute to the improvement of living conditions for the Roma community.
To offer information, training, orientation and consulting services to associations, administrations and any other entities that take an interest in Roma issues.
To develop pervasive awareness measures and campaigns with a view to exerting an influence on the structural causes of inequality.
The defence and support of the interests of the Roma people both on the national as well as the international levels.
Development cooperation and humanitarian assistance.

The FSGG’s activity and work focuses on three areas:

First of all, it develops social intervention programmes in an effort to meet the needs of the Roma population.
Second of all, it develops and offers information, training, orientation and consultation services to facilitate the work of Roma associations as well as that of other social entities, institutions and organisations that also work in favour of the promotion of this social group.
And finally, it develops generally accessible awareness campaigns and measures with a view to getting at the structural causes of inequality.

FSGG activities cover a wide range of fields but the majority focus on the areas of education, employment, housing and health.

In the field of education, the principal actions and programmes currently being developed by the FSGG are:

Educational standardisation: support, monitoring and awareness actions with kindergarten, primary and secondary school students and their families putting an accent on early enrolment, educational standardisation at all levels and closing the gap between school centres and the Roma community.
Support for continuation and permanence in school and university access: actions focusing on students in post-compulsory education, their families and the teaching centres through economic and psycho-social support.
Educational compensation programmes: through the creation of socio-educational opportunities for Roma children the purpose of which is to reinforce their permanence and competency in the educational system and their personal development.
Training of educational professionals: participation in initial and life-long training actions for teachers and other education professionals (social educators, education mediators, socio-cultural coordinators, social services technicians, etc.) and the editing of support materials.
Educational research: design and development of studies and research on the educational situation as regards the Spanish Roma community in compulsory and post-compulsory education.
Life-long education and adult training: development of programmes and materials to encourage reading and writing and basic training for adult Roma men and women.
Educational materials and programmes: design and development of support materials for teachers and other education professionals on intercultural education, values education and focus on diversity.
Schools for parents: development of educational empowerment programmes for fathers and mothers.